Sometimes, the staff at Graphic Policy read more comics than we’re able to get reviewed. When that happens you’ll see a weekly feature compiling reviews of the comics, or graphic novels, we just didn’t get a chance to write a full one for.

These are Graphic Policy’s Mini Reviews and Recommendations.

Logan

Shaolin Cowboy: Staying AI-Live #3 (Dark Horse) – Shaolin Cowboy: Staying AI-Live #3 continues to straddle the line between utterly brilliant and incredibly sophomoric. Geoff Darrow unleashes some of the best fight choreography on the comics page and also a used panty dispensing AI soda machine. He also includes more background gags in one issue than some 100+ issue ongoing series have in their entire run. I’m amazed by Darrow’s skill as a cartoonist, which is bolstered by Ian Herring’s colors and Nate Piekos’ precise letters and also get a lot of chuckles from his skewering of our current AI-addled, fascist, late capitalist reality. The setting of Shaolin Cowboy: Staying AI-Live has big Gatlinburg energy. Overall: 8.7 Verdict: Buy

Muppets Take the Marvel Universe #1 (Marvel) – Muppets Take the Marvel Universe #1 is living proof that anything, even a shared universe that has somewhat gone stale, can be improved by the presence of Muppets. The comic kicks things off with a multiverse-spanning epic courtesy of Chip Zdarsky and Pete Woods. It’s super funny, and Miss Piggy and Emma Frost are fabulous together. Also, with the help of Gonzo, Deadpool is the least annoying he’s been in years. The story ends up being a salute to ensemble casts and maybe even a template for future summer event stories. Next, in a “Terrible Idea”, Kyle Starks and Mike Henderson have Bruce Banner and Hank Pym play the straight men to the utter chaos that are the experiments of Honeydew and Beaker. Some of the imagery in this story is downright nightmare fuel, and it ends up being a great homage to all the superhero and villain-creating lab accidents. Miss Piggy roasts some sexist (literal)pigs and flirts with Rocket and Groot in the incomparable “Pigs of the Galaxy”. Mackenzie Cadenhead’s dialogue demonstrates why she’s a pop culture queen while David Baldwin and Yen Nitro marry colorful sci-fi and fashion with their visuals. This story needed more pages and a spinoff mini. Philip Kennedy Johnson and Athla Fabbio combine 60s counterculture and 80s action in the nearly silent “Bad Man”. Basically, Wolverine rescues the Electric Mayhem’s van in a story that emulates Larry Hama’s silent issues of GI Joe with day-go colors from Mike Atiyeh. It’s a super fun genre/era/tone mash-up. Momofuku executive chef Paul Carmichael teams up with Ashley Allen and Paco Medina to spin a tale of Dr. Strange, Swedish Chef, and a sick Clea. Allen nails the chef’s funky dialogue while Medina helps the build up of Strange’s consternation with a chef who sucks in every universe. But, somehow, he has the magic touch for Clea. Adam Goldberg and EJ Su wrap the comic up with a rapid fire succession of Muppets failing to join the Avengers in their fight against Dr. Doom. We get one last magical Miss Piggy moment and some Statler/Waldorf fourth wall obliteration before paying adieu to a vibrant cast of characters. (And some Marvel superheroes.) Overall: 9.2 Verdict: Buy