Craniacs Vol 1 Preview

 

As the chieftain's son, Rocky has a duty to be the best smasher around. When he's not smashing things with his club, or playing drums along to the latest Ozzy Ozbone single, Rocky hangs out with Phoebe, an artist who enjoys painting murals on boulders. 

While Rocky and Phoebe enjoy their days in Retrovia, Bo and Darby zoom through the skies of Futurra on their hoverboard and hover skates. The competitive children of President Alex are always looking for the next challenge. How will they react when they meet Rocky and Phoebe? And can Retrovia and Futurra survive when their two worlds collide?

Here's all the info from Titan Comics: 

Craniacs Vol 1 Preview

Writer: Sholly Fisch

Artist & Cover Artist: Joe Simko

Publisher: Titan Comics

Trade Paperback Price: $17.99

Graphic Novel Length: 112 Pages (Full Color)

Release Date: July 21, 2026

 

 

From the collective, creative craniums of Ira Friedman (Ex-Topps) and Joe Simko (Garbage Pail Kids) comes Craniacs, a refreshingly new and totally original comedy/action/adventure that has blasted its way across collectible trading cards and now into comics! In the Craniacs universe of skull-headed folks, two planets collide and force two very different societies – Stone-Aged Retrovia and ultra-futuristic Futerra – to figure out how they’re going to make this new planet-sharing world order work! Innovative high-octane action, wacky physical comedy, and outrageous competitions will be at the heart of every issue, alongside the importance of friendship, fraternity, and family. The graphic novel collects all four issues of the comic book series, exclusive bonus interviews, and artwork!

Now, let's take a look inside:

 

Thanks to Titan Comics for sharing this preview with us.

For more, see my preview of Craniacs #1. 

 

Gun Honey Doubles Down #2 Review

 

Gun Honey Doubles Down #2 Review

Writer: Charles Ardai

Artist: Ang Hor Kheng

Colorist: Asifur Rahman

Letterer: David Leach

Cover Artists: Derrick Chew, Ivan Tao, Cosplay, Ang Hor Kheng, Ace Continuado & Nuno Pereira

Publisher: Titan Comics

Price: $4.99

Release Date: July 15, 2026

 

Regime change. It's all the rage in civilized society. But Joanna Tan isn't interested in political games. Sure, the $10 million intrigued her. But planting a gun in the most secure building in the world was a challenge she couldn't refuse. Only the job went wrong. Someone with President Vulapin's face took the bullet meant for him.

 

Now, Vulapin's angry. He'll come after Joanne and anyone who helped her. That includes Olga, who lost her brother to Vulapin's mad quest for power. But after coming up empty in Gelendzhik on the Black Sea, Joanna and Olga must take more doubles off the game board. And they'll be waiting. Where will Joanna Tan head next? And are there even more doubles than U.S. Intelligence suspects? Let’s leap into Gun Honey Doubles Down #2 and see!

 

Story

When Joanna enters Por-Bazhyn, she can’t see how she gets inside. But when they pull the sack off her head, she finds herself underneath the 8^th-century archeological site. Her eventual interrogator doesn't believe Joanna's story. Still, a soldier suggests that Dr Kuzmina not disfigure her, as they may be able to ransom the American recording data for scientific purposes.

 

Joanna Tan came to this island in the Sengelen Mountains to search for another of President Vulapin’s lookalikes. But before she can do that, Joanna must escape her cell in Gun Honey Doubles Down #2. As Joanna remembers her briefing with Alexis Stern, the U.S. Director of National Intelligence, she realizes that the clock is ticking. American surveillance noted three possible locations for Vulapin. And after the chaos in Gelendzhik, Joanna assumes that the staff here are expecting her.

 

Once again, Joanna discovers ample evidence that power corrupts. She also encounters people who are loyal to Vulapin’s regime in Charles Ardai’s story. Yet as she strives to escape her cell, avoid interrogation, and find the double of Vulapin, Joanna confronts the reality of life in a totalitarian government. In this place where society forces people to become something they despise, people still cling to any friends they can, and a few remember their childhood when anything seemed possible. 

 

Joanna may have entered the ancient Uyghur fortress alone. Still, she gets by with a little help from her friends. And as she braves danger to protect herself and her friend Olga, Joanna vows to help someone else in need in Gun Honey Doubles Down #2.

 

Art

After a picturesque shot of an island on a lake, Ang Hor Kheng's close-ups and an inset panel reveal a truck approaching a fortress on a bridge. Two soldiers clad in armor, camouflage uniforms, and carrying machine guns follow their captive as they descend a curving turret-like stairway. Helmets, shades, and masks obscure their faces. Along with the sack over her head, Joanna wears drawstring pants, a tank top, and a jacket. Yet after the soldiers remove Joanna’s mask, Dr Kuzmina relieves her of everything else.

 

As Asifur Rahman lavishes a loaded palette on Gun Honey Doubles Down #2, the soldiers' green uniforms link them with the armored vehicles they drive. Yet they also evoke the lush greenery of southern Siberia. Dr Kuzmina's blue gloves link the torturer to an item Joanna tried to hide and the crumbling stone interior of her domain. Red links two items Dr Kuzmina doesn’t find with the curtain in her workroom. Yet as she removes her glasses to study her captive, a hanging lamp tinges the arched doorway, evoking jaws of death.

 

While David Leach shares Joanna's thoughts in blue narrative boxes, he places black uppercase letters in white dialogue balloons. Orange boxes locate readers in time and space, while yellow boxes share advice from people Joanna respects. Letters grow bold for intonation and swell for volume. Sound effects reveal Joanna’s preparations and what she’s willing to undergo, while enhancing the action-packed finale. Thanks to Titan Comics for providing a review copy.

 

Final Thoughts

People caught in a bad situation often try to make the best of it, even if that means adopting the mindset and actions of their oppressors. But Joanna Tan refuses to let anyone hold her down. Dauntless to the end, she demonstrates that dying delivering others is better than a lifetime of cowering in fear or letting someone else determine your destiny in Gun Honey Doubles Down #2.

 

Rating 9.8/10

 

For more cover options see my cover preview of Gun Honey Doubles Down #2.  

 

For what happened last time, see my review of Gun Honey Doubles Down #1. 

For how this series started, see my review of Gun Honey Doubles Down #0.

For what happened before that, see my review of Gun Honey Collision Course TP. 

 

Dark Knights Of Steel II #1 Preview

 

A child receives visions from the past and present. The child glimpses momentous events half a world away. And in a world where illegitimate Prince Bruce Wayne once hunted anyone with magical abilities, this "gift" seems more like a curse. 

While the unwanted visions continue, perhaps the child witnesses a boy's difficult childhood. Ten years ago, Victor Falcone yearned to see the Blüdhaven Isles reclaim their former greatness. He believed his father should take what he needed to rule his kingdom effectively, and incite fear to gain respect. Would Victor Falcone adopt his gentler approach to international relations? And how will these two children shape their world?

Here's all the info from DC Connect: 

 

Dark Knights Of Steel II #1 Preview

Writer: Tom Taylor

Artist: Otto Schmidt

Cover Artist: Yasmine Putri

Variant Cover Artists: Travis Moore, Davide Paratore & Josh Middleton

Foil Variant Cover Artist: Josh Middleton

Publisher: DC Comics

Issue Length: 40 Pages

Series Length: 12 Issues

Price: $4.99 US/Variant $5.99 US (card stock)

Release Date: July 15, 2026

 

 

The Fan-Favorite Elseworlds Epic Continues!

 

 

An entire medieval world was forever changed when a spaceship crashlanded from a doomed planet. Monarchs died, kingdoms rose, long-buried treachery came to light…and a League was born.

 

Now an ancient, violent war brews beneath the waves, one that promises untold destruction should it break the surface. If the League hopes to weather it and protect the lands of its realms and beyond, it must first root out the treasonous agents hiding in plain sight amidst its own ranks!

 

Worldwide bestselling writer Tom Taylor (Detective Comics, Nightwing) and acclaimed artist Otto Schmidt (DC vs. Vampires, Green Arrow) welcome you back to the epic high-fantasy world of Dark Knights of Steel, where the darkest days yet still lie ahead!

 

 

Now, let's take a look inside:

 

 

 

 

Thanks to DC Comics for sharing this preview with us.

 

For another fantasy story from Tom Taylor, see my review of C.O.R.T.: Children of the Round Table #1. 

For the beginning of Tom Taylor's story about a little-known superhero, see my review of Detective Comics #1108. 

Doctor Who: The Fifteenth Doctor: The Prison Paradox Preview

 

The Doctor is a Time Lord from Gallifrey. He loves fashion and fixing problems. He also loves people of all species, even if they're unfashionable. So after robots abduct Belinda Chandra from Earth, the Doctor tries to take her home. Strangely, he cannot find his favorite planet. Did an alien species that writes atrocious poetry destroy Earth to make way for a hyperspace bypass? Or did someone transport the planet elsewhere and rename it Ravalox?  

Here's all the info from Titan Comics:

 

Doctor Who: The Fifteenth Doctor: The Prison Paradox

Author: Dan Watters

Artist: Sami Kivela

Publisher: Titan Comics 

SC, 112 pages, FC, $17.99

ISBN: 9781787748439

On sale July 21, 2026

 

The Doctor and Belinda star in a spectacular new adventure as they encounter new foes and new friends aboard an inescapable prison facility in a forgotten part of the universe.

 

The Doctor continues his adventures through time and space alongside a team of allies from across the universe, fellow prisoners held captive in a maximum security space prison! Each has a story to tell and a role to play in uncovering the mysteries of their incarceration.

 

ANNIE THE ADIPOSE: The Adipose are a parasite race, only able to reproduce through the death of others. When discovered they are euthanized or imprisoned to prevent interplanetary epidemics. Conviction: Existence as a parasitic lifeform.

 

H-8 THE CYBORG: A ship of Theseus of pilfered cybernetics, H-8 doesn’t remember what part of him is biological anymore, or what species he started out as. A hulking being obsessed with firepower, he’s bristling with weapons- including a Dalek gun attached to his arm! Despite this, he’s surprisingly affable. You’d like him. Conviction: Weapons theft.

 

FELIK THE SLITHEEN: Embarrassed by her family’s history, Felik fled them to become the pirate scourge of two galaxies. Endlessly hunted by her own kind. Conviction: Piracy.

 

MEEZAN THE TENTACULON: An aquatic squid being made entirely out of twisting tentacles; Meezan is the last of her kind and very sad about it. After her underwater planet became a desert, she returned to try and flood it. Which was not taken well by the land-dwelling species that had come to settle there. Conviction: Attempted terraforming without a permit.

 

 

Now, let's take a look inside:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pre-order it now from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, and Forbidden Planet for the UK and Europe. 

 

 

Thanks to Titan Comics for sharing this preview with us.

 

For the 15th Doctor's adventures with Ruby Sunday, see my review of Doctor Who: Everyone Must Go TP. 

 

Superman Unlimited #15 Review

 

Superman Unlimited #15 Review

Writer: Dan Slott

Artist: Lucas Meyer

Colorist: Giuliano Peratelli

Letterer: Dave Sharpe

Cover Artist: Taurin Clarke

Variant Cover Artists: Zoe Thorogood & Fernando Blanco

Editors: Jillian Grant & Paul Kaminski

Publisher: DC Comics

Price: $4.99/$5.99 Card Stock

Release Date: June 15, 2026

 

Jon left Lois Lane as a boy, but returned a man. She missed watching her son grow up. But when a masked man brought Jon back to her, de-aged to how Lois last saw him before he returned as an adult, her journalistic instincts kicked in. Lois isn't alone in doubting that young Jon is her son. As Jon Kent disguises his features, "Tomorrow Man" struggles to see himself in the boy. Yet, Jon's return hits Damian Wayne hardest. He lost his friend. And when young Jon returned, he showed no interest in resuming their friendship.

 

Regardless of how others feel about him, young Jon seemed committed to being a hero. Then he saw what Lois and John Henry did to Beppo. And suddenly, the boy realized what the people responsible for protecting him planned to do to him. Can anyone control an enraged Superboy? And how are John Henry and Lana doing after the accident at Steelworks? Let's stop by a phone booth, leap into Superman Unlimited #15, and see!

 

Story

While Green Kryptonite can exert a toxic effect on Humans, it doesn’t normally empower them. Yet when Dabney Donovan’s clones injected Beppo with a Green-K serum, the chimpanzee became stronger than Jon Kent. After how Ultraman tortured him, Superboy identified with the chimpanzee. But instead of returning him to Bibbo Bibbowski, John Henry Irons incarcerated Beppo in a red sun enclosure. So, when young Jon discovers that Irons and his “mother” plan to incarcerate and experiment on him, the boy who was tortured in a volcano grabs John Henry’s hammer and attacks Tomorrow Man.

 

While Jon Kent tries to reason with his younger self, Superboy feels betrayed in Superman Unlimited #15. Jon suspects that this boy isn’t him. Yet they look the same and share similar fears after Ultraman tortured them both in a volcano. While young Jon feels betrayed by Tomorrow Man and Lois Lane, Damian Wayne is also outraged. When Jon Kent returned older after a trip through time, Damian felt like he had lost his best friend. Damian sees the boy as an imposter who defiles his memories of Jon and likely intends great harm to his world.

 

While young Jon experiences the pain of betrayal and rejection, Beppo's blood sample spurs explosive growth in John Henry's stockpile of El Calderan Green Kryptonite. The results of John Henry's scientific research endanger Lana, altering his wife's metahuman form. Just as young Jon demonstrates unrivaled superstrength when angry, Dan Slott’s action thriller reveals the dangers of El Calderan Green K. Far from being gifts to Jon and Humanity, young Jon and the mountain of Green K threaten to extract a heavy toll on Earth in Superman Unlimited #15. 

 

Art

As Superboy attacks Jon Kent with his hammer, John Henry Irons activates the controls to ensure Beppo doesn’t break free of his containment. Yet crystals sprout from the floors, walls, and ceilings of the building. While threatening everyone, a blast shield traps Beppo in a windowless container where he can be impaled without warning. Agitated, Lois's breath condenses inside her transparent helmet as she speaks into her cellphone. Jonathan and Martha listen to the landline receiver in their home. As Krypto and the Supermobile soar into the sky, Jonathan touches a tablet, activating nearby severe weather sirens.

 

As giant Green-K crystals also erupt from the ground outside, Giuliano Peratelli adorns Lucas Meyer’s apocalyptic visions with vibrant color in Superman Unlimited #15. While the red containment field imprisons a raging Beppo, Superboy’s eyes glow red as his hammer hurls Tomorrow Man into red shadow. Yet when Superboy’s ire cools, his blue suit links him with Batman as two people who suffered childhood trials and wish to protect others from experiencing similar horrors. While red links Robin and other heroes, the green portions of his suit shine as vibrantly as Lana Lang. Yet in this story of overcoming obstacles and transformation, the shape of Robin's cape and its interior color indicate that Tomorrow Man was thinking of yesterday when he chose his new costume.

 

Dave Sharpe places uppercase black dialogue in white dialogue balloons and offscreen dialogue in colored narrative boxes. Words grow bold for intonation, swell for raised voices, and shrink for lowered voices. Shaky lines of text and slithering arrows suggest shock and fatigue. Sound effects accompany hammer blows, midair collisions, and alerts as laughter fills the air. Thanks to DC Comics for sharing this story with us.  

 

Final Thoughts

Jon Kent risked a reality-threatening paradox to mentor a younger version of himself. Yet Batman, who suspected young Jon’s identity all along, congratulated his son for recognizing a villain in disguise. As “Superboy” unleashes his anger on “Tomorrow Man” when he believes he betrayed him, heroes confront the dangers of seeing ourselves in others in Superman Unlimited #15.

 

Rating 9.8/10

 

To look inside see my preview of Superman Unlimited #15. 

 

For what happened last time, see my review of Superman Unlimited #14.

For what happened before that, see my review of Superman Unlimited #13. 

For what happened even before that, see my preview of Superman Unlimited #12.

For how this story arc started, see my preview of Superman Unlimited #11. 

 

Absolute Flash #17 Preview

 

 

Wally West wants to find his father. Sam Scudder claims he can rescue Rudy West from Still Point via the mirror dimension. But first, Wally must find Elenore Thawne, the brains behind Project Olympus. Unfortunately, after their research destroyed Fort Fox, Elenore Thawne has disappeared. And as questions regarding the failed project arise in Washington DC, Colonel Flag wants all the fallout from Project Olympus to disappear. So he's offered the Rogues a clean slate. But first, they must kill Grodd. 

While Wally tries to reunite with his father, Grodd has found his father. The two experimental subjects from Elenore Thawne's operation are enjoying life together as a family. Or at least they were, until the soldiers came. Can Wally protect Grodd from the Trickster and her fellow Rogues? And what happened to Grodd's dad? 

Here's all the info from DC Connect:

 

Absolute Flash #17 Preview

Writer: Jeff Lemire

Artist: Haining

Cover Artist: Nick Robles

Variant Cover Artists: Dexter Soy, Tk & Tk

Publisher: DC Comics

Issue Length: 32 Pages

Price: $4.99 US/Variant $5.99 US (card stock)

Release Date: July 15, 2026

 

 

Can Grodd Be Saved?

 

 

The Flash and the Rogues work to liberate Colorado from Grodd’s control, but can they save Grodd as well as the town?

 

 

Now, let's take a look inside:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks to DC Comics for sharing this preview with us.

 

For what happened last time, see my preview of Absolute Flash #16. 

For what happened before that, see my preview of Absolute Flash #15.

For what happened even before that, see my review of Absolute Flash #14.

For how this story arc started, see my review of Absolute Flash #13. 

 

Batwoman #5 Preview

 

Forge a new future. Be who you want to be. In a world where you can remake yourself, does your name matter? Kate Kane lost her sister Beth. Then, she became Alice. Now, Alice has become Batwoman. And unlike Kate, she injures and kills anyone in her path. Will Kate or Pagona win the battle for Beth/Alice's soul? And why is "Batwoman" targeting the Eschaton Tower?

Here's all the info from DC Connect:

 

Batwoman #5 Preview

Writer: Greg Rucka

Artist & Cover Artist: Dani

Variant Cover Artists: Stjepan Šejić, Nicola Scott & W. Scott Forbes

Publisher: DC Comics

Issue Length: 32 Pages

Price: $3.99 US/Variant $4.99 US (card stock)

Release Date: July 15, 2026

 

 

A last chance for 

Redemption…or Damnation!

 

 

As Batwoman’s quest to avenge her sister’s death reaches its apex, she discovers the Dark Faith has a new, much more terrifying plan. A Kane must be the Alice who ushers in the era of Darkseid…and if Beth is dead, Kate must take her place. How do you fight the devil when the devil is real? Greg Rucka & DaNi bring an epic conclusion to their first arc of this blockbuster Next Level series.

 

 

Now, let's take a look inside:

 

 

 

 

Thanks to DC Comics for sharing this preview with us.

 

For what happened last time, see my preview of Batwoman #4.

For what happened before that, see my preview of Batwoman #3.

For what happened even before that, see my preview of Batwoman #2.

For how this series started, see my preview of Batwoman #1.

For the Batwoman story, "Second Date," see my preview of Justice League Dream Girls: A DC Pride Event #1. 

 

Absolute Green Arrow #3 Review

 

Absolute Green Arrow #3 Review

Writer: Pornsak Pichetshote

Artist: Rafael Albuquerque

Colorist: Marcelo Maiolo

Letterer: Jeff Powell

Cover Artists: Rafael Albuquerque & Marcelo Maiolo

Variant Cover Artists: Gerald Parel, Dan Panosian & Kyuyong Eom

1:25 Variant Cover Artist: Becky Cloonan

Editors: Sabrina Futch, Katie Kubert & Chris Conroy

Publisher: DC Comics

Price: $4.99 US/Variant $5.99 US (Card Stock)

Release Date: July 15, 2026

 

Oliver Queen knew he was risking his soul. Yet as he built his empire, he ignored the detestable acts of the friend who tutored him through college. By the time he and Jubal Slade made Green Arrows Trading a success, Ollie had tarnished his soul. Still, Dinah Lance loved him. And when his body washed ashore, his ex-girlfriend mourned Ollie's passing.

 

Now, Dinah hunts a man who seems the opposite of Ollie. He hunts down billionaires and slays them without a shred of mercy. Who is the Green Arrow Killer? And why did he murder the one person Ollie sought to protect? Let’s grab our bows, leap into Absolute Green Arrow #3, and see!

 

Story

When Dinah got suspended for being too protective at a pop star's exclusive party, Hector Hammond canceled her father's health insurance to force her to work for him. But after the Green Arrow Killer murdered Reese Tyler, Dinah investigates suspects alongside Malcolm Merlyn. Even though Hammond hired Dinah because she used to be a Star City cop and knew Oliver Queen, Hammond and Merlyn don't share what they know with her. So, Dinah reaches out to a former friend still working as a Star City detective, only to discover she knows more than he does about the boy they found in Oliver’s Arrow Cave.

 

While Malcolm Merlyn quietly gathers facts, Dinah throws herself into the hunt for answers. After she shocked him by unleashing her MMA fighting skills on one of their suspects, Malcolm has let her investigate on her own. Although an employee told Malcolm that his boss had been out of the country for months, Dinah tracks down Roy Harper in Absolute Green Arrow #3. And once again, she’s not above threatening a suspect to get to the truth.

 

As readers follow Dinah’s investigation, Pornsak Pichetshote weaves another Green Arrow attack into his story. Once again, the serial killer survives to slay another day. Yet the attack reveals the mood in society. Dinah carries a lot of guilt over her inability to help her father. And people like Hector Hammond, who serve as the gatekeepers of the economic system, are targets for her wrath. When Dinah finds Roy Harper, he enhances her understanding of the relationship between Hector Hammond, Reese Tyler, and Oliver Queen. And Dinah Lance makes a discovery that explains the boy’s mutated body in Ollie’s Arrow Cave, and hints at the possible identity of the Green Arrow Killer in Absolute Green Arrow #3.

 

Art

As Dinah studies a headshot of Guillermo Garcia, she remembers her first MMA fight. The window above their booth fills with Dinah’s memory of finding the young boy in Ollie’s survival bunker, with eyes staring back at her from his neck and torso. Dinah may no longer be paid to fight. Yet a bandage adorns her cheek as she grabs her helmet. Outside the diner, the rebel with a cause mounts her motorcycle and roars through traffic, leaving a trail of smoke in her wake.

 

While Rafael Albuquerque portrays Dinah’s investigations and reveals memories, yellow light fills the daytime. Objects in sunlight thrive in orange, while green clings to the shade and tinges the night in Absolute Green Arrow #3. When Marcelo Maiolo reveals another Green Arrow Killer attack, the killer’s eyes glow red through his mask, along with the forces arrayed to halt his killing spree. Compared with Dinah’s MMA memory cast in blue and indigo, Roy’s memories are faded red, yellow, and green against yellow backgrounds.

 

As Jeff Powell fills white balloons and boxes with black uppercase letters, words grow bold with intonation and swell with raised voices. Red uppercase letters fill yellow balloons amid Roy’s yellow-tinged memories, while sound effects enhance the Green Arrow Killer’s attacks. But as a vigilante kills for justice in this upside-down world, his costume and weapons glow bright green. Thanks to DC Comics for sharing this story with us.

 

Final Thoughts

Dinah Lance exists in a perpetual state of simmering rage. She's angry because she has no choices in her life. At every turn, economic factors determine her social status and limit her ability to help others. Yet as Dinah investigates millionaire Roy Harper and his relationship with billionaire Oliver Queen, she discovers that their wealth failed to bring them happiness and isolated them from the people they loved in Absolute Green Arrow #3.

 

Rating 9.5/10

 

To look inside see my preview of Absolute Green Arrow #3.

 

For what happened last time, see my preview of Absolute Green Arrow #2. 

For how this series started, see my preview of Absolute Green Arrow #1.

For how Oliver Queen died, see my preview of Absolute Evil #1. 

For more on the series, see Pornsak Pichetshote on Absolute Green Arrow.