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
We’re Taking Everyone Down With Us #1 (Image) – I’ve recently seen a decent spy film (Black Bag) and have been bombarded with trailers for another one (The Amateur), but I’ve got to say that Matthew Rosenberg, Stefano Landini, Roman Titov, Jason Wordie, and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou‘s We’re Taking Everyone Down With Us #1 is better than them both. (WTEDWU from here on out.) WTEDWU #1 has robots, mad scientists, explosions, and sex, drugs, and rock ‘n’ roll secret agents, but its main strengths are its heart and unique visuals. Rosenberg and Landini spend most of the comic zeroing on the relationship between protagonist Annalise and her absentee/father mad scientists Vitruvian and make you feel empathy for a character that would disposable in other comics. Also, Landini’s art is super immersive from the tension of a hide and seek game with killer robots to the anguish of digging one’s self out of rubble. His grids paired with Rosenberg’s hard hitting dialogue add emotional depth to talking heads sequences too. Finally, Otsmane-Elhaou’s lettering is Eisner-worthy using different font sizes and emphases to add tone, subtext, and even suspense to Matthew Rosenberg’s dialogue and Stefano Landini’s art. If you like old James Bond movies, but wish they had more psychological depth, then WTEDWU is the comic for you. Overall: 9.2 Verdict: Buy
Metamorpho: The Element Man #4 (DC) – Generative AI, corporate greed, and a Silver Age science spin on the tokusatsu genre come together in another wacky, wonderful issue of Al Ewing, Steve Lieber, and Lee Loughridge‘s Metamorpho: The Element Man. With the previous issue focusing on Java, Ewing switches up the structure of Metamorpho #4 with half the issue centered around the Element Man’s benefactor/manipulator, Silas Stagg. Part dark slapstick comedy, part pointed satire of CEOs gone wild, it sets up the epic clash between Metamorpho and the Stagg HQ hinted at in last issue. Lieber and Loughridge have great fun visualizing the fisticuffs and continuing to be creative with Metamorpho and Urania Blackwell’s abilities with this issue featuring an homage to the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man. Four issues in, Metamorpho: The Element Man continues to be a warm blend of Silver Age pastiche (Big Steranko Nick Fury energy in this issue’s plotting), contemporary satire, and laugh a minute humor. Overall: 8.9 Verdict: Buy
Godzilla vs Fantastic Four #1 (Marvel) – The King of Monsters and Marvel’s First Family collide in a battle royale comic that reminded me of why I fell in love with superhero and kaiju stories in the first place. Current Fantastic Four writer Ryan North handles the script duties focusing the team’s (Reed and Sue especially) ability to science the shit out of any situation, including a giant monster with nuclear breath and another one with three while still having plenty of one-liners and humor. John Romita Jr and Scott Hanna‘s line art is epic and blocky with massive panels of punching, various types of breath, and even homages to Romita Jr’s old art style. But colorist Marco Menyz is this one-shot’s secret MVP as he combines the power cosmic and some of Godzilla and King Ghidorah’s classic attack moves to show how brilliant comics can look. And Godzilla vs FF #1 isn’t just a standalone story (Although it does have a clear beginning and end) as North and Romita Jr. set up future developments in these crossover comics while still focusing on the current battles. This book is a must read for any superhero or giant monster fans. Overall: 9.2 Verdict: Buy
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