Roadkill Review

 

Writer: Jeff Kerr

Cover Artist: Stuart Bache 

Publisher: Vinci Books

Kindle ebook: $4.99

Release Date: June 25, 2025

 

After completing two tours in Afghanistan and a university degree, Adam Cash returned to his hometown of Pinyon, Texas. While he waited for an opening in the Pinyon Police Department, Cash watched his former girlfriend from afar. Edie James endured a painful divorce. She raised her son while working at the Firewheel Café. Cash wanted to rekindle the flames of love with Edie. But he also struggled to get along with another woman. Cash left Bernadette Fenster pregnant after a one-night stand. Bernadette wants nothing to do with him. Cash wants access to their daughter, Emma.

 

When Cash and Edie finally try to give love another try, Cash struggles with jealousy and commitment. Then Edie delivers a bombshell. She and her son Luke are leaving Pinyon, Texas. Can Cash hold onto Edie? Or will life bring another woman better suited to his needs? Let's grab an iced tea from the Firewheel Café, leap into Roadkill, and find out!

 

Story

Pinyon is a small town in the Texas Hill Country. In a state that boasts some of the highest road fatality figures in the United States, the back roads can be perilous and easily swallow a compact car. Ranches dot the arid landscape. Cash has taken over his parents’ former house and land since their move to Austin. As a police deputy, he never has enough time to take care of the 200 acres his parents own. So, when he meets a 14-year-old boy who wants to work, Cash offers him a job in Roadkill. 

 

Jeff Kerr modeled the Firewheel Café on the Redbud Café in Blanco, Texas.

 

 

Travis Bolton is a hard worker, and his grateful mother invites him over for dinner. Edie has always been Cash's vision of beauty. Heather Bolton takes Cash's breath away. Even with Edie and her son Luke living in Austin, Cash wants to make their long-distance relationship work. But Heather likes him, and her beauty enthralls him.

 

After working for several months, Cash is slowly finding his feet as a police deputy. He and Sheriff Gabe Santos are learning to trust each other. Cash has found an able partner in recent hire Keisha Hodge. Then Santos throws him a curveball. The Sheriff has hired Carson Rutledge straight out of the Police Academy. Cash realizes some of the burden of training Carson will fall on his shoulders. But when veteran deputy Deke Conrad reports two dead bodies on a poorly maintained back road, Cash must train Carson as he investigates the men's deaths.

 

In Roadkill, Adam Cash investigates cattle theft, a notoriously difficult crime to prosecute. The fledgling deputy must also solve the death of two rustlers. The popularity of bow hunting complicates the investigation, as tracing arrows to killers also seems unfeasible. As suspects join the tally of murder victims, Cash struggles with his commitment to faraway Edie and his attraction to the beautiful woman who lives nearby. 

 

 

Jeff modeled the Pinyon Courthouse on the Blanco Texas Courthouse.

 

 

Final Thoughts

Jeff Kerr’s previous Adam Cash novels have explored Cash’s rocky road to reconciliation with Edie, his fight with Bernadette for access to his daughter, and his love of country music. In Roadkill, Jeff Kerr devotes more of the narrative to Cash's investigation than ever before. Jeff Kerr seasons the story with reminders of how easily Cash could fall prey to the corruption that once infected the Pinyon Police Department. Roadkill is a mature work from a talented crime author and a worthy addition to any reader's collection. 

 

5 Stars

 

For more on the author, see Jeff Kerr's website.

You can purchase Roadkill on Amazon. 

 

Iyanu Comes to the United Kingdom

 

 

US viewers have been enjoying this series on Cartoon Network. African viewers have been watching Iyanu on Showmax across 44 African countries since June 13. Now UK viewers can see what they've been missing. But if you can't wait, remember: the first two episodes are free to watch on the Iyanu Youtube channel. Here's all the info from Lion Forge:  

  

Lion Forge Entertainment's Iyanu Makes UK Debut on ITVX July 3rd

Complete First Season Available to Stream

Series Created by Award-Winning Nigerian Filmmaker, Roye Okupe and Produced by Lion Forge Entertainment

 

Lion Forge Entertainment’s hit superhero animated series Iyanu will debut July 3rd on ITVX for UK and Northern Ireland audiences, with all 10 episodes of season one available at launch.

 

The series UK debut on ITVX continues Iyanu’s global breakout first season, which captivated young audiences as a cross-platform sensation on Max and Cartoon Network in the U.S., ranking as the number one kids series on Cartoon Network and a Top 10 Kids & Family series on Max. The success has already led to Cartoon Network and Max greenlighting season 2 and two feature films.

 

The series follows Iyanu, a young orphan living in the magical kingdom of Yorubaland. While studying history and ancient arts, she yearns for a normal life—until a looming threat awakens divine powers not seen since the legendary Age of Wonders. Accompanied by newfound friends Biyi, Toye, and a magical leopard named Ekun, Iyanu sets out to uncover the source of this evil, unlocking her destiny along the way.

 

Iyanu is adapted from creator Roye Okupe's graphic novel series “Iyanu: Child of Wonder”, published by YouNeek Studios and Dark Horse Comics. Lion Forge Entertainment, the Emmy®-winning company behind Oscar®-winning Hair Love, produces the series.

 

Lion Forge Entertainment Founder and CEO David Steward II says, “Iyanu has already captured the imagination of audiences in the U.S., and we’re excited to build on that momentum with ITVX. This premiere marks a major step in the franchise’s global journey and ITV has been an incredible partner in helping us bring this culturally rich, action-packed story to even more viewers. We’re confident Iyanu will connect deeply with UK audiences looking for bold, original storytelling.”

 

Darren Nartey, Senior Acquisitions Manager: Films & Kids added, ‘Iyanu will make a wonderful addition to ITVX. It’s a powerful series which we’re sure will capture audiences both young and old. 

 

Okupe, who serves as series creator, EP and showrunner, says, "Iyanu is a story deeply rooted in Yoruba history, culture, and mythology—and that cultural authenticity is something we’re incredibly proud of. But as I always say, Iyanu is for everyone: kids, adults, and families from all walks of life. That’s why I’m so excited about this partnership with ITVX. I can’t wait for audiences in the UK to experience the magic and wonder of Iyanu. A series that’s already capturing hearts around the world."

 

Award-winner Serah Johnson leads the all-African voice cast as Iyanu, alongside award-winning Nollywood stars Adesua Etomi-Wellington, Blossom Chukwujekwu, and Shaffy Bello from Netflix hit The Black Book.

 

Story editor Brandon Easton (Transformers: War for Cybertron; Marvel’s Agent Carter) headed the Iyanu writers' room, which also featured Emmy winner Kerri Grant (Doc McStuffins; Ada Twist, Scientist). 

 

Iyanu is executive produced by David Steward II, Stephanie Sperber, Kirsten Newlands and Matt Heath of Lion Forge Entertainment, Roye Okupe of YouNeek Studios, Erica Dupuis of Impact X Capital, Ryan Haidarian of Forefront Media Group and Doug Schwalbe of Superprod.

 

Iyanu makes its UK debut on ITVX July 3rd, following its launch on Showmax across 44 African countries June 13.

  

 

About Lion Forge Entertainment

 

Lion Forge Entertainment (LFE), one of the few Black-owned entertainment studios of scale in North America, was founded in 2019 by David Steward II to amplify authentic, diverse voices in both animated and live-action content. With "Diverse Stories, Authentically Told" as its driving mission, LFE has won an Academy Award for Hair Love and multiple Emmy® awards. LFE is part of Polarity, a media and sports-focused firm whose portfolio includes publishers Oni-Lion Forge Publishing Group and Magnetic Press within the broader Steward Family holdings, which range from technology, sports, and music among other interests. LFE is led by President and CCO Stephanie Sperber, an accomplished and award-winning media executive and franchise builder in the kids and family space.

 

About ITVX

 

Launched in late 2022, ITVX is UK’s freshest streaming service, letting viewers stream new programme exclusives, with adverts, for free; ranging from premium dramas, documentaries, US series, comedy and reality shows to blockbuster films and much, much more. ITVX is the first streaming service in the UK to offer viewers the flexibility to access free content with ads and ad-free paid subscription, all in one place. Paying subscribers also have access to BritBox UK. ITVX live streams must-watch events, from live sport to Love Island, as they are broadcast on ITV’s channels. ITVX also offers an ever-changing host of exclusive themed channels in line with viewer preferences and popularity; these constantly evolving pop-up channels provide a scheduled experience through a streaming service.

 

 

For more on the series, its characters, and its future, see my post on Iyanu Season Two.

 

Giant-Size Amazing Spider-Man #1 Review

 

Writer: Kevin Smith, Al Ewing, Chip Zdarsky & Mitsuyasu Sakai

Artist: Giuseppe Camuncoli, Daniele Orlandini, Mark Buckingham, Cafu & Gerardo Sandoval

Colorist: Erick Arciniega, Rachelle Rosenberg, David Curiel & Israel Silva

Letterer: Joe Caramagna & Joe Sabino

Cover Artists: Greg Capullo & Alex Sinclair; Lee Bermejo; Mark Bagley & Edgar Delgado; Scott Hepburn & Rachelle Rosenberg

Designer: Gabriel Mata

Editors: Kaitlyn Lindtvedt, Nick Lowe & CB Cebulski

Publisher: Marvel

Price: $7.99

Release Date: June 11, 2025

 

Peter Parker has a long and distinguished career as the Amazing Spider-Man. But who does he turn to when he pulls a Janet Jackson? How does Spider-Man nurture new heroes as they arise? And with new spider-heroes constantly occurring in the multiverse, what makes our friendly neighborhood Spider-Man unique? To learn these answers (and more), let’s thwip into Giant-Size Amazing Spider-Man #1 and find out!

 

Unstable: Story

Kevin Smith begins with Spider-Man taking on the Sinister Six. When he thwips away Mysterio's gauntlet, Spider-Man discovers the special effects wizard is alone. But as the cops drag Mysterio away, the illusionist gets the last laugh. So, Spider-Man seeks help to hide his "Peter Tingle."

 

"Unstable" boasts playful dialogue and suggests Spider-Man enjoys his celebrity status. The story also illustrates a temptation that police, military, self-appointed vigilantes, and anyone entrusted with a position of power should resist.

 

Unstable: Art

Erick Arciniega adorns Giuseppe Camuncoli and Daniele Orlandini’s detailed art with a loaded palette of colors. Inventive layouts enhance the story’s rockstar quality. After combating the Sinister Six, Spider-Man beholds a page packed with foes in Giant-Size Amazing Spider-Man #1. The characters and setting of these introductory pages evoke recent Spider-Man movies. The crowd's reactions and Mr Fantastic’s factory remind us that perceptions often matter as much as our abilities. 

 

 

 

616 Day: Story

After Kevin Smith’s lighthearted story, Al Ewing peers into the heart of the Marvel Universe. As Spider-Man learns what makes his world tick, he also realizes how it relates to other realities in the multiverse. Wyn introduces Spider-Man to the numerology and concepts underlying the 616 Universe. Characters who have supported Marvel's popularity in comics, TV, and movies join Spider-Man on his journey into the past to save the future. Thankfully, no one sucks the joy out of everything or forces anyone to beat up grass. 616 Day celebrates the marvelous possibilities that await us as we take an active role in shaping our realities.

 

616 Day: Art

Rachelle Rosenberg paints Mark Buckingham's art with a loaded palette. The coloring grows more constrained as Wyn takes Spider-Man to the epicenter of the Marvel Universe. Buckingham’s Old School art and Rosenberg’s four-coloring mastery energize Spider-Man’s fight to save the 616 universe. A preponderance of globes, worlds, and colored circles surrounding a battle form an intriguing link with Mysterio's villainy in Giant-Size Amazing Spider-Man #1.

 

Rapid Advancements: Story

Chip Zdarsky introduces a new character who could race into readers' hearts. Roger doesn't view himself as a hero. Like Valerie Bertinelli, he takes life one day at a time. Roger works hard and cares for his family while struggling to meet his financial obligations. The chink in Roger’s armor is his father. His name is Earl.

 

Earl's focus on work evokes the lyrics to “Cat’s In The Cradle.” Roger's no "I hate everything about you" Ugly Kid Joe. Still, he can't count on his dad to be there for him, so he pushes Earl away. But when Roger discovers his father in peril, he drops everything to protect him.

 

Chip Zdarsky's story reveals the past while bringing readers up to speed with Roger and his father. After Spider-Man communicates with Roger, he conceives a plan to assist him. Roger may not regard himself as a hero. But his attempts to save his father evoke Spider-Man's race to help Mary Jane escape an alternate dimension, while Roger’s reactive nature mirrors Spider-Man’s approach to life.

 

Rapid Advancements: Art

Roger’s hair and attire evoke Tom Cruise in “All The Right Moves,” while a scene in his kitchen echoes his admonition to his father. An erupting time bubble continues the theme of worlds or globes from the previous stories. The police watch Spider-Man thwip away to investigate. His most poignant action highlights one of Spider-Man’s defining traits while echoing a similar incident in Joe Kelly's ASM #1.

 

Pink plays a significant role in Rapid Advancements, defining both Roger's costume and his father's research. A villain in green forges another link with the first story in Giant-Size Amazing Spider-Man #1. As David Curiel lavishes a loaded palette on Cafu's sophisticated art, Roger's blue pants and red truck enhance this spectacular origin story. 

 

 

 

Prelude To The New Dimension: Story

Mitsuyasu Sakai provides a teaser for the upcoming Kid Venom Team-Up series. Kid Venom has traveled to the 21^st Century. Kid Venom worries about the threats facing his friends and his country, but Spider-Society doesn't know how to send him home. While grounding this prelude story with staples like Peter Parker and Miles Morales, Sakai includes popular characters from Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.

 

Prelude To The New Dimension: Art

Israel Silva's dark tones imbue Gerardo Sandoval's art with a haunting aspect. Kid Venom's spiky hair and blue and white coloring make him stand out from the spider-heroes. One panel reveals the threat dominating his homeland, while the characters Kid Venom meets in the final scene echo another story in Giant-Size Amazing Spider-Man #1.

 

Lettering

Joe Caramagna and Joe Sabino thwip uppercase black and colored letters into white and yellow balloons. They employ a variety of fonts, balloon shapes, and arrow designs. White words fill narrative boxes that would make Spider-Gwen jealous. Black balloons threaten a deluge. Musical notes adorn red banners. Enlarged colorful dialogue and sound effects heighten the action, humor, and explosive storytelling in Giant-Size Amazing Spider-Man #1. Thanks to Marvel for providing a review copy.

 

 

 

Final Thoughts

Humor becomes a weapon. Heroes succumb to “righteous” anger. New heroes arise to defend the multiverse in Giant-Size Amazing Spider-Man #1. And when they're most needed, Spidey and his iconic friends remind us why Earth-616 remains the brightest star in Marvel's sky.

 

Rating 9.5/10

 

To look inside see my review at Comic Book Dispatch. 

Conan: Scourge of the Serpent #1 Preview

COVER A: ROBERTO DE LA TORRE

 

This year's Free Comic Book Day issue teased us with this upcoming event. Sadly, it's a few months away. Still, if you haven't read last year's terrific event, that gives you time to pick up the Battle Of The Black Stone TP. Here's all the info from Titan Comics.

 

CONAN THE BARBARIAN: SCOURGE OF THE SERPENT #1 (OF 4)

(W) Jim Zub (A) Ivan Gil

Publisher: Heroic Signatures and Titan Comics

FC, 32pp, $4.99, On Sale September 24, 2025

 

Spinning out of the pages of the Free Comic Book Day Special, the new Conan epic starts here!

 

CONAN OF CIMMERIA has encountered Stygian sorcery and snake-sent creatures many times in his grand adventures, but he has never faced the true unspeakable power of SET... until NOW.

 

The serpent god's influence coils around the Hyborian Age and every other age linked to it. Three stunning supernatural stories will weave together to answer a chilling question of past and present - What is Set's grand plan for humanity and, now that it's begun, can it be stopped?

 

Now, let's take a look inside:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Here are more cover options:

 

 

COVER B:JOHN MCCREA

 

 

COVER C: GEOF ISHERWOOD

 

 

COVER D: MATÍAS BERGARA

COVER E: CHRIS STEVENS

COVER G: ROBERTO DE LA TORRE 'GLOW-IN-THE-DARK' ($14.99)

Not pictured:

COVER F: ROBERTO DE LA TORRE FOIL TRADE ($14.99)

 

Thanks to Titan Comics for sharing this preview with us. 

 

 

 

Star Trek: Lower Decks #8 Review

 

Writer: Tim Sheridan

Artist & Colorist: Robby Cook

Letterer: Clayton Cowles

Design & Production: Johanna Nattalie

Editors: Heather Antos & Cassandra Jones

Cover Artists: Robby Cook

Publisher: IDW

Price: $4.99

Release Date: June 11, 2025

 

Abseiling the warp core lands Mariner in the doghouse. While lecturing her daughter, Mariner’s mom lapses into a sitcom-worthy flashback. Fifteen years ago, Captain Carol Freeman was a risk-taking ensign. After taking time off to start a family, Carol transferred to the USS Illinois to resume her career. But girls (and young mothers) want to have fun.

 

Ensign Freeman hopes rerouting the site-to-site transporters through the axillary phaser array can help her evade Captain Inman and Dr Pulaski’s restrictions. Will Ensign Freeman resume her late-night skiing on the holodeck? Or will Carol’s unsanctioned repairs land the adventurous ensign in hot water? Let's grab our transporter inhibitors, leap into Star Trek: Lower Decks #8, and find out!

 

Story

Ensign Freeman didn’t want to shortchange her family. Nor did she want to endanger her ship. Still, she's older than other Lower Decks personnel and chafes at Captain Inman's parental curfews. So, Ensign Freeman takes advantage of the USS Illinois’ quiet patrol along the Romulan Neutral Zone to reroute the site-to-site transporters. When Inman’s First Officer activates the axillary phaser array, Carol and her friends watch the rest of the crew disappear.

 

Star Trek: Lower Decks #8 contrasts the types of people who achieve power. Some, like Captain Inman, seek to repress their subordinates and attack when they feel threatened. Others, like the visiting Dr Katherine Pulaski, have the rank and wisdom to be effective leaders but don't relish making decisions that will protect or injure others. Finally, there is Carol Freeman, who prioritized her family over her career. After resuming her Starfleet duties, the ensign savors her journey through the ranks instead of racing for command.

 

When a Romulan Subcommander delivers an ultimatum, the ensign disagrees with Captain Pulaski’s tactics. So, Carol takes responsibility for rectifying the situation and retrieving her missing crew. Star Trek: Lower Decks #8 is an enjoyable story filled with humor and spunky characters. As characters race against a deadline to find a solution, Tim Sheridan plants a mystery for future stories to explore.

 

Art

Robby Cook positions Carol and her daughter in her gray Captain’s office aboard the USS Cerritos before returning her to the USS Illinois' beige and tan bridge. While yellow and red uniforms bring the characters forward against the yellow-and-black LCARS wall displays, a green Romulan ship appears on the monitor. Yet even beneath the glowing red ceiling panels, Dr Pulaski's blue uniform and plumage-like hair demand your attention.

 

A scene in the transporter room recalls Pulaski's distrust of molecule-scrambling travel. Her reactions flit between irritation and smiles as she orders and observes her subordinates. A conference amid Red Alert evokes Captain Picard's fondness for Senior Staff Meetings in Star Trek: Lower Decks #8. Carol's constant arguing and outrage herald her need to rise through the ranks and assume the Captain's chair.

 

Clayton Cowles beams black uppercase letters into white dialogue balloons. Letters embolden for emphasis and shrink for lowered voices. Balloons deform when an ensign demonstrates his unsuitability for command. White letters in red banners denote the passage of time as a triple divorcee shepherds a young wife and mother through the ranks. Thanks to IDW Publishing for providing a review copy.

 

Final Thoughts

Captain Freeman’s daughter frustrates her. Mariner seems to bounce between childish irresponsibility and sterling service in the best traditions of Starfleet. But then Carol Freeman remembers a time when, like Mariner, she wasn’t as sensible and respectable as she is today. Star Trek Lower Decks #8 ponders how mistakes help us grow while reminding us that life is about more than status and achievements.

 

Rating 9.8/10

To look inside see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.

Veil Volume 1 Preview

 

This is one hot title. So put this on your manga list to check out! Here's all the info from UDON:

 

Veil Volume 1
By Kotteri

"I like looking at you when you’re enjoying a scent." On a cobblestone street, a moment was shared by two people. One day, by chance… he, a police officer met she, a runaway heiress. She was looking for a job and he welcomed her as the new police station receptionist. Witty, sexy dialogue is matched with bold and gorgeous illustrations in this in full-color manga collection by Kotteri!

 

Now, let's take a look inside:

 

 

ADVISORY: VEIL VOLUME 1 (and the forthcoming volume 2) have sold out at the distributor level, and are mostly sold-out online. Copies may still be available at brick and mortar retail. A second printing of Veil Volume 1 & 2 are on their way, and will arrive in stores this August. Please backorder with confidence at your local retailer, as we will continue our efforts to keep this title in print.

$15.99, 128 Pages, Full Color Manga, 5.75" x 8.75"
ISBN:  978-1772943610
Backorder: Amazon | UDON Store 

 

Thanks to UDON for sharing this preview with us. 

 

 

 

Conan The Barbarian #21 Review

 

Writer: Jim Zub

Artist: Fernando Dagnino

Colorist: Diego Rodriguez

Letterer: Richard Starkings & Tyler Smith

Editor: Chris Butera

Cover Artists: Dan Panosian, Maria Wolf, Brandon Kenney, Mindy Lee, and J Gonzo

Publisher: Titan Comics

Price: $3.99

Release Date: June 11, 2025

 

After Bêlit’s death, Conan transforms her ship into a funeral pyre. Instead of lighting her body on a hill and watching it burn, he sails Bêlit’s Tigress into her beloved sea. Then Conan wanders through the jungle. A local tribe reminds him of Bêlit’s slain crew. But sensing evil in him, they repulse him. So, Conan continues his lonely sojourn until Zula tests him to see if Set has corrupted his soul.

 

After the death of his lover and his battle with a shapeshifter, Conan travels back in time. He fights alongside King Kull and the noble Pict Brule. Conan prevents Thulsa Doom from rising to power. But in the process, Conan loses his taste for the Atlantean sword. The sword he found at Venarium is a painful reminder of Bêlit and the ancient sorcerer. So, when he returns to Shadizar, Conan discards it. Where will Conan's travels take him next? Let's grab our swords and battle axes, shout “By Crom,” venture into Conan The Barbarian #21, and find out!

 

Story

Conan first tries joining a group of mercenaries. The soldiers hail from lands he knows well. Yet he feels like a stranger among them. When he meets the Bamula tribe, they honor him as Amra, the name Conan took when sailing on the Tigress. This pleasant association with Bêlit and his short but intense pirate career gives Conan something he lost. Conan helps the Bamulas combat their enemies. Unlike his time among the Aesir in Conan The Barbarian #16, no one objects when he leads them to victory. So, the Cimmerian makes his home among them.

 

In Conan The Barbarian #21, Jim Zub reminds us that we often find ourselves in unexpected places. Family may be the people who raise us. But we also find friendship, belonging, and love in unexpected places as we grow and change. Jim Zub also honors Robert E Howard’s stories by rejoining Conan’s life after “The Vale of Lost Women.” As in “Sacrifice in the Sand,” Jim’s story in The Savage Sword of Conan #1, Conan rescues a maiden from death. But this time, it is the beautiful Livia who Conan intends to return to her people.

 

Unfortunately for him, fate has a different plan in store for the Cimmerian. He and the Bamula discover a town where people seem incurably happy. Yet their graciousness and kindness feel too good to be true. So in Conan The Barbarian #21, the Cimmerian must once again prove his mettle while protecting the people he has taken under his care.

 

Art

Fernando Dagnino opens with a splash page that evokes Roy Thomas' early Conan stories for Marvel. After glimpses of Conan's recent history, Dagnino shows the Cimmerian as long-time readers remember him: clasping a maiden in his arms as he rides. Then Dagnino shows Conan and the Bamula entering a town with a tower rising from the epicenter. The locals greet their visitors by casting flowers into the air and draping leis around their necks. Then, they lead Conan and the Bamulas to a tavern, where they fill their guests' tankards and bring steaming platters to their table.

 

Diego Rodriguez plays with light, contrasting nights around a glowing orange campfire with fights amid green and blue. Conan and the Bamulas rescue Livia beneath the full moon in a blue sky. The sun's yellow rays burst behind Conan in the orange and blue morning sky. Yet the sky fills with yellow and brown as the travelers reach their evening stop. As Dagnino switches camera angles, many locals watch from the shadows, cloaked in shadows.

 

Richard Starkings and Tyler Smith conjure uppercase lettering into white dialogue balloons and yellow narrative boxes in Conan The Barbarian #21. Words grow bold for intonation, occasionally enlarge, and rarely shrink. Shouts turn red and threaten to burst balloons as Conan insists he determines his future, while green letters warn of imminent danger. Thanks to Titan for providing a review copy.

 

Final Thoughts

While protecting new friends, Conan discovers a terrible injustice afflicting towns and villages. Conan The Barbarian #21 reminds us of the familiar patterns we unintendedly follow in our lives. Extra features include an essay from Robert E Howard historian Jeffrey Shanks and an interview with artist Fernando Dagnino.

 

Rating 9.6/10

 

To look inside see my preview of Conan The Barbarian #21. 

Rival Schools: Official Complete Works Preview

 

 

You've beaten the computer at 3D Chess. You've waged war in Dungeons & Dragons. You've flown through the unfriendly skies and captured the Snitch in Quidditch. Here's a cool book celebrating the Rival Schools games! 

Rival Schools: Official Complete Works
By Capcom, Featuring Edyan and the Capcom Design Team

School's out... of control! Rival Schools is the explosive fan-favorite tag-team fighting game from Capcom, showcasing the ultimate throw down between hot-blooded high schoolers. Rival Schools: Official Complete Works collects the artwork of all three Rival Schools games, including key art, character illustrations, development sketches, detailed character profiles, unused character concepts, a history of the games, and so much more! Fight for honor! Fight for reputation! Fight for justice!

Now, let's take a look inside:

 

 

On sale now!

$49.99, 192 pages, Hardcover, Full Color, 8.25" x 11.75"
ISBN: 978-1772941593
Buy it: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

 

Thanks to UDON for sharing this preview with us. 

Transformers #21 Review

 

Writer: Daniel Warren Johnson

Artist: Jorge Corona

Colorist: Mike Spicer

Letterer: Rus Wooton

Cover Artists: Daniel Warren Johnson & Mike Spicer; Jorge Corona & Mike Spicer; David Nakayama; Derek Chew; Pye Parr; Jason Howard & Annalisa Leoni; Jason Howard; Jimbo Salgado; Tiago Da Silva; Freely Abrigo; Mico Suayan; Len Nicholas

Editor: Ben Abernathy

Publication Design: Andres Juarez

Production: Ashby Florence

Publisher: Image

Price: $3.99

Release Date: June 11, 2025

 

While Soundwave welcomes the return of the king, Megatron’s return displeases Starscream, and Astrotrain finally gets his shot at revenge. As Megatron consolidates his forces, Wheeljack revives more Autobots. Conscientious objector Beachcomber helps by rescuing a lost but not forgotten comrade. Which side can win the Energon race and rebuild a superior force first? Where did the US military take Ultra Magnus and Carly? And how is Cliffjumper enjoying life on Cybertron? Let's recharge our Energon batteries, leap into Transformers #21, and find out!

 

Story

When the US military traps Ultra Magnus like Cobra Commander trapped Megatron, a shellshocked chaplain may wonder if something in Saint John’s Revelations refers to the Autobot. But his superiors have plans for their alien visitor. Megatron and his lieutenants Soundwave and Starscream want the Ark for themselves, but Optimus Prime is determined to stop them. Still, Optimus' history of violence worries him. And while Wheeljack rebuilds their forces, others beside Megatron and Optimus hunger to make their Ark their home.

 

Transformers #21 is an immersive read. The fast-paced plot is rich in drama. Points of view switch between Ultra Magnus, Megatron, Optimus Prime, and Elita One. Daniel Warren Johnson's story primarily concerns Megatron's renewed assault on the Ark. While Megatron, Elita One, and General Flagg demonstrate their hunger for power, Optimus suffers from its corrupting influence.

 

Art

A Human chaplain clutches his Bible as he beholds an enormous alien robot. As Blue Streak studies the computer monitor, he seems afraid to turn and face Elita-One. Cliffjumper shows Shredhead a hologram in a teaching moment evoking Bumblebee and Rubble. While navigating switchbacks along a sheer face, Megatron transforms into a gun for Starscream to wield. Jorge Corona's portraits of the Autobots and Decepticons' dilemmas recall the history of the fan-favorite franchise.

 

Mike Spicer contributes a series of limited color schemes that enhance the energy and drama surging through Transformers #21. One striking contrast is between the purple and gray Cybertronian night and the green and blue of a sunny day in Washington. Yet red, blue, and purple surround Optimus Prime when Wheeljack studies his leader. The nonviolent but no less invasive moment evokes Starscream attacking Soundwave at Megatron's feet.

 

Rus Wooton fills the Transformers' rectangular white balloons with italicized black words, while General Flagg speaks words of indifference into round dialogue balloons. The letters' size and spacing enlarge or reduce to convey loud and soft voices. While sound effects help us hear Megatron shift into dominating gun mode, immense words dominate panels as the war for Earth continues in Transformers #21. Thanks to Image Comics, Skybound Entertainment, and Hasbro for providing a review copy.

 

Final Thoughts

The fight to increase one's strength may seem a worthy goal. But an abundance of power can prevent us from attaining our ambitions. As Humans and Cybertronians seek power for its own sake, a US chaplain and Optimus Prime experience its corrupting influence. And then there’s the smallest Autobot, who, like a diminutive Jedi, reminds us that big things can come in small packages in Transformers #21.

 

Rating 9.6/10

 

To look inside see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.