MAD About DC #1 Review

 

MAD About DC #1 Review

Writers: Sergio Aragonés, Scott Aukerman, Vita Ayala, Colleen Coover, Kelly Sue Deconnick, Colleen Doran, Gerry Duggin, Ben Errett, Al Ewing, Matt Fraction, Lee Gatlin, Casey Gilly, Isaac Goodhart, Erica Henderson, Tini Howard, Dave Johnson, Joe Kelly, Daniel Kibblesmith, Kagan McLeod, Seth Meyers, Ryan North, Jeff Parker, Graham Roumieu, Rainbow Rowell, Mark Russell, Gail Simone, Scott Snyder, Charles Soule, Joanne Starer, Joseph Starkey, Kyle Starks, Mariko Tamaki, Tom Taylor, Mark Waid, Andrew Wheeler, Shannon Wheeler, Leah Williams, Joshua Williamson, Skottie Young, Chip Zdarsky, Cody Ziglar & Jim Zub

 

Artists: Sergio Aragonés, J Bone, Ted Brandt, Ryan Browne, Stephen Byrne, Colleen Coover, Colleen Doran, Javi Fernandez, Lee Gatlin, Mitch Gerads, Isaac Goodhart, James Harren, Erica Henderson, PJ Holden, Dave Johnson, Lukas Ketner, Valentine De Landro, Steve Leiber, Mattie Lubchansky, Kagan McLeod, Tony Moore, Daniele Di Nicuolo, Ramon Perez, Joe Quinones, Bruno Redondo, Riley Rossmo, Graham Roumieu, Maria Laura Sanapo, Joseph Starkey, Kyle Starks, Ro Stein, Ty Templeton, Shannon Wheeler, Skottie Young & Chip Zdarsky

 

Colorist: John Kalisz, Chip Zdarsky, Frank Martin, Inaki Azpiazu, Marcial Todelano Vargas & Steve Buccellato

Letterer: Dave Sharpe, Pat Brosseau, Lucas Gattoni, Tom Mapolitano

Cover Artists: Dan Panosian, Simon Bisley & Chip Zdarsky

Editors: Chip Zdarsky, Marie Javins & Dacy Lim

Production: Tiffany Huang

Publisher: DC Comics

Price: $7.99/$8.99 Card Stock/$10.99 Foil

Release Date: April 1, 2026

 

Everyone is mad these days. They fume that Batman didn't become King Omega. They rage at how Vandal Savage is running the Gotham City Police Department. Althea Klang’s upscaling of Harley Quinn's beloved Throatcutter Hill into Northwest Gotham Southeast infuriates them. But how do comic creators feel about MAD Magazine? And what makes them absolutely, Red Kyptonite-Mad enough to contribute their spectacular stories to this cornerstone of the comics community? Let’s leap into MAD About DC #1 and see!

 

Story

The types of stories that speak to us change over time. In The Many Eras of Batman, Matt Fraction charts how the world’s greatest detective has navigated wars, the space race, and shifts in popular media to remain relevant. Gail Simone’s Teen Titans PSA reminds us how social mores evolve, while Joanne Starer's Wonder Woman muses on the rise of a female hero in a male-dominated profession. While Joseph Starkey’s DC Mail-Order Merch evokes the era of toy ads in comics, Scott Aukerman muses on Batman’s origins in What If Bruce Wayne Was a Big Ol’ Scaredy Cat?

 

Still, as the stories evolve, some work better than others. In MAD About DC #1, Mark Waid muses on why some team-ups don’t work, Kyle Starks imagines why many characters never make it past the concept stage, and Joshua Williamson makes a compelling argument for why we need crossover events. Jeff Parker contemplates why fans respond better to some events than others in DCU Plans for Next Year, Andrew Wheeler reminds us why our favorite characters die, and Skottie Young explores the importance of capitalizing on surges in popularity.

 

The stories in Mad About DC #1 celebrate our eternal love for Gotham’s caped crusader. While Dave Johnson ponders how Batman maintains his Batcave, Scott Snyder muses on his need for sidekicks. In Happy Birthday, Mr Wayne, Mariko Tamaki reminds us how difficult it can be to buy gifts for the single-minded crimefighter who has everything.

 

Writers often compare Batman’s seeming invincibility with his traumatic past. Yet Gerry Duggin ponders the toll of singlehandedly protecting an entire world. Graham Roumieu’s Superman Dies a Bit on the Inside points out that Superman has weaknesses. Despite Superman's strength, Chip Zdarsky expands on those weaknesses in Know Your Kryptonite. After Lee Gatlin highlights the dangers of coexisting with a god, Colleen Coover's story about Lana Lang and Ben Errett's Daily Planet reminds us how a god on Earth would transform society.

 

Art

Along with many of their fellow artists, Mattie Lubchansky and Kagan McLeod use traditional page layouts in The Five People You Meet at Comic Cons and A MAD Look at Fan Casting. Sergio Aragonés reminds us that there’s no one quite like Sergio Aragonés as he spins six stories about differing views on comics across two pages in Mad About DC #1. Valentine De Landro utilizes comic protectors to portray the diversity of the comic community in SLAB. Isaac Goodhart's Power Girl Action Figure Ad reminds us how much we love action figures, while Chip Zdarsky's uses a diagram to remind us of the trials of the convention season.

 

Chip Zdarsky also harnesses the power of diagrams to remind us how comic stories move us in The Official MAD Look At Comic Book (Brain) Anatomy! In The Sensational Splash-Man, Daniele Di Nicuolo targets the role of splash pages in comics. Maria Laura Sanapo uses an ad format to remind us of the toll creating comics takes on creators in Neuman Owns Auctions. Erica Henderson uses a split-face design to compare supervillains with their alias. In Lasso of Truth, Wonder Woman's signature weapon reveals that she shares similar concerns with her Justice League colleagues. Yet Steve Leiber utilizes white space to remind us of the importance of snappy dialogue in crafting entertaining tales.

 

While John Kalisz, Chip Zdarsky, Frank Martin, Inaki Azpiazu, Marcial Todelano Vargas, and Steve Buccellato enhance the artists’ efforts with their coloring skills, Dave Sharpe, Pat Brosseau, Lucas Gattoni, and Tom Napolitano utilize a diverse mix of fonts, balloons, and sound effects to show how the comics medium changes through the ages. As a sign of those changing times, Chip Zdarsky shows how social media can lead to condemnation in Solomon Grundy: Influencer. Then, J Bone uses cellphone images to remind us of the importance of crowdfunding in Like & Schlubscribe. Thanks to DC Comics for sharing this story with us.

 

Final Thoughts

MAD About DC #1 satisfies with traditional MAD fare like The Petty Vengeance of the Spectre, a MAD Fold-In, and Guy vs Spy. Then there is a knock-out game that could provoke an interesting discussion between Bruce Wayne, Clark Kent, Lois Lane, and Diana of Themyscira. But wait: that's not all! While celebrating iconic heroes, characters like Condiment King make their presence felt. Sketches, cartoons, and diagrams reveal how we craft stories, why interest in characters rises and falls, and how the comic community gets along. And just in case Superman never gets around to cleaning up the environment, the creators gently remind us to take responsibility for our planet's future health.

 

Rating 9.6/10

 

To look inside see my preview of Mad About DC #1. 

 

MAD About DC #1 Preview

 

 

Everyone is mad these days. They get upset that Batman didn't become King Omega. They're angry at how Vandal Savage is running the Gotham City Police Department. Althea Klang is really getting their dander up by upscaling Harley Quinn's beloved Throatcutter Hill into Northwest Gotham Southeast. But how do comic creators feel about MAD Magazine? And what makes them absolutely, Red Kyptonite-Mad enough to contribute their spectacular stories to this cornerstone of the "crazy" comics community?

Here's all the info from DC Connect:

 

MAD About DC #1 Preview

Writers & Artists: The Usual Gang of Comic Book Creators who Needed the Extra Money

Cover Artist: Dan “Mad about Gluten Labeling because it should actually be clearer or else What’s The Point” Panosian

Variant Cover Artists: Simon Bisley & Chip Zdarsky

Foil Variant Cover Artist: Dan Panosian

Publisher: DC Comics

Issue Length: 64 Pages

Price: $7.99/$8.99 Card Stock/$10.99 Foil

Release Date: April 1, 2026

 

Look, it’s no Fartacular but then again what is?

 

Chip Zdarsky is a funny guy. Remember when he made that whole April Fools’ gag comic with rub’ n’ smell farts? Oh, wait, that was me, DC Comics E-I-C Marie Javins. Chip was the one saying, “I’d turn back if I were you,” but he couldn’t stop me. Editors are a self-destructive lot. Which is why this year, I said, “I give up, you do it, Chip, you are so much funnier and prettier and also better with cats than I am.” And look, he went and did it. Chip demoted himself to “editor.” Chip is turning the DC Universe on its ear and bringing you savage mockery of all we hold dear, and he is assisted in this brutal task by Matt Fraction, Gail Simone, Skottie Young, and many, many more. Next year? Back to farts.

 

Includes MAD favorite Sergio Aragonés with “A MAD Look at Comic Book Stores,” “Guy vs. Spy” by Jim Zub and Ramon Perez, and a DC Fold-In by Charles Soule and Ryan Browne. Plus a slew of MAD-style parodies of all DC Comics you hold dear, and some you’ve always hated anyway. MAD About DC #1 will fulfill your every comic book dream, or at least three or four of them.

 

Now, let's take a look inside:

 

 

 

 

Thanks to DC Comics for sharing this preview with us. 

Vicarious TP Review

 

Writer: Ryan Parrott

Artist: Eleonora Carlini

Colorists: Mattia Iacono & Luca Mattioni

Letterer: Becca Carey

Cover Artist: Dan Panosian

Publisher: Boom! Studios

Price: $19.99

Release Date: August 26, 2025

 

Justin Bright is trying to make it in high-priced San Francisco. While he’s behind on his rent, he keeps looking for a job. He has a taste for the high life, so Justin spends nights in clubs, looking for abandoned drinks to nurse. When he sees two ruffians roughing up a man as he returns home one night, Justin identifies with the victim. Will leaping to the man’s assistance change his life? Or will Justinn become another victim of the growing Proxy Hater movement? Let’s link into Vicarious TP and see!

 

Story

Everything is new to Justin, now that he’s living on his own. To his surprise, Justin proves a capable fighter and deters the aggressors. Their victim, Christian Gold, refuses to go to the hospital. Instead, he asks Justin to drive him home. After zooming down the highway in Christian’s sports car and exploring his luxury home, Justin wants to know how the man made it big. Because Justin did him a solid, Christian gives him a name. Justin can follow in his footsteps, but the journey will demand everything he has and isn’t without risk.

 

In Vicarious TP, Justin undergoes an operation to become a proxy. By linking with his implant, people all over the world can see, hear, feel, smell, and taste everything Justin does. Linking offers many benefits, such as enjoying food you love but shouldn’t. You can attend exclusive parties or enjoy a long-distance relationship through your proxy. If you hunger for the high life, the best proxies have agents. And like Christian Gold, they don’t come cheap.

 

Ryan Parrott’s story follows Justin through the thrills and dangers of becoming a proxy. As with many emerging professions, opponents have strong reasons why linking with a proxy is harmful to the individual and society. Vicarious TP explores the gray areas of the law, where technology or substances may be legal for one purpose but illegal for another. And then there are the dangers accompanying any technological device implanted in the Human body, particularly when they control brain functions.

 

Art

Eleonora Carlini draws this world of pleasure and pain with straight lines and sharp angles. Justin cuts through the competition with a star on his cheek, golden rod earrings, and a wide smile. Like the man who gave him his start, Justin’s long hair forms rough waves as it frames his face and bounces along his neck. Biometric tattoos give Justin a singular appearance when he disrobes.

 

Mattia Iacono and Luca Mattioni contribute a vibrant palette that heightens the energy pulsing through near-future San Francisco. Justin’s tattoos shine and glow like the neon lights that brighten the skyline in Vicarious TP. Sylvia Synn’s gold tiger stripes link her with her star proxy, while Christian’s blond hair connects him with the movement’s chief opponent. And then there are the red clothes that Sylvia and Christian wear to Justin’s first proxy party. They evoke the blood that covered Christian when the “Sunday School Frat Boys” laid into him.

 

Becca Carey fills white balloons and colored narrative boxes with black uppercase letters. The letters grow bold for intonation and occasionally enlarge or shrink. Sound effects enhance small but significant events, whether Justin is meeting a client or disposing of his unwanted past. But most often, spikes protrude from proliferating balloons as clients dig what Justin is doing and urge him to take it to the next level. Thanks to Boom! Studios for providing a review copy.

 

Final Thoughts

In Vicarious TP, Justin Bright’s desire to be his own man means becoming other people. As he swims in a sea of predators, Justin proves he can dish out what he takes. Ironically, in this story about identity, Justin may be bright. But who is Justin?

 

Rating 9.6/10

 

For more cover art see my review at Comic Book Dispatch. 

 

Spider-Man & Wolverine #3 Review

 

Writer: Marc Guggenheim

Artist: Kaare Andrews

Colorist: Brian Reber

Letterer: Travis Lanham

Cover Artists: Kaare Andrews, Stephanie Hans, Niko Henrichon & Dan Panosian

Design: Adam Del Re

Editors: Cy Pedro Beltran, Mark Basso, Tom Brevoort, Nick Lowe & C B Cebulski

Publisher: Marvel

Price: $3.99

Release Date: July 30, 2025

 

Shay Marken thinks Peter Parker’s life is a dumpster fire because he lost his parents. But when Logan drafts him for a mission, Peter discovers why Richard and Mary Parker abandoned him. The circumstances surrounding his discovery of the classified video seem fishy. But that can’t diminish Peter’s heartbreak as he watches Wolverine kill his parents.

 

Logan cannot assure Peter that the video is fake. People and trauma have messed with Wolverine's memory. Perhaps like the Winter Soldier, Logan had little choice in sabotaging Richard and Mary Parker's airplane. Can Peter ever work with Logan again to protect the world from villains? Or will Spider-Man and Wolverine forever be at each other’s throats? Let’s leap into Spider-Man & Wolverine #3 and see!

 

Story

When Peter awakens in the jungle, he wears a black and white suit. He remembers Wolverine impaling him, but feels bandages covering his claw marks. While each movement brings pain, Peter yearns to rest and collect his thoughts. Then a Tyrannosaurus Rex enters the clearing and sees Peter as his black plate special.

 

Wolverine takes Peter off the menu in Spider-Man & Wolverine #3. But Peter doesn't know whether to thank Wolverine or attack him. Still, enemies often form alliances when facing a mutual threat. So, Peter and Logan agree to set aside their differences to survive in the Savage Land.

 

Wolverine knows that whoever captured and reclothed them and bandaged Peter's wounds wants to torture them. Pitting friends against each other hurts both men emotionally. Peter recognizes the truth behind Logan's words. But that doesn't clear him of his parents' deaths.

 

Marc Guggenheim paints Wolverine as a haunted man. So many people have abused his trust. Peter has also endured countless heartbreaks. Yet while Logan keeps others at arm’s length, Peter continually seeks closeness, even if he cannot meet his friends’ needs. Logan cannot remember if he killed Peter’s parents. But in Spider-Man & Wolverine #3, Logan remembers enough of his recent past to prepare them for the demands of the present. 

 

 

 

Art

In this story, where seeing may (or may not) be believing, Kaare Andrews begins with Spider-Man’s eyes opening. Yet eyes also become casualties for beasts and men. Despite Spider-Man’s distrust, Logan repeatedly offers him his hand. A flurry of arrows reminds us of Spider-Man’s hunter, while a flashing sword symbolizes Wolverine's past. An adversary in the tall grass evokes Logan as a sniper in the first issue. Weighed down by memories, emotions, and fatigue, Spider-Man deflates like a balloon in Spider-Man & Wolverine #3. But then, learning that a friend might have killed your parents can be gutting.

 

Brian Reber fills a smoky gray sky with a yellow orb. Pteranodon silhouettes fill the sky while dinosaurs graze or stalk their prey. The yellow moonlight threatens to blend the dinosaurs' green hide with the brown tree trunks. Yet it makes Spider-Man's black suit glow blue, and Wolverine's red belt shine. Yellow and orange erupt amid a painful memory. Yet red fills the air when a white sword threatens to cleave our heroes in half.

 

Travis Lanham fills white dialogue balloons and narrative boxes with black, uppercase letters. The words grow bold for intonation, swell for raised voices, and rarely shrink. A clawed yellow box relates Logan's off-panel pronouncement in this fast-paced story filled with dialogue and Spider-Man’s thoughts. Sound effects help us hear metal clang against metal, gunfire, hand-to-hand combat, thwipping, and dinosaurs rushing toward their next meal. Thanks to Marvel Comics for providing a review copy.

 

 

 

Final Thoughts

Questions swirl through Peter’s mind as he struggles to survive in the Savage Land. While people and dinosaurs hunt him, someone pulls the strings. Peter strives to reconcile what he has learned with what he knows. But regardless of Peter's feelings, Wolverine tries to protect the son of his late friends amid the savage action in Spider-Man & Wolverine #3.

 

Rating 9.4/10

 

To look inside see my review at Comic Book Dispatch. 

Conan The Barbarian #22 Review

 

Writer: Jim Zub

Artist: Fernando Dagnino

Colorist: Diego Rodriguez

Letterer: Richard Starkings & Tyler Smith

Editor: Chris Butera

Cover Artists: Dan Panosian, Riccardo Federici, Enid Balam, Valerio Giangiordano & Jason Shawn Alexander

Publisher: Titan Comics

Price: $3.99

Release Date: July 9, 2025

 

The Bamula tribe respects Amra's conquests alongside Bêlit. So when Conan meets them, they accept him as their own. Conan agrees to help them defeat their enemies.

 

Kushites captured Livia's caravan. Before they could barter a ransom from the magician-rulers of Kheshatta, Bajujh’s Balakah tribe killed the Kushites. Conan and the Bamula rescued Livia when they attacked the Balakah camp. But when they travel north to return Livia to her people, Conan and the Bamula fall prey to the people of Daynt. Will the grinning townsfolk kill the Bamula and Livia with kindness? Or can Conan help them escape? Let's grab our swords and battle axes, shout “By Crom,” venture into Conan The Barbarian #22, and find out!

 

Story

In Jim Zub’s story, the townspeople threw Conan, the Bamulas, and Livia in a pit with other prisoners. Their warders kept the prisoners drugged. Conan ate and drank as little as possible to avoid his companions' lethargy. When she arrives, the enchantress Athyr-Bast brings the prisoners to Kheshatta. As in John Milius' movie, Conan enters an arena. This time, he faces Krum-Va the Carver.

 

Conan The Barbarian #22 revolves around Conan’s trials as a gladiator and Athyr-Bast’s hunger for prestige among the magicians of Kheshatta. Like Conan’s master in the 1982 movie, Athyr-Bast realizes Conan is her ticket to success. So, she treats him like a star gladiator. But Conan is still a slave. The Cimmerian fears that he will accept this status and live for the acclaim of the populace.

 

Like the Aquilonian village of Hauler's Roam, Daynt sits along the border between two kingdoms. Athyr-Bast may not transform people into a zombie army. But she can perpetuate a great evil while attracting little notice from outsiders. So, nobody in Kheshatta questions how the enchantress acquires Conan, Livia, and the Bamulas in Conan The Barbarian #22.

 

The Stygian king invited Livia to live in a mansion or palace in Kheshatta. Then, the Balakah killed Theteles. Instead of enjoying the prestige that came from being the sister of a powerful sorcerer, Livia is a slave. And owners can use, punish, sell, or kill slaves at their pleasure.

 

Art

Krum-Va evokes the Nephilim, who walked the Earth before a flood wiped away the spawn of angels and Humans. The champion towers over Conan in his full-face helmet, clutching his rake-like swords. Conan glances at his knife like a dispirited Crocodile Dundee. Athyr-Bast dominates a page of fight scenes, while Fernando Dagnino shows a glimpse of Thulsa Doom among his council. Krum-Va tosses Conan with such force that he breaks apart a stone wall. Then he grabs Conan and treats him like a puny Cimmerian.

 

Diego Rodriguez imbues the jeering crowd with green highlights. Like the snake men Solomon Kane battles in Africa, the spectators gaze down at the golden bowl. Conan and Krum-Va's skin tones harmonize with the surrounding beige, tan, and brown as they return to the dust from which they came. But when Conan gains an advantage, Thulsa Doom and Athyr-Bast lean forward in adjacent panels.

 

Richard Starkings and Tyler Smith conjure uppercase lettering into white dialogue balloons and yellow narrative boxes in Conan The Barbarian #22. Words grow bold for intonation, occasionally enlarge, and never shrink as Conan braves the silhouettes and shadows of his new home. Shouts turn red and threaten to burst balloons as the crowd realizes Amra’s sense of worth, and the announcers decide that he matters. Thanks to Titan for providing a review copy.

 

Final Thoughts

When the beautiful enchantress of Kheshatta makes Conan her champion, the Cimmerian helps her rise among the social elite. But while the crowd greets him each day with howls of lust and fury, Conan cannot protect his friends in Conan The Barbarian #22.

 

Rating 9.6/10

 

To look inside see my preview of Conan The Barbarian #22. 

The Last Boy #3 Review

 

Writer: Dan Panosian

Artist: Alessio Avallone

Colorists: Valentina Pinto, Agnese Pozza & Rik Mack

Letterer: Jeff Eckleberry

Cover Artists: Dan Panosian, Abigail Jill Harding & A L Kaplan

Logo Design: Dan Panosian

Designer: Grace Park

Editors: Caroline Butler & David Mariotte

Publisher: Boom! Studios

Price: $4.99

Release Date: May 28, 2025

 

Peter Pan wants to play, but his friends have all grown up. When Prince Rogers tells him that the Phantom King has attacked the Neverbird Nest, the Lost Boys mumble excuses instead of leaping for joy. Prince Rogers offers to send soldiers to prevent the Phantom King from burning Fairyhome, but Peter flies off in a huff. Can Peter Pan singlehandedly defeat this new menace? And can Wendy Darling finish her book before she marries Clifford? Let’s grab some fairy dust, leap into The Last Boy #3, and see!

 

Story

The Phantom King proves more dangerous than the late Captain Hook. His scythe slices through Peter's chest, frightening him more than he cares to admit. So when Queen Mab, Tinker Bell, and the fairies whisk him away, Peter fumes that they didn’t allow him to finish off the Phantom King.

 

Like Peter, Wendy's father denies that he needs his medicine. He only accepts it from Wendy because she tells him stories. But after his heart attack, her mother grows more determined to secure Wendy’s future. As much as her father enjoys Wendy's stories, seeing his daughter walk down the aisle will make him feel like he accomplished something with his life.

 

Dan Panosian's story weighs the necessity of growing up against forgetting the joys of childhood. Wendy's mother knows the importance of being accepted by society. But Wendy's father prizes her stories. They bring him a joy that acceptance in society never did.

 

Just as Wendy defies her mother to inspire the young, Peter stands ready to protect those in danger. But while Peter wants Neverland to remain the same, its inhabitants and lands are changing. Peter's imagination and zest for life seem insufficient to prevent Neverland from falling into decline in The Last Boy #3.

 

Art

Alessio Avallone transports us to a small neighborhood park. Instead of reading her manuscript to the local children, she roleplays her stories with boats in a pond. While Wendy’s mother adorns herself in an elegant dress, Wendy’s modest attire reflects her mother’s fears that Wendy will become a spinster. But Florence notices her inspiration is in peril. The girl comes to Wendy’s aid in The Last Boy #3.

 

Valentina Pinto, Agnese Pozza & Rik Mack imbue Wendy’s world with brown, beige, and blue waves for the pond. Wendy enhances the family's sepia home with a bouquet of red flowers and green leaves. The red flowers link Wendy with Queen Mab and Tiger Lily, who adorn their heads with pink or red flowers. A white feather with a touch of pink adorns Peter's green hat. But his fern-green clothes cannot compete with the bright colors of Tiger Lily's tribe or Queen Mab's fairies.

 

Jeff Eckleberry conjures uppercase black letters into white dialogue balloons in The Last Boy #3. The words swell, enlarge, and shrink for lowered voices. Sound effects help us hear Tinker Bell's desperate cry for assistance, Florence's decision to save the woman who inspired her to pursue her dreams, and how Wendy surprises the man who could define her future. Thanks to Boom! Studios for providing a copy for review.

 

Final Thoughts

When Wendy and her brothers flew off to Neverland to have adventures, she ended up playing mother to Peter Pan and the Lost Boys. As Wendy and her mother lock horns over the best way to care for others, other ladies attempt to care for Peter and Neverland in The Last Boy #3.

 

Rating 9.6/10

 

To more covers see my review at Comic Book Dispatch. 

Conan The Barbarian #21 Preview

 

COVER A: DAN PANOSIAN - Order codes: 0425TN662 (Lunar) / MAR250265 (Diamond)

 

A Stygian priest stabbed Conan with a cursed blade. Zula helped the Cimmerian overcome the curse The Fangs Of The Serpent corrupting his soul. But is Set done with Conan? Here's all the info on the Cimmeria's ongoing adventure:

 

CONAN THE BARBARIAN #21

(W): Jim Zub

(A): Fernando Dagnino

Publisher: Titan Comics & Heroic Signatures

FC, 32pp, $3.99, On sale: June 11, 2025

 

NEW STORY ARC STARTS HERE! WINNER OF 'BEST NEW COMIC SERIES' - TRIPWIRE 2024 AWARDS!

 

The Great Serpent’s influence twists and turns, pulling Conan into their deadly coils as the Cimmerian and his allies are lured into Stygia…What they find on this journey will make their blood run cold and set the stage for a conflict beyond their wildest imagination!

 

Now, let's take a look inside:

 

 

 

 

 

Here are some more cover options:

 

COVER C: BRANDON KENNY - Order codes: 0425TN664 (Lunar) / MAR250267 (Diamond)

 

COVER E: GONZO - Order codes: 0425TN666 (Lunar) / MAR250269 (Diamond)

COVER B: MARIA WOLF - Order codes: 0425TN663 (Lunar) / MAR250266 (Diamond)

 

COVER D: MINDY LEE - Order codes: 0425TN665 (Lunar) / MAR250268 (Diamond)

Not pictured:

 

COVER F: FOIL DAN PANOSIAN ($13.99) - Order codes: 0425TN667 (Lunar) / MAR250270 (Diamond)

COVER G: FOC DAN PANOSIAN VIRGIN - Order codes: 0425TN805 (Lunar) / FEB258854 (Diamond)

 

Thanks to Titan Comics and Heroic Signatures for sharing this preview with us.

The Last Boy #2 Review

 

Writer: Dan Panosian

Artist: Alessio Avallone

Colorists: Valentina Pinto, Agnese Pozza & Rik Mack

Letterer: Jeff Eckleberry

Cover Artists: Dan Panosian, Elizabeth Torque & Gabriel Rodríguez

Designer: Grace Park

Editors: Caroline Butler, David Mariotte & Matt Gagnon

Publisher: Boom! Studios

Price: $4.99

Release Date: April 23, 2025

 

Wendy Darling is engaged. But she wants to complete her manuscript before she marries. Her mother read bedtime stories to her when Wendy was young. Now, she reads the stories she has written to her father.

 

Peter Pan yearns for excitement. When Tinker Bell suggests that Captain Hook is stealing pelts from the natives, Peter happily investigates. Chief Tiger Lily insists that Captain Hook has given up piracy. Is the Captain a legitimate merchant eyeing retirement? Are Wendy and Peter clinging to their youth instead of embracing change? Let’s grab some fairy dust, leap into The Last Boy #2, and see!

 

Story

In Dan Panosian’s story, Peter refuses to believe Captain Hook’s story. When he forces the old pirate to walk the plank, Tick-Tock swallows Captain Hook. Peter cannot accept that Captain Hook is dead. He must have arranged this ruse to trick him. Still, the Lost Boys can help him track down the crocodile and discover if Captain Cook still lives.

 

In England, Wendy’s father is dying. The only thing that brings light to his eyes is Wendy’s stories. But Mary Darling insists Wendy mustn’t read him any more of her fairy tales. Wendy’s brother John has become a doctor. He advises that any undue excitement could kill their father. Instead of delighting him with stories, Wendy must stop being selfish and let her father see his daughter happily married.

 

In The Last Boy #2, Peter and Wendy's lives are under assault. Their worlds seek to strip away everything that brings them joy. Peter and Wendy must yield to convention or refuse to relinquish their passion.

 

Art

Alessio Avallone portrays Wendy’s grim reality in The Last Boy #2. While her bedridden father smiles at her, her mother and brothers offer frowns. Michael wears a military uniform, while John braves the rain with his overcoat, top hat, and umbrella. Their world is one of beige, brown, gray, and black. Only faint hints of green emerge from the walls, while planters offer pale greenery and muted red flowers.

 

Captain Hook’s pale hand is all that emerges from Tick-Tock’s toothy maw. As the crocodile swims away, his green hide links with Peter's eyes and clothes, while the tip of the white feather in Peter’s cap matches the late Captain's clothes and Mr Smee’s cap. Valentina Pinto, Agnese Pozza & Rik Mack lavish greens on Hangman’s Tree and the surrounding forest. Purple and blue fill the skies of Neverland, while a loaded palette enhances one character’s vibrant home.

 

Jeff Eckleberry conjures uppercase black letters into white dialogue balloons and scraps of beige parchment in The Last Boy #2. The words swell, enlarge, and never shrink. Sound effects reveal that the clock inside Tick-Tock takes a licking but keeps on ticking. As they help us hear a thrum of power and clanging metal, a stranger speaks green words into black cloudy balloons, signaling an oncoming storm that may change Neverland forever. Thanks to Boom! Studios for providing a copy for review.

 

Final Thoughts

Fairy Tales free a dying man from his grim reality. Tales whispered by a fairy shackle a boy to his preconceptions. While Wendy realizes she no longer belongs in her family home, a new menace threatens to destroy everything Peter holds dear in The Last Boy #2.

 

Rating 9.6/10

 

For more cover art see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.