Adventure Time #10 Review

 

Writers: Nick Winn & Elizabeth Brei

Artists: Corinth Boone & Cleonique Hilsaca

Colorist: Heather Breckel

Letterer: Shawn Lee

Cover Artists: Nick Winn, Corinth Boone, Ren Lindroos & Ben Sears

Publisher: Oni Press

Price: $4.99

Release Date: February 18, 2026

 

When Finn and Jake were disembodied spirits, Finn found what he had been searching for. But realizing that he had almost lost his best friend and brought chaos to the land of Ooo prompted Finn to toss the Enchiridion away. After finding their own way to banish the Lich and Golb, Finn and Jake have spent months helping repair the damage they caused.

 

Computer Princess respects Finn’s decision to discard the Enchiridion. But even if Finn no longer believes he needs someone else’s path to success, Computer Princess insists that future heroes might need assistance in finding the best part of themselves. Can Finn and Jake compose a new Hero Handbook while helping Ooo recover? And why did Marceline abandon Bonnie? Let’s leap into Adventure Time #10 and see!

 

Handbook Heroes Part Two: Story

While traveling the land and writing down their thoughts and observations, Finn and Jake meet a hero battling a monster. Despite their efforts to help the land’s inhabitants recover, Canyon surprises Finn by accusing him of stealing her baby's blanket. After assuring her that Robot Finn must have stolen it and promising to secure it for her, Canyon brings Finn and Jake to her home. Then, Finn faints when he meets her husband.

 

Finn’s father inspired him to seek out the Enchiridion by praising Billy’s actions. And in Adventure Time #10, Billy acknowledges that he enjoyed being Ooo’s supreme hero. While introducing his would-be successor to his new life with Canyon and their daughter, Ravine, Billy discusses why he resigned from being a hero. But when they learn where Robot Finn is, Finn and Jake set out to stop him.

 

While Finn tends to think of life in absolute terms, Nick Winn's story discusses how our priorities change as we grow. Finn and Jake’s story dovetails with Marceline's attempt to reconnect with her past. So after reassuring Bonnie of her affection, Marceline recognizes her burden of care.

 

Handbook Heroes Part Two: Art

By the time Finn awakens, Jake and Ravine have become great friends. While Jake proudly heralds Ravine’s artistry, Corinth Boone superimposes the trio over Ravine's contributions to the notebook that Computer Princess gave Finn. Corinth also emphasizes Billy's greater stature than Finn, as the former hero requests his aid and shares crucial moments from his history. Green and blue dominate the crystal cave where the heroes talk, while a waterfall feeds the stream running through Billy, Canyon, and Ravine’s home.

 

While Billy’s red hair and beard link him with a gift to his daughter, Marceline’s giftbox also links to the gems in Ice King’s crown, and an object he doesn’t wish to see. Like Billy’s crystal cave, the interior of the Ice King’s home is also blue. But then, his blue robe links him with Finn’s clothing as the Wiggly Workin’ wanderer seeks to apprehend his pale imitation amid brightly colored surroundings. The colors evoke Simon's previous good acts, before he became the Ice King in Adventure Time #10.

 

Lemonhope Alone Part Two: Story & Art

They say misery loves company, but that’s not necessarily true. In Elizabeth Brei’s tale, a singer seeks catharsis in solitude. Her story is a poignant reminder that when we’re hurting, we may have more to gain from others than by pulling away. Cleonique Hilsaca’s singer is a cherubic performer who demonstrates the power of singing the Blues.

 

Lettering

Shawn Lee places uppercase black letters in white dialogue balloons as Finn meets his idol, and Jake makes a new friend. Marcy speaks white letters into black balloons while Computer Princess employs dark letters in lavender balloons. Framed colored narrative boxes contain off-camera dialogue, while enlarged colorful dialogue highlights elation and desperation. Sound effects fill the air when Ravine tries out her father’s gift, and Robot Finn carries out his mission. Yet nothing seems as heartbreaking as a quiet blip in Adventure Time #10. Thanks to Oni Press and Superfan Promotions for providing a review copy.

 

Final Thoughts

Finn and Jake’s poor decisions awakened evil forces in their land. Yet while the Lich and Golb appear banished, Robot Finn wanders the land seeking adventure. Despite the ire his actions provoke, Adventure Time #10 suggests a method behind Robot Finn’s seemingly random acts of unkindness.

 

Rating 9.6/10

 

For more cover options see my cover preview of Adventure Time #10. 

Adventure Time #9 Review

      

Writers: Nick Winn & Elizabeth Brei

Artists: Austin Baechle & Cleonique Hilsaca

Colorist: Heather Breckel

Letterer: Shawn Lee

Cover Artists: Nick Winn, Austin Baechle, JustaSuta & Nicole Goux

Publisher: Oni Press

Price: $4.99

Release Date: January 21, 2026

 

The Enchiridion may be lost forever. But Finn doesn’t care. His encounter with the Lich has taught him that friendship is more powerful than a hero handbook. After his battle with Golb, Jake agrees. Uniting with your friends is the best way to combat any dangers. Where will Finn and Jake's adventures take them next? And what dangers will threaten the land of Ooo? Let’s leap into Adventure Time #9 and see!

 

Handbook Heroes Part One: Story

Months have passed since Finn and Jake battled Golb and the Lich. Along with Computer Princess, they have spent that time helping the people of Ooo recover from the storm. Computer Princess realizes that people won't let her make innovative replicas of them anymore. But she's determined to keep Finn's new arm up to date.

 

While looking out for Finn, Computer Princess knows that he and Jake are Old School. So she gives Finn a spiral notebook and asks him to record his adventures in Adventure Time #9. This daunting task makes Finn second-guess his decision to discard the Enchiridion. He cannot recreate the lost knowledge written in the ancient tome. But Computer Princess convinces Finn that his efforts are valuable. Recording his adventures and the insights he gains along the way may help future heroes achieve their potential.

 

After launching Finn and Jake on a new journey, Nick Winn gives the two handbook homies plenty to think about. Without the Enchiridion to guide them, Finn and Jake must decide how to structure a book and what to put in it. Ironically, as they contemplate the qualities that make someone a hero and the skills they should develop, they meet a hero. But Finn and Jake also learn that more of Computer Princess’s inventions have come back to plague Ooo in Adventure Time #9.

 

Handbook Heroes Part One: Art

As Lady Rainicorn forms a recliner for Jake and gazes at her guy with adoring eyes, Finn sits on a tree stump while Computer Princess welds his arm. Like Inspector Gadget, devices spring from the artificial limb on long, thin appendages. Jake uses a camera to record what he sees, while a magnifying glass alerts him to a battle nearby.

 

After Finn and Jake leave Computer Princess’s futuristic city behind, Austin Baechle populates the hillside with creatures and animals drawn from real life and fantasy. Heather Breckel lavishes a bright palette of colors on Adventure Time #9 as Jake stretches through scenes, and Finn fills pages in his notebook with art and notes. Pale green statues commemorate how the worky wigglin’ heroes helped save Ooo from Computer Princess’s Almost-Apocalypse. Then they meet a character with blue skin battling a purple creature who meets their definition of a hero.

 

Shawn Lee places uppercase black letters in white dialogue balloons as Finn and Jake launch their expedition. Marcy speaks white letters into black balloons as she embarks on her own journey. The letters grow bold for intonation, swell for raised voices, and shrink for lowered voices. Sound effects fill the air when gadgets sprout from Finn's updated arm and the friends undergo trials. Yet words become colorful giants when the booty bumpin’ friends make an unexpected discovery in Adventure Time #9.

 

Lemonhope Alone Part One: Story and Art

While people and animals play in a pool of mud or enjoy a picnic, a singer plays their harp and sings. As Elizabeth Brei addresses the need for people to be honest about their feelings, one of Cleonique Hilsaca’s whimsical creatures takes an interest in the musician. Thanks to Oni Press and Superfan Promotions for providing a review copy.

 

Final Thoughts

When the Lich possessed Finn, he sought out Marcy and Bonnie. While Bonnie seems unaffected by the encounter, Marcy withdraws into herself. So, as Finn and Jake try to forge a new beginning, Marcy invests in her past in Adventure Time #9.

 

Rating 9.6/10

 

To look inside see my preview of Adventure Time #9. 

Godzilla: Here There Be Aliens #2 Review

 

Writer: Frank Tieri

Artist: Angel Hernandez

Colorist: Heather Breckel

Letterer: Steve Wands

Editor: Jake Williams

Production & Design: Darran Robinson

Cover Artists: Fero Pe; Angel Hernandez with Patricio Delpeche

Publisher: IDW

Price: $4.99

Release Date: July 9, 2025

 

Bob Jones dedicated his life to proving that kaiju exist. Despite all the data he collected, Bob couldn't find a single clear photograph of a giant monster anywhere. So, when the government oversight committee demands justification for Project Colossus' funding, Bob can only show them an artist's rendition of Godzilla.

 

While contemplating the demise of his department, a call from the Oval Office rescues Bob from seeking other employment. But before Bob can fly off to Japan to confront the creature that he always believed existed, two men in black abduct him. Will they erase his memories with a Neuralyzer even though Godzilla is on the TV news? And why wouldn’t they want Bob to help Japan survive the rampaging kaiju? Let's grab a camera, leap into Godzilla: Here There Be Aliens #2, and find out!

 

Story

In Frank Tieri’s story, Dr Kyoto welcomes Bob into her limousine. She explains that much of what he believed about monsters is true. She also confronts his disbelief in aliens. As they transition to an airplane, Dr Kyoto mentions that Japan isn't the only danger zone. Aliens are invading New York City. And Bob can't use this knowledge to warn his wife and child of the approaching storm.

 

Bob learns the secret history of his world in Godzilla: Here There Be Aliens #2. His briefing blends secret history and mythology with the pseudoscience he has always dismissed. Despite devoting his life to kaiju research, Bob struggles to believe how Dr Kyoto fills the gaps in his knowledge. And he discovers that the government has built a deterrent to fighting the alien invaders and kaiju. Sadly, it's more Dr Kyoto's last option than her first. But then, barring assistance from Obi-Wan Kenobi, Plan B is her only hope.

 

While the Point Of View briefly transitions to the shapeshifting alien orchestrating the invasion, Godzilla: Here There Be Aliens #2 primarily focuses on Bob. The former leader of Project Colossus may be more reactive than proactive in Godzilla: Here There Be Aliens #2. But he has a lot to take in. If Bob and his wife survive this catastrophe, he won’t be able to tell her about his work anymore. And instead of heading a research project, Bob will spend his days orchestrating Earth’s defense.

 

Art

Angel Hernandez portrays cinematic scenes in a page or less. Gray alien monsters roam the countryside and cities. Like an octopus from another dimension, the engineered beings wrap multiple tentacles around people's faces, limbs, and bodies. A plane swoops into an underground landing strip like a Cylon Raider. As she guides him through the secret facility, schematics link Dr Kyoto with a historical figure Bob imagined might have belonged to the Sons of Liberty. But just as Director Stone scoffed at Bob's hearing, Bob struggles to accept that the historical figure's ideas could address Earth's contemporary struggles.

 

Green-clad figures study gray bodies in the brown countryside. The ship they arrived in, and the monsters they brought with them, are likewise devoid of color. But the carnage they unleash, and the way they attack their victims, colors the sky orange and red. Heather Breckel paints the plane’s interior the same gray as the bank of 1950s TV monitors in Godzilla: Here There Be Aliens #2. As Dr Kyoto sits at a brown table, her red jacket links her with the monsters’ eyes and what they drain from their victims. A gold medallion rises to the forefront amid a montage of crucial actors and events in Dr Kyoto’s retelling of history.

 

Steve Wands exposes the truth behind Bob’s beliefs with uppercase black dialogue in edgy white balloons and narrative boxes. Larger white lowercase words, perhaps from a manual typewriter, locate us in space and time. The words grow bold for intonation as Dr Kyoto briefs Bob on the way forward. Yellow sound effects enhance her secret weapon, which overwhelms Bob more than the alien invaders and their creations. But unlike Susan Ivanova on Epsilon III, at least Bob doesn't need a bathroom break. Thanks to IDW for providing a review copy.

 

Final Thoughts

Folk legends teach an essential truth through the guise of fiction. In Godzilla: Here There Be Aliens #2, government agent Bob Jones discovers that a century-old novel and a millennia-old poem could help protect Humanity from extinction.

 

Rating 9.6/10

 

To look inside see my review at Comic Book Dispatch. 

Godzilla: Here There Be Aliens #1 Review

 

Writer: Frank Tieri

Artist: Angel Hernandez

Colorist: Heather Breckel

Letterer: Steve Wands

Editor: Jake Williams

Production & Design: Darran Robinson

Cover Artists: Fero Pe & Angel Hernandez

Publisher: IDW

Price: $4.99

Release Date: May 14, 2025

 

Bob Jones works for Project Colossus, a United States government department founded to prove the existence of monsters. He has researched the subject extensively, gathered eyewitness testimony, and charted their involvement with Humans throughout the centuries. Despite all his findings, the leaders of other government departments scoff at his assertions. Can he retain his agency's funding and help prepare the United States for the next kaiju attack? Let's grab a camera, leap into Godzilla: Here There Be Aliens #1, and find out!

 

Story

Frank Tieri’s story begins by putting Bob in the crosshairs. His government department has drained money from other projects. That money could go to far better uses than trying to prove what seem like urban legends. Bob’s trouble is that he lacks indisputable proof that kaiju exist. Although cameras date back two thousand years, the daguerreotype didn't make cameras commercially viable until the nineteenth century. Even then, it would be a long time before photography became popular.

 

Bob lives in the 1950s. Cameras and movie cameras are becoming available. Still, there haven't been sufficient kaiju sightings to yield even one clear image of Godzilla. So for his briefing, Bob must rely on artists' depictions to convince his superiors that Project Colossus is worth the taxpayers' money.

 

Godzilla: Here There Be Aliens #1 is the story about Bob's life. We view nearly the entire tale through his eyes. Frank Tieri conveys Bob's frustration, worries, and realization that his best efforts may lead to failure. His wife seems loving and supportive. But she realizes the stakes for him. And it's not just his career and marriage that matter to Bob. In an era when husbands are often the sole breadwinners, Bob also has a young son to care for.

 

Bob's struggle is as much a search for facts as a need to confirm his beliefs. He shares the same problems facing scientists and priests. People want hard facts, not faith. All he can offer them is his beliefs. In Godzilla: Here There Be Aliens #1, Bob's life has been leading up to this. Perhaps Project Colossus will continue. Or fate will hand Bob a chance to shine.

 

Art

Angel Hernandez reveals Bob’s struggle to convince his superiors as they sit around a briefing table. Clad in matching gray suits, the men see a detailed Black and White drawing of Godzilla, a sketch of the monster breathing fire, and a blurry photograph. Historical figures surround Bob as he clicks the slide projector remote and shows them a drawing of an ancient symbol. Yet the men, seated before flags and a symbol of the United States, regard him with stony expressions.

 

While his wife reclines on the couch, Bob hunches with a hand on his head, staring at their yellow recliners. As his wife tries to cheer him up, Bob glances at the Black And White TV showing the 1950s' most beloved couple. But when the camera shifts to a news report, Bob watches as Heather Breckel portrays the yellow and orange barrage streaking across a maroon sky. After leaving his colorful home, Bob walks beneath an orange sky and meets someone clad in maroon.

 

Steve Wands portrays Bob's worst fears, as yellow laughter fills the briefing room in Godzilla: Here There Be Aliens #1. Wands reveals uppercase black dialogue in edgy white balloons and narrative boxes. The words grow bold for significant words as Bob seeks to assert the significance of his beliefs. Yet his son's bold utterance reminds Bob of how other government researchers view him. Thanks to IDW for providing a copy for review.

 

Final Thoughts

In popular fiction, governments often disguise the facts to control the populace and prevent widespread panic. In Godzilla: Here There Be Aliens #1, Bob Jones struggles to prove what government leaders have tried to repress throughout history. But first, he must overcome his prejudices about popular beliefs and the stated purposes of other government departments.

 

Rating 9.8/10

 

For another cover see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.

My Little Pony: Classics Reimagined—The Unicorn Of Odd #2 Review

 

Writer: Jeremy Whitley

Penciller: Jenna Ayoub

Inker: Matt Froese

Colorist: Heather Breckel

Letterer: Johanna Nattalie

Cover Artists: Jenna Ayoub, Robin Easter & Andy Price

Publisher: IDW

Price: $3.99

Release Date: October 11, 2023

 

A tornado transported Dorothy and Toto to the kingdom of Odd. A princess told Dorothy that the Unicorn of Odd in the Emerald City could get her back home. How will Dorothy and Toto fare as they follow the Yellow Brick Road? Let’s gallop into My Little Pony: Classics Reimagined—The Unicorn Of Odd #2 and find out!

 

Story

One staple of stories where fate whisks people to a strange land is they immediately yearn to return home. In L. Frank Baum’s classic novel, he describes Dorothy’s Aunt Em and Uncle Henry as old and gray. Playing with Toto prevented life from grinding Dorothy down. In My Little Pony: Classics Reimagined—The Unicorn Of Odd #2, the Scarecrow tackles this topic. Dorothy responds that she loves her family. It's those she cares about that make a place home.

 

Oh, did I not mention the Scarecrow’s joined Dorothy? If I only had a brain! Speaking of the Scarecrow, she may talk a lot and not always look where she's going, but she comes up with a good idea by and by.

 

As they travel, Dorothy, Toto, and Scarecrow meet the Tin Woodsmare. She breaks the fourth wall and takes over the narration, making herself the center of attention. To rein her in, Dorothy and Scarecrow address the narrator and ask him to resume. Eventually, the Tin Woodsmare agrees to join her and journey with them to the Emerald City. Still, that doesn't prevent the characters from interacting further with the narrators in this tongue-in-cheek adaptation of Baum's novel.

 

Did I care enough about you to mention that the Tin Woodsmare has a tragic backstory involving the Wicked Princess of the East? If I only had a heart!

 

There’s much more fun to discover in Jeremy Whitley’s adaptation of The Wonderful Wizard Of Oz. Who knows? Perhaps My Little Pony: Classics Reimagined—The Unicorn Of Odd #2 may even give you the courage to read this century-old novel! 

 

 

 

Art

Jenna Ayoub and Matt Froese’s classic layouts feature rectangular panels with equal spacing. The character’s faces may look more feline than equine, but their bodies look and move like ponies. Dorothy wears a cowboy hat, plaid shirt, and overalls. The Scarecrow may look too flouncy, but her winning smile shows that braininess and happiness don't necessarily travel side by side. The elegant Tin Woodsmare uses her mind to direct her hovering axe. While not highly detailed, the yellow brick road and backgrounds convince in this heartwarming, young adult tale.

 

Heather Breckel loads her palette with soft, appealing colors in My Little Pony: Classics Reimagined—The Unicorn Of Odd #2. While she provides shading and highlights, panels may look a little flat. Still, depth and interest make characters and scenes compelling.

 

Johanna Nattalie places uppercase black letters in white dialogue balloons. She colors the narrator’s boxes yellow. When the Tin Woodsmith takes over the narration, Nattalie colors her boxes blue. Sound effects enhance Whitley’s magical tale, and the highly readable dialogue and narration are always easy to follow.

 

 

 

Final Thoughts

L. Frank Baum’s “modernized fairy tale” gets an equine update in My Little Pony: Classics Reimagined—The Unicorn Of Odd #2.

 

Rating 9/10

 

To preview interior art see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.

Godzilla by James Stokoe Deluxe Edition HC Review

 

Writer, Artist, Colorist, Letterer, & Cover Artist: James Stokoe

Color Assistant: Heather Breckel

Publisher: IDW

Price: $39.99

Release Date: September 13, 2023

 

Lieutenant Ota Murakami had served the Japanese Self-Defense for nearly two years when he arrived in Tokyo in 1954. Instead of supplying disaster relief, he found a monster demolishing Japan's capital city. What can he and his platoon do against a dinosaur that breathes energy beams at its attackers? Let's leap into Godzilla by James Stokoe Deluxe Edition HC and find out!

 

Story

Ota and his friend Kentaro watch Godzilla take out the rest of their platoon. The energy blast damaged their antenna. After “Old Ken” fixes it, they receive orders to assist with the civilian evacuation. Despite Ken’s reservations, Ota orders him to delay the monster any way they can. They rumble through the debris-filled streets in their banged-up Sherman tank, playing Mouse to Godzilla’s Cat.

 

 

 

In Godzilla by James Stokoe Deluxe Edition HC, Ota and Ken battle the monster as the decades pass. They serve under Colonel Schooler of the A. M. F. or the Anti-Megalosaurus Force. Their travels take them to Vietnam in 1967, Ghana in 1975, Bombay in 1987, and beyond. Despite the scientists’ ingenuity, Ken increasingly views Godzilla as a force of nature. No matter what weapons the A. M. F. deploys, Godzilla and his menacing companions fail to die.

 

Oops! Did I mention other monsters? Sadly, not all scientists prove as ethical as Ota and Ken. One invents a device that summons kaiju, which causes chaos wherever the A. M. F. goes. Monsters wake up or even arrive from other planets. Despite the increasing threat—or perhaps because of it--Ota and Ken forsake family, advancement, and financial security as they devote their lives to planetary defense. It’s Monster Versus Humans and Monster Versus Monsters in Godzilla by James Stokoe Deluxe Edition HC. 

 

 

 

Art

No artist packs more detail into pages than James Stokoe. Panels show a cast of thousands fleeing Godzilla on foot and in vehicles. The original kaiju reigns supreme, showing every tooth, claw, and scale as he demolishes buildings with little effort. Stokoe’s quirky characters are expressive, and the scientist’s inventions feature fun designs.

 

No colorist makes pages come alive like James Stokoe. Some panels ring with manifold color, while others glow with just a few. Although he’s not afraid to use gray, Stokoe’s images exhibit psychedelic appeal. He often provides good contrast, such as when Ota and Ken's green tank races through lavender streets, hoping to escape the storm of yellow and red chasing them. Others work less well, such as when Colonel Schooler tries to evade falling debris bathed in red.

 

 

 

No letterer creates white dialogue balloons and colored narrative boxes like James Stokoe. Although he places letters and rows close together, his uppercase black letters are easy on the eyes. Sound effects explode across panels to enhance the action, as over-the-top as the Godzilla film franchise. Chapter titles reveal ingenuity, and the giant block letters for the silent story “Godzilla In Hell” would make cinema-goers cheer.

 

The Godzilla by James Stokoe Deluxe Edition HC includes covers for each issue and examples of his penciled and inked art.  

 

 

 

Final Thoughts

While delivering the city-destroying action movie fans expect, Godzilla by James Stokoe Deluxe Edition HC honors the original film's symbolism by framing a half-century of kaiju devastation through the eyes of Humanity's staunchest defenders.

 

Rating 8.8/10

 

To preview interior art see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.