The Adequates #4 Preview

 

The Elites challenge everyone to do their best. Anyone who fails them gets run up the flagpole. That's something Tweak can attest to. When the Elites sent the Jocks after him, the Goobers failed to protect him. His friends didn't even salute him as Tweak hung atop the flagpole outside Savannah High School. So when the Goobers return to Bonaventure Cemetery, Tweak waits for his chance. And when it arrives, he doesn't hesitate.

Will Tweak gain the abilities of the South's greatest superheroes? Or will the spirit of the monster that defeated Void, Bayou, and Moss possess his soul?

Here's all the info from Comixology:

 

The Adequates #4 Preview

Writers: Lee Loughridge & Marz Jr

Artist: Marz Jr

Publisher: Comixology

Kindle Price: $2.99 (free to read with a Prime membership)

Release Date: October 6, 2026

 

The Adequates have joined forces with the Goths! This unlikely pairing sets them on a quest to develop their powers while investigating a possible Demon possession!

 

 

Now, let's take a look inside:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks to Comixology and Superfan Promotions for sharing this preview with us.

 

For how the Goobers received their superpowers, see The Adequates #3 Review.

For how the Goobers' superpowers manifested, see my review of The Adequates #2. 

For how the series started, see my preview of The Adequates #1. 

 

To read or purchase, see The Adequates #4 at Amazon. 

 

Zero Instance #3 Preview

 

Rhys Allen had job offers. Instead, he bet his future on the streaming income from playing games online. After defeating Braxir Hex the first time, Chris ensured that when Rhys and their team stormed Blood Moon Castle again, a large audience would be watching. Their second attempt to triumph in a supposedly unwinnable game was supposed to change everything for Rhys and his friends. And it did, but not in the way they hoped.

Now, Braxir Hex inhabits their world. His spirit roves from one Human host to another, leaving a trail of destruction behind him. Can Rhys survive an encounter with the sorcerer in non-virtual reality? And can Spencer, the man who used experimental artificial intelligence to boost Braxir's performance, get his character back into his game?

Here's all the info from Comixology:

 

Zero Instance #3 Preview 

Writers: Frank Barbiere and Stephen Rhodes

Artist: Eoin Marron

Colorist: Lauren Affe, 

Letterer: Taylor Esposito

Cover Artist: Vic Malhotra

Publisher: Comixology

Kindle Price: $2.99 US

Amazon Prime Members: Free to read

Release Date: September 29, 2026

 

Braxir—the escaped game boss—learns to manipulate humans like NPCs, exploiting phones, drones, and intelligent systems to bend reality to his will. Rhys and Ellie begin to suspect the truth: their friend may be trapped inside the game. The clock is ticking, and the lines between simulation and reality are starting to blur. 

 

 

Now, let's take a look inside:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks to Comixology and Superfan Promotions for sharing this preview with us.

 

For Rhys and Chris' lifelong friendship, see Zero Instance #2 Preview. 

For how robots have invaded Human society, see Zero Instance #1 Review. 

To purchase or read for free, see Zero Instance #3 at Amazon. 

 

Quiet GN Review

 

Quiet GN Review

Writer: Kim-Joy

Artist: Alti Firmansyah

Letterer: Sara Linsley

Editor: Allison O’Toole

Graphic Designer: Cindy Leong

Publisher: Comixology

Kindle Price: $6.99 US

Release Date: September 22, 2026

 

Mary Odette Casper likes Ms Emuka. She seems to care about her. And while she has sparkle and personality, she doesn’t overwhelm Mary. Still, some of her fellow students make Mary uncomfortable. So, as her math teacher explains how to solve the day’s problem, Mary keeps an eye on the clock. Why does Mary struggle at school? And can anyone make her school days easier? Let’s leap into Quiet and see!

 

Story

Mary dislikes all the noise of public places. She cringes when people talk excessively. Multiple voices fill the air with a sonic storm. But worse is when people pay attention to her. Mary tries to turn away from her classmates. She seeks to escape people who annoy her. But Toby, Shivan, and Jessie sense weakness. So, when they see Mary, they attempt to make her miserable.

 

Mary lives in Manchester, United Kingdom, 34 years from now, in Quiet. As Mary navigates her difficult school days, plagued by noise and bullied by classmates, Ms Emuka notices her distress. Her mother thinks Mary is shy. But her math teacher believes there is more to it than that. So, as she keeps an eye on her troubled student, Ms Emuka suggests a way to help Mary adjust to the world around her.

 

As Kim-Joy's graphic novel focuses on Mary's anxieties and what brings her peace, Ms Emuka gives her silent student a friend. A prototype robot, or Serenibot, looks for ways to help Mary be more social. At first, Mary finds the robot’s intended helpfulness annoying. But then she realizes that the robot, not governed by a sense of morality, can make her life easier in Quiet.

 

Art

Large circular glasses hint at the big personality hiding behind Mary’s demure features. While she wears her school uniform and braids her hair, Mary watches as Ms Emuka teaches using holograms instead of a whiteboard. Mary also enjoys generating holograms on her personal computer. But when she tries to resolve her problems, Mary pens a letter on ruled paper.

 

Alti Firmansyah enhances today’s recognizable world with futuristic technology, such as Mary’s sleek, hovering Serenibot. While Mrs Redfern, the school’s head teacher, and Mr Bell, the baking instructor, have conventional appearances, Ms Emuka showcases youthful energy and diversity. Yet as Mary gets to know her, she realizes that her math teacher also reveres technological marvels of past eras.

 

While Alti Firmansyah shades her Black-and-White art with gray, color occasionally creeps into Quiet. Mary’s features turn green as she compares herself to her contemporaries. Her robot also produces a rainbow of colors to protect Mary and signify that no member of society should be singled out for their differences.

 

Sara Linsley places uppercase letters in white balloons. Dotted balloon borders accompany lowered voices. Sounds like a sigh, or the conversations filling a room appear in panel backgrounds. “Sid,” Mary’s Serenibot companion, asks questions using white letters in black fields or black letters in rectangular balloons. Yet sound effects highlight Mary’s discomfort with a world that demands she speak, when she’d much prefer to be Quiet. Thanks to Comixology and Superfan Promotions for providing a review copy.

 

Final Thoughts

Mary has a good heart. She wants to take part in the world around her. Still, the noise and the bustle of society push her away. So, when a robot designed to help her integrate into society attempts to alleviate her discomfort, Mary struggles with the sense of empowerment it gives her in Quiet.

 

Rating 9.5/10

 

To look inside see Quiet GN Preview. 

For more from Kim-Joy and Alti Firmansyah, see Turtle Bread Review.

Quiet GN Preview

 

 

Mary Odette Casper likes Ms Emuka. The woman seems to care about her. And while she has sparkle and personality, Ms Emuka doesn’t overwhelm Mary. Still, some of her fellow students make Mary uncomfortable. So, as her math teacher explains how to solve the day’s problem, Mary keeps an eye on the clock. Why does Mary struggle at school? And can anyone make her school days easier? 

 

Here's all the info from Comixology:

 

 

Quiet GN Preview

Writer: Kim-Joy

Artist: Alti Firmansyah

Letterer: Sara Linsley

Editor: Allison O’Toole

Graphic Designer: Cindy Leong

Publisher: Comixology

Issue Description: 132 Pages, Black & White 

Kindle Price: $6.99 US

Release Date: September 22, 2026

 

 

Celebrity baker, cookbook author, mental health advocate, and Great British Bake Off star Kim, and fan—favorite artist Alti, the team behind the acclaimed graphic novel Turtle Bread, reunite with Quiet, a thought—provoking story that explores social anxiety, selective mutism, and bullying — set in a near—future where schools use robot companions to support students’ mental health.

Mary hasn’t spoken a word at school in years due to selective mutism. She’s isolated, misunderstood, and targeted by relentless bullies. When she’s assigned a SereniBot — a mental health support robot — she’s mortified. The last thing she wants is more attention. But Mary soon discovers the robot can do more than just help her cope, it can help her fight back. What starts as clever pranks on her bullies turns into a series of misadventures that spiral out of control. As the line between standing up for herself and becoming a bully starts to blur, Mary begins to ask a difficult question: in trying to take back control, has she become the very thing she feared? As Mary questions her choices, Quiet becomes a deeper story about power, empathy, and what it really means to be heard.

Combining emotional insight with a hint of sci-fi, Quiet, featuring spot color by Firmansyah, speaks to anyone who’s ever felt voiceless, misunderstood, or underestimated. It’s a reminder that courage doesn’t always roar — and sometimes, the quietest voices carry the most important truths. 

 

 

Now, let's take a look inside:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks to Comixology and Superfan Promotions for sharing this preview with us.

Turtle Bread Review

 

Turtle Bread Review

Writer: Kim-Joy

Artist: Alti Firmansyah

Letterer: Joamette Gil

Cover Artists: Alti Firmansyah & Yenny Laud

Publisher: Comixology

Paperback Price: $19.99 US

Kindle Price: $6.99 US

Amazon Prime Members: Free to read

Release Date: May 2, 2023

 

No matter how hard she tries, Yan can't get a job. As the rejections multiply, her mother piles on the pressure. A therapist tries to help Yan navigate her problems. Still, Yan struggles during interviews. She doesn't understand why others overcome their challenges while she cannot.

 

Then one afternoon, after her 26^th interview, Yan notices an advertisement. She can return home in disappointment. Or she can visit a place that promises applicants, “All abilities welcome.” Will Yan try her hand at something new? And can her new venture help her feel more comfortable in her own skin? Let’s leap into Turtle Bread and see!

 

Story

When Yan visits the Baking Club, the leader welcomes her inside. Beatrice invites Yan to join the other young people who enjoy working together. "Bea" introduces her to Amit, a former prison worker who jokes and laughs. Zara is a young woman struggling to master her baking while studying for a PhD. Yan also meets Geraint, a young man who seemed so confident and happy when she passed him on the street. Yet here, he keeps to himself.

 

Turtle Bread follows Yan’s inner journey as she struggles to overcome her insecurities. She knows it would be easier to slip on her headphones when she ventures outside or stay inside her room with her cat. Yet Bea's Baking Club helps her face the world on her terms. As the participants work together to craft tasty breads and cakes, Yan gains confidence in her abilities. Yet learning to be comfortable around other people remains an ongoing challenge.

 

In Kim-Joy's story, Yan has her ups and downs. Sometimes she slips up. At other times, she feels like she has lost everything she has gained. Through it all, Bea's warm welcome and encouragement help Yan find the strength to pick herself up and carry on.

 

Yan tends to think of Bea as a pillar of strength. Yet, she gradually realizes that Bea has her struggles. The older woman has endured life’s ups and downs. Yet, like the fondant turtle she gives Yan at the first class, Bea advises her young student that struggling can be a superpower. As Yan takes Bea’s counsel to heart, she keeps reminding herself that slow, steady progress is always better than hiding in her shell in Turtle Bread.

 

Art

After opening with an overhead view of Leeds, UK, Alti Firmansyah focuses on the people walking past glass doors along a street. Inside the building, a young man nervously bids Yan goodbye. As she joins the throng on the sidewalk, her hair obscures her features as Yan puts on her headphones and walks home.

 

When she sees an advertisement, Yan pictures herself surrounded by happy people. As Bea opens the front door, circles, stars, and hearts surround the smiling woman. While packing pages with black-and-white art, foreground characters may be a single shade of gray. Yet most panels feature a variety of shades that communicate the group's diversity, energy, and personalities.

 

Joamette Gil fills dialogue balloons with black uppercase letters. Yan's thoughts inhabit framed narrative boxes. Vehicles on the street shake Yan from her reflections, while shivering reminds her of her therapist's suggestions. Despite how the glass doors slammed behind Yan, Amit's laughter fills the air, suggesting how he keeps problems at a distance. And while filling out a worksheet gives way to doodling, writing the thing she most wants to do makes Yan smile in Turtle Bread.

 

Extras

As Bea and her class make their projects, a panel shows all the ingredients. Uppercase letters in narrative boxes convey preparation and baking instructions, while characters also speak directions using dialogue balloons. A final recipe brings the book to a sweet finish. Thanks to Comixology and Superfan Promotions for providing a review copy.

 

Now, let's take a look inside:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Final Thoughts

Yan's mother wants the best for her. But she equates success in life with status and income. While her mother's admonitions make Yan feel less secure, a woman who urges her to be vulnerable helps her feel more secure. Still, finding a role model doesn't mean Yan can readily rise above every challenge facing her in Turtle Bread.

 

Rating 9.4/10

To read or purchase, see Turtle Bread on Amazon.

Battle in the Flower Gardens Review

 

Battle in the Flower Gardens Review

Writer, Artist & Colorist: Eduardo Medeiros

Letterer: Deyvison Manes

Editor: Greg Lockard

Publisher: Comixology

Original Graphic Novel Length: 118 Pages

Kindle Price: $6.99

Amazon Prime Members: Read for Free

Release Date: August 25, 2026

 

As Luke travels toward the family beach apartment, silence reigns in the car. The miles pass by as he reads his movie magazine. His father stares at the road, and his mother snoozes. They make the same drive every summer. This holiday should be no different than the others.

 

Yet as his summer holiday nears, Luke feels on the cusp of shrugging off his normal self and becoming someone new. How will Luke enjoy reconnecting with his longtime friend? And how will the holiday change his life? Let’s grab our beach gear, leap into Battle in the Flower Gardens, and see!

 

Story

As Luke sits in the back seat, the silence seems both comfortable and uncomfortable. He senses that his parents don’t talk because they have nothing to say. Luke’s thoughts drift to Mitchell and how they reunite every summer. Their fathers had once been best friends. Yet, they lost touch until they reconnected at the beach. The men occasionally call each other during the year. But like Luke and Mitchell, their fathers enjoy their summer vacations together.

 

Yet in Battle in the Flower Gardens, this summer proves different. Mitchell’s condo remains empty. Luke looked forward to seeing his friend. Yet, he’s also relieved that Mitchell has not arrived. Luke watches other boys his age hanging out and wishes he could join them. But Luke’s introspective nature makes it difficult for him to form friendships.

 

In Eduardo Medeiros’ story, Luke’s abilities unexpectedly grant him a chance to be different. He leaps at the opportunity to explore life from a different perspective. Yet, as in all aspects of life, the good comes with the bad. Luke discovers what it means to be popular and makes an unexpected friend. But just as an incident mars his perfect holiday, Luke’s experiences in Battle in the Flower Gardens will change his life forever.  

 

Art

Instead of growing long and straight, Luke’s hair frizzes and curls at the neckline. He reads his comics and magazines with large rectangular glasses. Then, Luke stares out at the world through windows. His mother is slender and delicate, while a tuft of hair adorns his meaty father's bald pate. Their tall sedan races along on diagonal oval wheels, leaving a cloud of exhaust in its wake.

 

An arch over the street welcomes Luke and his family to Capão Novo. Condominium complexes fill the beach town with tall straight lines, while minimal landscaping softens the functional architecture. Eduardo Medeiros adorns his cartoony art with grays on white lined paper. In pale green and beige panels, other kids seem happy, while Luke is content in Battle in the Flower Gardens.

 

Pictures from Luke’s magazines intersperse the panels and notebook pages, providing a sense of the recreation opportunities available. Yet despite glimpses of grassy fields, the children who drift from one activity to another amid the blocks of buildings are reduced to naming the local arcade the Flower Gardens.

 

Deyvison Manes fills panels with the occasional dialogue balloon. But Eduardo’s (or Luke’s) voice whisks the story along, with black uppercase letters on white ruled paper, or perforated narrative boxes in panels. Thanks to Comixology and Superfan Promotions for providing a review copy.

 

Final Thoughts

In Eduardo Medeiros’ heartfelt coming-of-age memoir, Luke never expects that a summer will change him. Yet just as his experiences affect him, so do the people who come and go in Luke’s life. This summer will be the last one in many ways for Luke. And it will mark the author in a way that, years later, will result in Battle in the Flower Gardens.

 

Rating 8/10

 

For more, see Battle in the Flower Gardens Preview. 

Zero Instance #2 Preview

 

Artificial Intelligence just keeps getting better and better. Rhys may not like the Interview Bot at his uncle's work. Still, his parents have a robot assistant in their home. And Spencer Reed, the Lead Encounter Designer at Horizon Games, has coded an Evolving Boss AI for Braxir Hex, the lord of Blood Moon Tower. He sold the update as being unwinnable. That only adds to the allure. 

Rhys beat the game once. He believes he can do so again. But when Rhys and his fellowship return to Blood Moon Tower, they discover that Braxir Hex has learned from their previous encounter. And instead of sacrificing his life so viewers will like and subscribe to Rhys' livestream, Braxir Hex is setting his sights on brighter horizons. What has Braxir done to Rhys' friend Chris? And what has Spencer Reed unleashed on the world?

Here's all the info from Horizon Games and Comixology: 

 

Zero Instance #2 Preview

Writers: Frank Barbiere & Stephen Rhodes

Artist: Vic Malhotra

Colorist: Lauren Affe 

Letterer: Taylor Esposito

Cover Artist: Vic Malhotra

Publisher: Comixology

Price: $2.99 US

Amazon Prime Members: Free to read

Release Date: August 18, 2026 

 

 

Chris is missing. Rhys tries to keep it together, but something is off. Spencer, the game’s reclusive designer, is tracking a code anomaly he believes escaped the server. Meanwhile, something wearing Chris’s skin is exploring the rules of reality and discovering just how fragile our world is. 

 

 

Now, let's take a look inside:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks to Comixology and Superfan Promotions for sharing this preview with us.

For what happened last time, see Zero Instance #1 Review. 

To purchase or read for free, see Zero Instance #2 at Amazon. 

The Adequates #3 Review

 

The Adequates #3 Review

Writers: Lee Loughridge & Marz Jr

Artist: Marz Jr

Publisher: Comixology

Kindle Price: $2.99 (free to read with a Prime membership)

Release Date: August 11, 2026

 

Grey suffers from a stuttering affliction. It's gotten so bad that Carly has him shaking in his shoes every time he makes a presentation. Still, Grey tried his best to deliver his oral report at Bonaventure Cemetery. His retelling of the South's greatest superheroes battling a monster in the swamp had everyone riveted until an earthquake dropped him and his friends into a sinkhole.

 

Since then, things haven’t been the same. Each of his friends has developed new abilities. Grey may still stutter. Yet Grey can see events before they happen. Will his new precognitive abilities help him and his friends survive whatever Carly and the Jocks throw at them? And will the Goobers become the South’s next great superhero team? Let’s leap into The Adequates #3 and see!

 

Story

Carly and the Jocks may dislike how their Dodgeball game with the Goths ended. But they are outraged by the Goobers’ actions and intend to teach them a lesson. While Grey’s clairvoyance helps them escape, the Goobers owe their lives to the Goths. After offering them a timely ride in their van, the Goths explain that they may be responsible for the Goobers’ new abilities.

 

After showcasing their solidarity in the gym, the Goths reveal what they care about in The Adequates #3. The South's greatest superheroes may have sacrificed themselves a century ago to vanquish a monster. Yet Siouxsie, Eva, Patricia, and Glenn have their own fallen hero. And when they found a magic book, the Goths hoped to give him a second chance at life.

 

As Lee Loughridge and Marz Jr relate an event that preceded the field trip to Bonaventure Cemetery, the Goths also finish the story that Grey began before an earthquake interrupted his oral report. Their retelling addresses Grey’s nightmares about the monster the superheroes battled, and Void’s actions after Bayou and Moss fell.

 

While explaining how the Goobers' superpowers developed, the Goths fear that their actions may have loosed the monster into their world. The Goths and the Goobers must overcome difficulties to investigate this possibility. Yet before they discover if their superpowers are for good or ill, the Goobers must learn to use their new abilities to discover the dangers threatening their world in The Adequates #3.

 

Art

As Patricia drives the van down residential streets, Siouxsie explains the Goths' fears. The Goths sit on one side of the van, while the Goobers sit facing them. But while the Goths adopt a similar posture, Pam raises a hand when speaking, Grey sits cross-legged, and Randy pulls his knees to his chest. Two panels in the middle of the page portray a clash between Pam and Siouxsie. Then, an overhead shot shows the van passing beneath the wrought-iron arch of Bonaventure Cemetery.

 

Marz Jr adorns his art with a series of limited palettes. A hint of the greenery outside tints the gray van interior. A ceremony involving a pink book transpires on a blue evening. The book cover links with Pam's hair and Void's historic battle. Like the neighborhoods they passed through, greens and browns welcome the High Schoolers back to the cemetery. Yet, as on the night the Goths left the cemetery, the day the Goobers fell into the pit, and when they battled the Jocks in the gym, yellow-green light signals extraordinary abilities in The Adequates #3.

 

Off-screen dialogue appears in colored boxes while grounding the reader in time and location. The dark lowercase dialogue becomes uppercase for intonation, and swells for raised voices. Sound effects accompany a raging storm, an angry monster, and a researcher investigating supernatural phenomena. Thanks to Comixology and Superfan Promotions for providing a review copy.

 

Final Thoughts

While similar interests bind the Goths, Jocks, and Elite, the Goobers hang out together for mutual protection. Yet with everything in flux, one Goober grabs the spotlight, while another decides to determine their own destiny in The Adequates #3.

 

Rating 9.4/10

 

To look inside see The Adequates #3 Preview. 

 

For what happened last time see my review of The Adequates #2. 

For how the series started, see my preview of The Adequates #1. 

Amazon Prime Members: read The Adequates #3 for free.