Fall 2026 Mini-reviews
By Dan Brown Time for more mini-reviews! Here’s the lowdown on the stack of comics I picked up last week at L.A. Mood. As always, there’s no logic to these choices – other than each book showed up on my monthly pull list or I found it on the new-releases shelf in the store. Escape From New York: Escape From Chicago No. 1: Any fans of Snake Plissken out there? If so, you’ll want to pick up this Mad Cave Studios series. At this point in the Escape timeline, the United States has splintered into isolated, walled prison states (after Snake escaped from New York and L.A. on the big screen, methinks the Windy City is the next obvious setting for the character). The highlight here is the art from Val Rodriques, whose precise lines and panel play bring Frank Miller to mind. My only nitpick: Man, this one is grim. Needs more John Carpenter-esque satire. Batman of Two Worlds No. 1: Part of DC’s All In marketing campaign, I thought from the cover this would pair the main-continuity Dark Knight with his Absolute counterpart. I was wrong. No universes collide. Instead, we have Batman featured in a tale titled Short Cuts, and Absolute Batman in Cut Short. These are eight-page stories, so the pace is brisk. The art by Javi Fernandez and Nick Derington is uniformly strong. Concrete: Stars Over Sand No. 3 and 4: Have I told you lately how happy I am Concrete is back? This is the kind of smart storytelling that I love, so I give this miniseries my strongest recommendation. It is not to be missed. These two chapters detail Concrete’s shattered thinking as he copes with amnesia. Scientist Maureen Vonnegut, the title character’s love interest, also takes a harrowing helicopter ride. I miss the narrative voice from 1970s comics, but Chadwick’s “voiceover” here is simply masterful. Added bonus: Gorgeous painted covers. Fantastic Four First Foes: Dragon Man No. 1. All I saw was the Alan Davis cover, so I didn’t realize this series features not the comic-book Fantastic Four, but the Fantastic Four from last summer’s First Steps motion picture. So Mister Fantastic is drawn to look like Pedro Pascal with his dumb moustache. Most of the action revolves around Ben Grimm’s Thing, who is rendered in a Jack Kirby-esque way by artist Mark Buckingham. Fantastic Four No. 16: Another one-and-done story from series writer Ryan North, who has been alternating single-issue tales with longer story arcs. This issue takes the FF back to their roots as explorers, and outlines the consequences when the quartet reveal themselves to a planet of aliens that has previously not had First Contact. The plot is too convoluted to explain here, but imagine what would happen on our Earth if researchers found conclusive evidence that Jesus Christ wasn’t divine. Each time the Fantastic Four try to correct their mistakes, they end up just doing more harm to the unfolding history of the alien planet. Might have worked better as a two-parter. Fantastic Four DNX No. 17: Marvel’s First Family find themselves in what seems to be an endless cave. To make matters worse, they can’t remember who they are. It’s fun to see their personalities slowly (yet not fully) emerge as they try to find an exit. The Thing, because of his stony body, gives himself the name “Johnny Rockman.” I won’t spoil the ending, but there’s a reason why there’s so much humidity in that cavern. Bizarro Year None No. 3: I’ve never been a huge Superman fan, so clearly I’m not the target audience for this title, which has Bizarro trying to emulate the Man of Steel. I do love all the opposite comedy though. Life on Bizarro World is the result of “unintelligent design” and smoking is good for your health: “A pack a day increases lung capacity and wellbeing,” cigarette labels state. Co-written by Kevin Smith. The art from Nick Pitarra gives off Mad Magazine energy. Comics! The Magazine No. 7 and No. 8: Love the in-depth interview in No. 7 with frequent collaborators Ed Brubaker (writer) and Sean Phillips (artist), known for such tales as The Fade Out. There is also a focus in No. 8 on the ubiquitous pop-culture character du jour, Dungeon Crawler Carl. And yes, I do flip to the back to check out the comic-industry power rankings before reading anything else in the mag, whose digital director is London’s own Brian Garside. Why watch or listen to comic podcasts when you can read about them? What comics have you been reading lately? Anything good? I would love to hear your recommendations in the comments. Dan Brown has covered pop culture for more than 34 years as a journalist and also moderates L.A. Mood’s monthly Graphic-Novel Group book club.
Autumn Mini-reviews
By Dan Brown Here are brief reviews of a some of the comics I’ve been reading this fall. As always, there’s no logic to these selections, other than each cover caught my eye on the new-releases shelf at L.A. Mood. Alien Vs. Captain America No. 1: The result of a partnership between Marvel and 20th Century Studios, this miniseries takes place during the Second World War. Last seen on the big screen in Alien: Romulus, the xenomorph is the weapon Nazis hope will turn the tide as the allies march closer to Germany. Best moment is when Cap uses his shield as a Frisbee to decapitate a baby alien that has just burst out of a chest cavity, about to jump Nick Fury. Herobear and the Kid: What can I say? I’m as much a sucker for a cartoon polar bear as the next guy. This all-ages book taps into the Calvin and Hobbes vibe with the young protagonist alluding to the final Bill Watterson strip by declaring, “We’re going explorin,’” in one of the opening panels. Also, the bear exists as a stuffed animal until he is bopped on the nose, which brings him to full-sized life. Fun. Binary No. 1: One of the big events happening over in the Marvel Universe these days is its Age of Revelation crossover, which takes place a decade into the future in an alternate North America where a virus has killed millions and turned the survivors into mutants. Oh, and Carol Danvers is once again Binary, but a Binary on steroids. “I have the powers of the Phoenix,” she explains. No biggie. Cloak or Dagger No. 1: Cloak and Dagger are also caught up in the Age of Revelation event. They seem to be government/military operatives. This story also has a marauding hippo, which I did not have on my bingo card. Probed & Loaded: Love the heedless energy of this Scott Wojcik/Jeff McClinchey joint. Our redneck heroes are abducted by a UFO, which is bad news for their alien captors. It’s a weird situation. “Lucky for me, weird is where I shine,” the Elvis-esque Gunny narrates. McClinchey’s art calls to my mind classic Mad Magazine stuff. Black Helm Saga No. 1: My favourite of the bunch. Created by Jeff McClinchey and Scott Brian Woods, it takes place in the interregnum between Ragnarok and the coming of a new world in a snowy forest. SBW’s pencils remind me of Jeff Lemire’s expressive lines. And the idea of a many-eyed, fanged monster lurking beneath the snow, waiting to push its way up like a great white shark, actually makes a lot of sense to me this dreary fall. Fantastic Four No. 4: A thought-provoking one-and-done story about aliens that appear to be cute, harmless puppies, but are actually many-tentacled beasts with jagged teeth. The only problem is that Alicia, Ben Grimm’s blind partner, is the only one who can perceive them in their true form. Loved the Skottie Young cover featuring H.E.R.B.I.E. the robot, who was last seen on the big screen this summer in First Steps. The Amazing Spider-Man No. 15: With a cover that riffs on Peter Parker’s first-ever glimpse of Mary Jane Watson, this story finds our arachnid hero having deep-space adventures which involve a sentient costume. “I have a complicated history with alien suits,” he deadpans at one point. This suit, called Glitch, is mechanical in nature, not organic like Venom. He also gets to kiss an alien with yellow skin and cat’s ears. Absolute Batman No. 1: This one actually came out a few months ago, and imagines a Gotham City in which Bruce Wayne is of humble means while the Joker is a billionaire. It has apparently generated quite a stir among fans of the Dark Knight. With Alfred as a traveling mercenary, it doesn’t lack action! What comics or graphic novels have you picked up this fall? If you have recommendations, I’d love to hear them in the comments! Dan Brown has covered pop culture for more than 32 years as a journalist and also moderates L.A. Mood’s monthly graphic-novel group.
Here’s a Bunch of Mini-Reviews
By Dan Brown Here’s the lowdown on a stack of comics I bought recently. There’s no logic to the choices, other than each cover struck my fancy while I was browsing the new-releases wall at L.A. Mood. Fantastic Four No. 29: Perhaps I have a case here to sue Marvel for bait-and-switch. I picked this one based on the cover, which promises an out-of-continuity tale answering the question, “What if . . . Mickey & friends became the Fantastic Four?” I was intrigued by the idea of Goofy switching places with the ever-loving Thing. As it turns out, it was a variant cover. Instead, I got a Ryan North/Cory Smith joint titled The Dream Team about Doctor Doom taking over . . . everything. This looks to be Marvel’s event series this summer, One World Under Doom, and I applaud the House of Ideas for taking this one on, if only because they are going to get so much blowback from Trump fans claiming it’s a metaphor for the current situation in the U.S. The FF goes to bat for the downtrodden . . . who in this case are vampires left over from the previous event series. Doctor Doom & Rocket Raccoon No. 1: I love the movie Rocket more than the comic Rocket, so in my mind I read his dialogue in Bradley Cooper’s voice. I haven’t read a J. Michael Straczynski-penned story in a long time, and this one is long on philosophy, short on action. Doom partners with the genetically engineered rodent to help him delve into the origins of . . . everything. Essentially, the Latverian ruler wants to travel back in time to a time before time. That is, before the Big Bang. I give Doom props for recognizing that a lowly raccoon is almost his mental equal. And one page features a Jack Kirby-esque collage, which is a bonus. What do they discover in preshistory? “The purpose of the universe is to understand the purpose of the universe.” It’s one of them paradoxes. Godzilla vs. Fantastic Four No. 1: This is easily the best-illustrated issue among my purchases, featuring John Romita Jr. art based on a Ryan North script. Marvel takes the existing Marvel continuity and fuses it with the Toho storyline, as happened with the original Marvel series about the fire-breathing unfrozen dinosaur. Reed even tips his hat to Dr. Daisuke Serizawa’s oxygen destroyer in the opening panels. One cool concept in this issue sees Godzilla foe King Ghidorah taking on the power cosmic in his role of herald of Galactus. And yes, it’s all leading up to an eventual battle between the Tokyo-demolisher and the world-devourer. Godzilla Heist No. 1: If you’re a fan of Godzila, this is truly an awesome time to be alive because you can read about him in more than one company’s comics. This IDW-published series reads sort of like what would happen if Quentin Tarantino directed a kaiju flick. As powerful as Godzilla is, here his rampages are just a massive distraction for a ring of human thieves who, naturally, don’t know which one of them might betray the others.The story begins with the big G destroying a casino, which is certainly one way to make sure the authorities don’t pay attention to your scheme to plunder their treasures. Godzilla vs. Chicago One Shot: As part of the Godzilla vs. America series, local creators get a stab at fitting Godzilla into their own community’s neighbourhoods, politics, and culture. Also part of IDW’s current offerings, it’s really just an excuse to pay tribute to old-school comic sound effects such as:Dong donk!Zang!Zong!Choom!Fwomp! Fwooosh! Shreeonk!What can I say? I know what I like. Daring the Sun No. 2 by Forest City creator Scott Brian Woods: Called Crash Down, this tale of an astronaut traveling through the heart of a sun is “inspired by imagination comics of the past, science fiction, and a deep love of old-school adventure, sci-fi fantasy space operas.” The Kirby Crackle on the opening splash page jumped out at me, and the drawing on the back cover shows the pilot in a Flash Gordon-esque outfit with an old-school raygun. Somehow, he is connected to a warrior named Vala, who fends off dinosaur-like aliens in a barren landscape. If you like classic George Lucas intercutting, you will love the structure of this piece, ending naturally with a cliffhanger. Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur 10th Anniversary Special No. 1: I don’t know how, exactly, Lunell Lafayette got a hold of the ultimate nullifier, but it’s one of the items she brings to her surprise 10th birthday party in New York. A back-of-the-book story flashes forward to when Moon Girl has grown into Moon Woman, and she visits Earth from the orbiting satellite. Senior Marvel Editor Mark Paniciccia says the series has lasted a decade because “it’s inspired young readers to embrace their individuality and believe in their potential.” Or maybe they just really like to groove on the blood-red T-Rex who is Moon Girl’s constant companion. What comics or graphic novels have you been reading lately? I’d love to hear about it in the comment box below! Dan Brown has covered pop culture for more than 32 years as a journalist and also moderates L.A. Mood’s monthly graphic-novel group.
