Tag Archives: tales of wonder

Mini Reviews: Sabrina the Teenage #1, Midnight X-Men #1, Tales of Wonder #2, Concrete: Stars Over Sand #4, Dinner Date #1

Sabrina the Teenage Witch #1

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

Sabrina the Teenage Witch #1 (Oni Press) – Corinna Bechko and Kano’s Sabrina the Teenage Witch #1 seamlessly mixes teen drama and horror with a pop of color. Kano’s cartooning is agile, especially when Sabrina is freaking out about her powers and new imp-ish energy. Also, Bechko sets up a magic system for the series, but doesn’t forget the part. As an added bonus, cartoonist extraordinaire Nick Cagnetti illustrates a four page backup about the witch/familiar relationship. This new Sabrina series hits right in the middle between the supermarket digests and Chilling Adventures, which is perfect for an ongoing series. Overall: 8.1 Verdict: Buy

Midnight X-Men #1 (Marvel) – Vampires and X-Men are two of my favorite things so Midnight X-Men #1 was an easy sell to me. And it lives up to the hype as Jonathan Hickman, Matteo Della Fonte, and Arthur Helsi build a vicious, theocratic world with the faintest sliver of heroism. One thing I’ve enjoyed about Hickman’s writing over the years is that he has mastered the build up to an “Oh shit” water cooler moment in key issues of his runs. He pulls another one off in Midnight X-Men #1, and Della Fonte’s design add even more gravity to the sequence. And this is in addition to Stryker and Nightcrawler’s religious debates, some weird science, and one hell of a romance. As a former X-Men fan fic reader, I love a doomed ship, and Jonathan Hickman basically centers the hook of this new comic around one. Overall: 8.5 Verdict: Buy

Tales of Wonder #2 (Image) – This book is worth reading just for the nine panel grid of sequence of thinly veiled Stan Lee and Jack Kirby analogues beating the crap out of each other. But for all the meta-ness in Steve Skroce’s script, this is mostly big, loud superheroics drawn in loving detail and flashily colored by Ian Herring. Sometimes you want to pontificate on how Lee was an asshole, but sometimes you want to see a jacked patriot, bear, sexy witch, and vomiting fly thing kick butt. Overall: 7.9 Verdict: Buy

Concrete: Stars Over Sand #4 (Dark Horse) – Paul Chadwick showcases his range as a cartoonist in Concrete #4 offering visceral thrills and reflective moments. Maureen escaping from the broken helicopter is an action film in miniature and is pure adrenaline while Larry tries to break through to a semi-amnesiac Concrete. The issue predominantly focuses on Concrete’s cognitive state after he was struck by lightning, and the unvarnished truth is that it’s not good. There’s a mournfulness to Chadwick’s writing that matches his hero’s confusion. But there are sparks of light and humor like when Concrete joke about, well, concrete lands at his keynote speech at a concrete conference. Overall: 8.6 Verdict: Buy

Dinner Date #1 (Ignition) – Vampires, online dating, the gig economy, and the “good for her” subgenre all collide in Dinner Date #1. Joanna Starer crafts two whip-smart, yet messy and likable protagonists in Izzy and Syd while Khary Randolph and Emilio Lopez bring the immersive NYC after dark visuals. Dinner Date draws on the sad and bleak reality of being a woman in 2026, but add blood, fangs, and delicious sense of humor. I enjoy how Starer and Randolph start the story as a straight up sapphic romance before giving it a genre twist. This is the kind of comic I need in spooky season. Overall: 9 Verdict: Buy

Steve Skroce’s New Hit Superhero Series of the Year Continues in October with Tales of Wonder #2. Get a First Look

Skybound and Image Comics have revealed preview pages and the lineup of variant covers for Tales of Wonder #2, the second issue of the new limited series from creator/writer/artist Steve Skroce, colorist Ian Herring, and letterer Pat Brosseau. The action-packed Tales of Wonder #2 hits comic book shops on October 7, 2026. 

Holy crap! It’s AMERICA’S FREEDOM FORCE! But if Stu and Jake’s legendary comic book heroes are now in our world, where are the villains?

Tales of Wonder #2 will feature a main cover by Steve Skroce and Ian Herring, with a variant cover program including open to order cover by Ito, the second of three themed covers by Jorge Fornés, a 1:25 incentive variant by Ben Stenbeck, and a 1:50 incentive by Stefano Cardoselli.

Comic book cover titled 'Tales of Wonder' featuring a group of diverse characters, including a soldier, a man with glasses, and a woman in a red costume, surrounded by various fantastical creatures and plants.

The full list of covers is below:   

  • Tales of Wonder #2 Cover A by Steve Skroce & Ian Herring (Lunar Code: 0826IM0501) 
  • Tales of Wonder #2 Cover B by Ito (Lunar Code: 0826IM0502) 
  • Tales of Wonder #2 Cover C by Jorge Fornés (Lunar Code: 0826IM0503) 
  • Tales of Wonder #2 Cover D (1:25 Incentive) by Ben Stenbeck (Lunar Code: 0826IM0504) 
  • Tales of Wonder #2 Cover E (1:50 Incentive) by Stefano Cardoselli (Lunar Code: 0826IM0505)

Mini Reviews: Tales of Wonder #1, Crowbound #1, Dungeon and Dragons: Total Party Killers #2, Archie #1, Batman/Superman/Weird Al: World’s Weirdest #1, Legion of Superheroes #1

Batman/Superman/Weird Al World's Weirdest #1

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

Tales of Wonder #1 (Image) – Cartoonist Steve Skroce simultaneously takes the piss out of the superhero industrial complex and (literally) flexes his artistic muscles in drawing those kind of characters in Tales of Wonder #1. The story centers around Stu and Jake who are basically Stan Lee and Jack Kirby if they were still alive. Paraplegic Jake keeps it close to his chest with grumpy humor while Stu won’t shut up. (The scene where he praises his collaborators while Skroce covers up his art with giant word balloons is priceless.) However, Tales of Wonder is far from a grounded story, and it shines brightest when it indulges its genre elements. Ugly American is kind of an amazing name for a 90s edgy jarhead superhero, especially since he’s created by a Canadian. Overall: 8 Verdict: Buy

Crowbound #1 (Image) – Crowbound is another beautiful collaboration from Jeff Lemire and Dustin Nguyen. It’s centered around the relationship between a mother and daughter in a stark post-apocalyptic hellscape. Boldly opening with the mother Rose’s death, Lemire and Nguyen take us back in time to show key moments in her and her daughter Ava’s lives. Dustin Nguyen’s use of negative space unpacks the sadness of the comic with pops of color acting as reminiscences of happy times. Crowbound is definitely a downer of a read, but fits our hard times and has some glimmers of hope too. Overall: 8.6 Verdict: Buy

Dungeon and Dragons: Total Party Killers #2 (Dark Horse) – To use a bad pun, I think this issue killed my interest in this series. Christopher Hastings and Denis Medri focus more on expanding DnD Total Party Killers’ cast of characters and locations instead of giving us an interesting story to follow or characters to root for. (I do love the slime and baby eye.) The art is colorful, and there are some cool moments, but no real coherence. Overall: 5.8 Verdict: Pass

Archie #1 (Oni Press) – Ben Winters, Fabio Moon, and Jason Wordie take the World’s Most Popular Teenager back to his slice of life roots in Archie #1. Moon definitely elevates the material with his energetic art, and his flair for the dramatic comes in handy in the second of the three short stories in this comic about a film festival. Winters also knows Archie is supposed to be a funny comic and litters his script with zingers and character-based comedy. Jughead was definitely my favorite in this first issue, and he gets a solo story to wrap up the book where he comes to grips with the ghost of character development. But, yeah, this is classic, supermarket checkout Archie with slicker visuals and a touch of self-awareness. For now, there’s no deconstruction going on. Overall: 8 Verdict: Buy

Batman/Superman/Weird Al: World’s Weirdest #1 (DC) – I think the superhero comics genre may have peaked when Weird Al fought Mr. Nobody with a fifth dimensional accordion. Co-writer Mark Waid’s Yankovic-esque parody of the John Williams Superman theme was brave and bold, but I’m curious what Grant Morrison could have done with the material. But, seriously, Weird Al and fifth dimensional imps are match made in Heaven, and Dan Schoening and Fico Ossio’s art capture the wackiest of vibes. This comic book is life changing, and it’s AI art’s personal kryptonite. Now it’s time to “Eat It”. Overall: 10 Verdict: Buy

Legion of Superheroes #1 (DC) – In Legion of Superheroes #1, Joshua Williamson, Hayden Sherman, and Tamra Bonvillain try to find hope in a dystopian future through its youth. A fragment narrative structure offers glimpses at familiar faces like Brainiac 5, Lightning Lad, Saturn Girl, and the always hilarious and quite badass Matter Eating Lad. However, they’re separated by laws, different planets, and their own demons. Sherman’s visual vision of future superheroics is intriguing: nostalgia meets something new. Their trademark spiral layouts works for this kind of hop along story. I think I’m invested in the fate of the Legion like I am with the college kids I work with. Overall: 8.5 Verdict: Buy

Tales of Wonder #1 Explores the Shallowness of Pop Entertainment

Tales of Wonder #1

Stu and Jake’s friendship was forged in WW II, but the one thing it couldn’t survive was the comic book industry. As their Wonder Comics creations grew from four-color sensations to a global phenomenon, everything changed… Now, these two legendary comic creators have reunited to launch the America’s Freedom Force cinematic universe, only to discover the make-believe superheroes and monsters from their stories are very, very real. Tales of Wonder #1 delivers a concept we’ve seen before but a debut issue that needles the comic industry and pop culture as a whole.

Written by Steve Skroce, the first 90% of Tales of Wonder #1 is commentary and digs at the comic industry, conventions, and the comics to movie pipeline. At the center of the story are two creators who have had a falling out, one has stepped in to take credit for everything. While I’m sure there’s creators and personalities that immediately jump to mind, there’s a long list of individuals this can be, keeping the targets of the comic’s middle finger to many.

But, it’s not just creator and credit that get skewered in this debut issue. Conventions, movies, and general pop culture as a whole are all targets for Skroce who seems to be making commentary about the shallowness and carnival barker aspect of it all.

Taking place at a San Diego Comic-Con like convention (SDCC is name dropped and this convention is BIGGER and taken over), we’re taken through this not so twisted reality where “fans” of all persuasions come to worship entertainment and spend their hard earned money for items whose enjoyment is the collecting itself. Comics, as mentioned, have moved on from characters on the printed page to be IP farms where fans can buy a plastic figure instead of reading adventures. Passive enjoyment of films have overtaken reading the same adventures.

Skroce does double duty bringing his style to the art as well and joined by Ian Herring on color and Pat Brosseau on letters. The visuals are packed with small jokes making fun of the situation. It’s a comic that’s packed with details and those details add to the initial point that Skroce is focused on.

Tales of Wonder #1 is a nice setup as far as that and could easily have been four or five issues of two creators sniping at each other over credit. But, the end gives a twist that the creations are real and there’s some threat out there that the two must help deal with. It’s a concept that’s not new and we’ve seen many times before but there’s potential this comic adds a little something with it, commentary about the shallowness of it all. We’ll see. It’s a fun and funny debut with something to say and even if you don’t continue with the series, the debut issue is worth checking out just for its take on the state of the comic industry.

Story: Steve Skroce Art: Steve Skroce
Color: Ian Herring Letterer: Pat Brosseau
Story: 8.0 Art: 8.0 Overall: 8.0 Recommendation: Buy

Image Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review


Purchase: Zeus Comics – Kindle

Preview: Tales of Wonder #1

Tales of Wonder #1

(W) Steve Skroce (A) Steve Skroce

WHAT IF THE WORLD’S MOST POPULAR SUPERHEROES CAME TO LIFE?

Superstar creator STEVE SKROCE (WE STAND ON GUARD, Wolverine, The Matrix) debuts an all-new action-packed series for fans of GHOST PEPPER and The Ultimates.

Stu and Jake’s friendship was forged in WW II, but the one thing it couldn’t survive was the comic book industry. As their Wonder Comics creations grew from four-color sensations to a global phenomenon, everything changed…

Now, these two legendary comic creators have reunited to launch the America’s Freedom Force cinematic universe, only to discover the make-believe superheroes and monsters from their stories are very, very real.

Can Stu and Jake overcome decades of bad blood and stolen credit? They better if they’re going to help save our world!

Tales of Wonder #1

The full list of covers is below: 

  • Tales of Wonder #1 Cover A by Steve Skroce & Ian Herring 
  • Tales of Wonder #1 Cover B by Yasmine Putri
  • Tales of Wonder #1 Cover C by Jorge Fornés 
  • Tales of Wonder #1 Cover D (1:25 Incentive) by Peter Carroll 
  • Tales of Wonder #1 Cover E (1:50 Incentive) by Caspar Wijngaard 
  • Tales of Wonder #1 Cover F (1:100 FOIL Incentive) ($4.99) by Miki Montlló 
  • Tales of Wonder #1 Cover G Blank Sketch ($4.99) 

Skybound and Image Reveal Jorge Fornés’ Variant Covers for Steve Skroce’s New Series Tales of Wonder

Skybound and Image Comics have revealed a stunning set of variant covers by acclaimed artist Jorge Fornés for Tales of Wonder. The new limited series from superstar creator/writer/artist Steve Skroce, colorist Ian Herring, and letterer Pat Brosseau arrives this fall, when the first issue hits comic book shops on September 2, 2026. 

Steve Skroce debuts Tales of Wonder, an all-new action-packed limited series for fans of Ghost Pepper and The Ultimates, with a set of America’s Freedom Force variant covers spanning the first three issues from Jorge Fornés. 

Stu and Jake’s friendship was forged in WW2, but the one thing it couldn’t survive was the comic book industry. As their Wonder Comics creations grew from four-color sensations to a global phenomenon, everything changed…

Now, these two legendary comic creators have reunited to launch the America’s Freedom Force cinematic universe, only to discover the make-believe superheroes and monsters from their stories are very, very real. Can Stu and Jake overcome decades of bad blood and stolen credit? They better if they’re going to help save our world! 

Tales of Wonder #1 will feature a main cover by Steve Skroce and Ian Herring, with a variant cover program including open to order cover by Yasmine Putri, the first of three themed covers by Jorge Fornés, a 1:25 incentive variant by Peter Carroll, a 1:50 incentive by Caspar Wijngaard, a 1:100 Foil incentive variant by Miki Montlló, a blank sketch variant, and a Witchblade team-up cover by Steve Skroce and Neeraj Menon. 

Tales of Wonder #1 (Lunar Codes Coming Soon | SRP $3.99, unless otherwise noted) will be available at comic book shops and digital platforms including Amazon Kindle, Apple Books, and Google Play on Wednesday, September 2, 2026.

The full list of covers is below: 

  • Tales of Wonder #1 Cover A by Steve Skroce & Ian Herring (Lunar Code: 0726IM0346)
  • Tales of Wonder #1 Cover B by Yasmine Putri (Lunar Code: 0726IM0347) 
  • Tales of Wonder #1 Cover C by Jorge Fornés (Lunar Code: 0726IM0348) 
  • Tales of Wonder #1 Cover D (1:25 Incentive) by Peter Carroll (Lunar Code: 0726IM0349) 
  • Tales of Wonder #1 Cover E (1:50 Incentive) by Caspar Wijngaard (Lunar Code: 0726IM0350) 
  • Tales of Wonder #1 Cover F (1:100 FOIL Incentive) ($4.99) by Miki Montlló (Lunar Code: 0726IM0351) 
  • Tales of Wonder #1 Cover G Blank Sketch ($4.99) (Lunar Code: 0726IM0352) 
  • Tales of Wonder #1 Cover H (Witchblade Team-Up) by Steve Skroce & Neeraj Menon & Ian Herring (Lunar Code: 0726IM0353) 

The full list of Jorge Fornés variant covers is below:  

  • Tales of Wonder #2 Cover C by Jorge Fornés (Lunar Code: 0826IM0503) 
  • Tales of Wonder #3 Cover C by Jorge Fornés  

Witchblade passes the Gauntlet around with Team-Up Variants this September

Image Comics and Top Cow have revealed a line-wide Witchblade Team-Up variant covers in celebration of the milestone Witchblade (2024) #25 issue’s premiere this September. Some of the biggest names in comics will put their artistic spin on Witchblade as its iconic characters make an appearance across the covers of some of Image’s most popular ongoing series.

Witchblade is a comic book series published by Top Cow Productions, which ran from November 1995 to October 2015 and December 2017 to January 2020. The series was created by Marc Silvestri, David Wohl, Brian Haberlin, and Michael Turner. The comic series was made into a TNT television series in 2001 and was directed by Ralph Hemecher and starred Yancy Butler as Sara Pezzini. Later, Top Cow and Japanese animation studio Gonzo produced an anime adaptation of Witchblade, which debuted in 2006.

Marguerite Bennett and Guiseppe Cafaro’s current run on Witchblade (2024) features a reimagined origin, with contemporary takes on familiar characters, as well as fresh story arcs to hook new fans and rekindle the energy and excitement that fueled the ’90s Image Revolution. New York City Police Detective Sara Pezzini’s life is forever fractured by her father’s murder. Cold, cunning, and hellbent on revenge, Sara now stalks a vicious criminal cabal beneath the city, where an ancient power collides and transforms her into something wild, magnificent, and beyond her darkest imaginings. How will Sara use this ancient power? …Or will she be consumed by it?

Witchblade will appear on the covers of:

Available at comic book shops on Wednesday, September 2:

  • Royals #6 Cover G Witchblade Team-Up by Jacob Perez – UPC: 70985304634900671
  • Tales of Wonder #1 Cover H Witchblade Team-Up by Steve Skroce & Neeraj Menon – UPC: 70985304861900181

Available at comic book shops on Wednesday, September 9:

  • Blood & Thunder #17 Cover E Witchblade Team-Up by Ej Su & Dee Cunniffe – UPC: 70985304317101751
  • Death Vigil (2026) #2 Cover B Witchblade Team-Up by Stjepan Sejic – UPC: 70985304830500221
  • Geiger #25 Cover F Witchblade Team-Up by Gary Frank & Brad Anderson – UPC: 70985303965502561
  • Starhenge Book Two: A Kiss for Atticus #3 Cover G Witchblade Team-Up by Liam Sharp – UPC: 70985304788900361
  • Witchblade (2024) #25 Cover C Connecting Witchblade Team-Up by Pat Boutin & Steve Firchow – UPC: 70985304035402531

Available at comic book shops on Wednesday, September 16:

  • The Darkness (2025) #8 Cover C Connecting Witchblade Team-Up by Pat Boutin & Steve Firchow – UPC: 70985304537300831
  • Die: Loaded #9 Cover C Witchblade Team-Up by Caspar Wijngaard – UPC: 70985304496300931
  • Exquisite Corpses: Fox Mask Killer #1 Cover I Witchblade Team-Up by Michael Walsh – UPC: 70985304858900191
  • Kaya #37 Cover C Witchblade Team-Up by Wes Craig – UPC: 70985303591603731
  • Monstress #64 Cover B Witchblade Team-Up by Sana Takeda – UPC: 70985302020206421
  • Regicide #2 Cover E Witchblade Team-Up by Akila Gabriel – UPC: 70985304831200251
  • Something Epic #15 Cover D Witchblade Team-Up by Szymon Kudrański – UPC: 70985303738501541

Available at comic book shops on Wednesday, September 23:

  • Badrock #3 Cover E Witchblade Team-Up by Rob Liefeld – UPC: 70985304712400351
  • Bug Wars: The Coming of The Wardoom #2 Cover C Witchblade Team-Up by  Justin Mason – UPC: 70985304828200231
  • Invincible Universe: Capes #11 Cover F Witchblade Team-Up by Mark Englert – UPC: 70985304498701161
  • Crimes Against Nature #1 Cover E Witchblade Team-Up by Gavin Smith – UPC: 70985304857200151
  • The Department of Truth #39 Cover D Witchblade Team-Up by Letizia Cadonici – UPC: 70985303032403941
  • D’Orc #8 Cover C Witchblade Team-Up by Brett Bean – UPC: 70985304572400831
  • The Eye Collector #4 Cover C Witchblade Team-Up by GMB Chomichuk – UPC: 70985304709400431
  • Feral #26 Cover D Witchblade Team-Up by Trish Forstner & Tim Seeley – UPC: 70985303949502641
  • Ghost Pepper #15 Cover F Witchblade Team-Up by Ludo Lullabi – UPC: 70985304394201561
  • M1: Monster Racing League #4 Cover B Witchblade Team-Up by Jae Lee – UPC: 70985304702500421
  • Radiant Black #44 Cover C Witchblade Team-Up by Marcelo Costa – UPC: 70985303068304461
  • Yumi: 00EX #2 Cover C Witchblade Team-Up by Chris Bachalo – UPC: 70985304832900231

Available at comic book shops on Wednesday, September 30:

  • Final Boss #10 Cover D Witchblade Team-Up by Tyler Kirkham – UPC: 70985304494901041
  • Hammerfist #2 Cover C Witchblade Team-Up by Brett Parson – UPC: 70985304826800231
  • Hyde Street #13 Cover E Witchblade Team-Up by Ivan Reis & Danny Miki – UPC: 70985304127601331
  • Spawn #379 Cover C Witchblade Team-Up by Brett Booth – UPC: 70985300214737931

Steve Skroce Returns to Superhero Comics with Tales of Wonder

Skybound and Image Comics have announced Tales of Wonder, a new limited series from superstar creator/writer/artist Steve Skroce, colorist Ian Herring, and letterer Pat Brosseau. Tales of Wonder #1 arrives in comic shops on September 2, 2026.  

Steve Skroce presents a superhero epic unlike any other as two estranged comic book creators must save the world when their most heroic and villainous creations come to life, perfect for fans of The Ultimates and Ghost Pepper. ”

Stu and Jake’s friendship was forged in World War II, but the one thing it couldn’t survive was the comic book industry. As their Wonder Comics creations grew from four-color sensations to a global phenomenon, everything changed… 

Now, these two legendary comic creators have reunited to launch the America’s Freedom Force cinematic universe, only to discover the make-believe superheroes and monsters from their stories are very, very real. Stu and Jake must overcome decades of bad blood and stolen credit if they’re going to help the world’s greatest superheroes save our world! 

Tales of Wonder #1 will feature a main cover by Steve Skroce and Ian Herring, with a variant cover program including open to order covers by Yasmine Putri and Jorge Fornés, a 1:25 incentive variant by Peter Carroll, a 1:50 incentive by Caspar Wijngaard, a 1:100 Foil incentive variant by Miki Montlló, a blank sketch variant, and a Witchblade team-up cover by Steve Skroce and Neeraj Menon.  

Tales of Wonder #1

The full list of covers is below: 

  • Tales of Wonder #1 Cover A by Steve Skroce & Ian Herring 
  • Tales of Wonder #1 Cover B by Yasmine Putri
  • Tales of Wonder #1 Cover C by Jorge Fornés 
  • Tales of Wonder #1 Cover D (1:25 Incentive) by Peter Carroll 
  • Tales of Wonder #1 Cover E (1:50 Incentive) by Caspar Wijngaard 
  • Tales of Wonder #1 Cover F (1:100 FOIL Incentive) ($4.99) by Miki Montlló 
  • Tales of Wonder #1 Cover G Blank Sketch ($4.99)