The Terminator: Metal #3 Review

 

Writers: Declan Shalvey & Rory McConville

Artist & Colorist: Colin Craker

Letterer: Jeff Eckleberry

Cover Artists: Declan Shalvey, Bob Layton, Sebastian Piriz & Paolo Antiga

Packager & Editor: Nate Cosby

Publisher: Dynamite Entertainment

Price: $4.99

Release Date: December 17, 2025

 

In the future, Humanity's war with Skynet ravages the Earth. Humans still fight among themselves. Still, they take heart in every Resistance victory. But the Machines are intelligent and relentless. When they lose one battle, they find new ways to exploit Humanity's weaknesses. How will Skynet attempt to secure its power over Earth next? And how will an unsuspecting populace respond to merciless killing machines? Let's grab our weapons, leap into The Terminator: Metal #3, and see!

 

Story

In 1899, an outlaw treks through Oregon’s Blue Mountains. After a shootout, he needs a place to lie low. As he leads his horse uphill, a cave seems a heaven-sent hideout from pursuers. Still, he's wary. You never know who else might make a cave their home.

 

Forty miles west, in the town of Pendleton, a young Deputy comforts a grieving widow. Her husband was the Sheriff. After a shootout with Bill Donovan, the Deputy is in charge. He may not know what to do, but the widow knows what she wants.

 

In The Terminator: Metal #3, Humans react to what they’ve seen or heard as they think best. But the chief protagonist in Declan Shalvey & Rory McConville’s story is an isolated T-800. When Skynet sent it back through time, something went wrong, and the Terminator arrived too early to kill its target. Left with no other instructions, the robot tells early 19^th-century Oregon, "I'll be back." Then it seeks the shelter of a cave and enters stasis mode to conserve its power, waiting out the decades until it can carry out its assignment.

 

Sadly, batteries drain when not in use. By the time Bill Donovan awakens it, the Terminator realizes it has lost too much power to achieve its objective. After gathering information, the T-800 fixes upon a more immediate goal. Then, the Terminator travels west, toward a town filled with angry people, a grieving widow, and a young Deputy anxious to prove himself.

 

Art

Colin Craker opens The Terminator: Metal #3 with a page of panels revealing machinery underwater, turning gears, a locomotive rolling along, and a lightbulb. In this era of innovation and progress, Bill Donovan climbs the hill with his horse in tow. Multiple layers of clothing, gloves, and a hat cover him. His beard and mustache expose little beyond his cheeks to the elements.

 

Back in civilization, a woman kneels beside a corpse. The Deputy stands across from her, gazing down at the hole in his former boss’s forehead. Cables hang between the wooden poles lining the street. When the widow looks up, she points at a wall of wanted posters. A newspaper proclaims Oregon's relationship with the international community and the state's accomplishments in this technological age.

 

A rainbow shines amid a waterfall, signaling the treasure hidden at its end. The yellow sun brightens the pink air between two brown mountains, while evergreens pack the crowded hillside. Yet as the T-800 walks outside via the James Bondian gun barrel, it sees everything through red eyes. When it reaches the town, the world becomes a contrast of red and yellow. A red sun hangs in the yellow sky as the Terminator, clad in Bill Donovan’s hat and clothes, reaches for its revolvers in The Terminator: Metal #3.

 

Jeff Eckleberry fills white dialogue balloons with lowercase black lettering. The narrator’s voice and off-camera dialogue appear in colored boxes. Beige lowercase block letters locate us in time and space, while white block letters overlay the T-800’s red vision. Sound effects amplify moments of shocking violence. Yet most injuries and deaths in Oregon transpire silently, while some residents of the state fight, die, and kill their fellow Humans in the Spanish-American War. Thanks to Dynamite Entertainment for providing a review copy. 

 

Final Thoughts

With the 20^th Century approaching fast, news travels faster as an ailing T-800 races against time. Long before Percy Dalton hacks a T-800 and names it Tex, another Terminator strives to complete its objective while civilization builds the foundation for Skynet. The Terminator may not feel pity, remorse, or fear. Yet the T-800 struggles against its programming to preserve its life in the Sci-fi/Western, The Terminator: Metal #3.

 

Rating 9.4/10

 

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

The Terminator: Santa Claus is Coming to Town #1 Review

 

Writer: Paulina Ganucheau

Artist & Colorist: Kendall Goode

Letterer: Jeff Eckleberry

Cover Artists: Will Robson, Francesco Biagini, Reese Hannigan & Kendall Goode

Publisher: Dynamite Entertainment

Price: $5.99

Release Date: December 3, 2025

 

Ava is leading her squad on a scavenging mission through Orchard Mall when she gets a call. Her base reports that they've spotted a drone scanning the mall for Humans. Chris is new to her squad. He's a kind lad who is eager to support Beta Team. But Chris anticipated a training mission, not a combat situation. Can Ava and her team make it back to base? And can Ava help Chris survive his first tour of duty? Let's grab our weapons, leap into The Terminator: Santa Claus is Coming to Town #1, and see!

 

Story

The snow is falling outside the shattered mall. Still, as Ava and her team search for food and supplies, they have their combat gear to keep them warm. Ava put Chris in charge of the radio. But when he forgets the new call sign, Ava acknowledges the warning and orders their return. Since Judgment Day, everything has changed. Instead of gathering with family members and friends to celebrate the holidays, Ava leads her squad through the wreckage of a parking structure on Christmas Eve.

 

In The Terminator: Santa Claus is Coming to Town #1, a new generation has grown up in this New Normal. They consign holidays like Christmas to ancient history. Chris is rattled but wonders what life was like before Skynet stripped Humans of their culture. As they battle dangers from their Skynet oppressors, and her squad suffers casualties, Ava shares her Christmas memories with Chris.

 

Before Paulina Ganucheau's story follows Ava's team, she begins with a Terminator reaching Orchid Mall. Like Chris, the Terminator knows nothing about Christmas traditions. And like any T-800 transported through time and space, it also scavenges for what it needs. When its sensors detect the Human Resistance Platoon, the Terminator finds a clothing store and selects an appropriate disguise.

 

The Terminator: Santa Claus is Coming to Town #1 reminds us that even in our darkest hours, memories of brighter days lead us through. It's a testament to the importance of family and cherishing the people life brings our way. Moreover, it's a lighthearted, action-packed nightmare that Ava and Chris must endure if they are to awaken to a better future. Or at least, face tomorrow's battles.

 

Art

Snow drifts lazily to the parking lot outside the shattered mall entrance. Skeletons occupy damaged and overturned cars. Inside, manikins inhabit a shop in the litter-strewn mall. Energy arcs from a ball of light. When it fades, a figure rises. As the muscular "man" strides through the shop, words and numbers overlay his vision.

 

Kendall Goode shows the Terminator in limited tones of brown and blue. He perceives the world in shades of red. When the Human Resistance captures the narrative, Ava and her team wear blue, gray, and green, while Ava wears a red bandana in her blond hair. A drone pierces the purple sky and gray rubble with a beam of red light. Then, Ava’s rifle turns the sky orange in The Terminator: Santa Claus is Coming to Town #1.

 

Jeff Eckleberry portrays dialogue with lowercase black letters in white balloons. The Terminator’s thoughts and readouts appear as giant white letters. Sound effects evoke the brutal firefight that erupts whenever Kyle Reese closes his eyes. And none of the Skynet death machines say “Roger, Roger.” Thanks to Dynamite Entertainment for providing a review copy.

 

Final Thoughts

Faced with Skynet’s insatiable need to destroy their creators, Human survivors struggle for meaning in their shattered world. A training mission to a former shopping mall becomes the crucible in which a woman fights for the world she lost, and a frightened recruit tries to forge his future in The Terminator: Santa Claus is Coming to Town #1.

 

Rating 9.4/10

 

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

Street Sharks #2 Review

 

Writer: Stephanie Williams

Artist: Ariel Medel

Colorist: Valentina Pinto

Letterer: Jeff Eckleberry

Cover Artists: Phil Murphy, Mateus Santolouco & Elizabeth Beals

Designer: Sandy Tanaka

Editor: Nicolas Niño

Publisher: IDW

Price: $4.99

Release Date: November 12, 2025

 

Big Slammu, Ripster, Streex, and Jab want to keep Fission City safe. Amid their skirmishes with the Seaviates, the scientist who turned the athletes into sharks works toward his goal of transforming everyone into sea creatures. Will Dr Paradigm realize his vision of helping his entire city evolve? Or will the Street Sharks shut down his gene-slamming operation? Let’s grab a burger with extra metal shavings, dive into Street Sharks #2, and see!

 

Story

Reporter Danielle Lafond weighs the Street Sharks’ crimefighting exploits against the property damage that endangers Fission City’s inhabitants. Today, she broadcasts from Seashell Park, where the Magnificent Marvels Circus promises to deliver the show of the century. Despite appearing overnight, the city says it's legit. Danielle hopes it will lift people's spirits after all the destruction the Street Sharks have caused.

 

Street Sharks #2 follows the team’s investigation into the mysterious circus. Jab, Streex, Ripster, and Slammu discover the circus's origins and assess the dangers of opening night. Back at their headquarters beneath the university ice rink, Lena Mack, their person in a chair, formulates a plan. Tech wiz Bends builds gear to assist them. With their Human university students advising them from HQ, the sharks attend the show, hoping to foil the nefarious plan endangering the attendees.

 

Stephanie Williams fills her story with engaging characters and high-flying action. All this takes place within Dr Luthor Paradigm's ongoing plan to upgrade Humanity. In his zeal to improve the species, he preys on desperate people. The scientist promises to make everyone better. Even though they frustrate his plans, Dr Paradigm calls Jab, Streex, Ripster, and Slammu rejects. But then, they don't follow his orders like Slobster, Slash, and Killamari.

 

Art

Ariel Medel imbues Street Sharks #2 with a cartoony vibe. Big Slammu is a brown-and-beige bodybuilder. Ripster is smaller and dark blue. Pink stripes help Streex’s light blue skin shine. Jab is a beige-and-brown Hammerhead. Their underground lair includes a motorcycle and a pool table. They watch Danielle's reports on a tube TV, while the university students work at computers from a similar era. Danielle’s concerns are well-founded as she reports in her maroon suit outside the beige-and-maroon big top. But despite a father’s concern at a poster filled with fish people, the mother smiles at her son’s delight.

 

Valentina Pinto paints Street Sharks #2 with a loaded palette. Backgrounds shine, and highlights and shadows are beautifully colored. The street sharks swim beneath the street, their fins cracking and tearing the brown-and-gray asphalt until they stand and resume walking. An orange clownfish performs acrobatics while red lobsters juggle torches. As Marina flies overhead in her green suit before the glowing gold background, a walrus addresses the crowd in his maroon coat, white slacks, and black top hat.

 

Jeff Eckleberry fills white dialogue balloons with large, black uppercase letters. Yellow narrative boxes denote time and space and introduce characters. The letters grow bold for intonation as the sharks investigate and attend the opening evening in disguise. Sound effects enhance a little brotherly competition, and the sharks trying to avert a tragedy. Thanks to IDW for providing a review copy.

 

Final Thoughts

Big Slammu, Ripster, Streex, and Jab may have to live beneath the city. Yet they do themselves credit when they emerge from the ground to protect people's right to choose how they live. When you thought it was safe to go back to the circus, Street Sharks #2 reminds you that whatever your situation, use it to help others be Finomenally Fintastic.

 

Rating 9.4/10

 

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

Die!Namite: Blood Red #1 Review

 

Writer: Fred Van Lente

Artist: Marco Finnegan

Colorist: Ellie Wright

Letterer: Jeff Eckleberry

Cover Artist: EJ Su, Godtail, David Cousens & Will Robson

Publisher: Dynamite Entertainment

Price: $4.99

Release Date: November 5, 2025

 

Jennifer races through the ruins. When she reaches a fence of sharpened wooden poles, she utters a desperate cry. Warriors spring into action. The women attack the males transformed into shambling corpses with a taste for Human flesh. They rescue Jennifer and bring her inside. What will the newcomer find in this enclave of healthy Humans? And what of the inhabitant who isn’t Human? Let’s grab our weapons, leap into Die!Namite Blood Red #1, and see!

 

Story

When the X virus struck, it attacked males, cutting short Humanity’s future. As in Y: The Last Man, healthy males are in short supply. Women must stick together to defend themselves and protect the few males who can ensure Humanity's survival. But preserving these remnants of civilization demands ruthlessness wielded by an iron hand.

 

In Die!Namite: Blood Red #1, Vampirella’s voice guides us through this apocalyptic tale of Deadmen hunting, swarming, and hungering for their next meal. Inside the enclave, Vampirella hides a dark secret. She was an ambassador for her planet. Now, she is a refugee, forced to take on detective work to survive.

 

Fred Van Lente’s story puts Vampirella on the back foot. She needs the safety of Purgatori’s enclave to survive. Yet she wants to protect someone from her ruler’s harsh justice. So Vampirella plays things cool. She asserts her importance by pursuing investigations vital to the enclave’s future. Vampirella knows that if she displeases them, her hosts could throw her outside to become the Deadmen’s next meal. Or worse, she could lose her last link to her homeworld in Die!Namite: Blood Red #1.

 

Art

Dark figures stumble down a broken road between tilted telephone poles. Crumbling tower blocks rise in the distance, their exposed infrastructure a reminder of the collapse of civilization. The Deadmen stumble or crawl after a woman fleeing in jeans and a string top. A small purse holds her few possessions. When she reaches the gates, a diesel truck with a grapple bucket on the front roars into view. Warriors cling to each door, while a third fires the roof-mounted machine gun.

 

While Marco Finnegan reveals the essentials of this brutal world, Ellie Wright lavishes bright colors on the silhouettes and thick inks in Die!Namite: Blood Red #1. The colors glow as the women radiate vitality in this dying world. The face of their benefactor emerges from a smudged, dirty billboard rising above the barbed wire barriers. Vampirella’s cosmic route back to civilization juxtaposes with a glowing gladiatorial arena.

 

Jeff Eckleberry fills these spectral glimpses of the wasteland with black uppercase letters in white dialogue balloons and narrative boxes. Words grow bold for intonation. They swell and threaten to burst balloons when danger threatens. Sound effects fill the hazy air and silhouetted backgrounds in this Mad Max zombie apocalypse. Yet Vampirella strides through it all in her long red coat and dark boots, seemingly impervious to the dangers surrounding her, in this futuristic sci-fi noir. Thanks to Dynamite Entertainment for providing a review copy.

 

Final Thoughts

In a bleak future, an alien who can never return home helps her foreign hosts eek out each new day of existence, so that someday, somehow, a brighter future can dawn in Die!Namite: Blood Red #1.

 

Rating 8/10

 

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

Zootopia #5 Review

 

Writer: Jeff Parker

Artist: Alessandro Ranaldi

Colorist: Dearbhla Kelly

Letterer: Jeff Eckleberry

Cover Artists: Trish Forstner, Craig Rousseau & Alessandro Ranaldi

Packager & Editor: Nate Cosby

Publisher: Dynamite Entertainment

Price: $4.99

Release Date: August 13, 2025

 

Someone in Zootopia is orchestrating a daring series of crimes. What started with a blown-up blimp has escalated to jewelry and art thefts. None of the thieves know who they are working for. They drop off the goods and receive a big box of money. ZPD Officers Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde have risked their lives, and their nostrils, to catch the anonymous, untraceable caller organizing these thefts. Can they find the master villain? Or will Chief Bogo give them another assignment? Let’s pop in our earbuds, crank up Gazelle’s latest single, leap into Zootopia #5, and see!

 

Story

When Nick gives Judy a six o’clock wakeup call, the rabbit figures it must be serious. It’s Saturday, and they’re supposed to be off duty. Instead, Judy learns that Nick has volunteered them for community outreach. Stunned, Judy happily accompanies him. Then she realizes that Nick has signed up to chaperone his former Junior Ranger troop. While the kids who terrorized him and drove him away have grown up, Nick has given up his cons and sworn to uphold law and order. In Jeff Parker’s story, Nick wants to see if the environment within the scouts has changed. Is this generation of children more accepting of predators?

 

In Zootopia #5, the young troop expresses no fear of Officer Nick Wilde. Miss Bev urges her junior rangers to welcome the rabbit and the fox. But Nick has made a crucial error. While the children are kind to him, he fails to gain their respect. Nick is crestfallen when Miss Bev announces that her plans differ from Nick's expectations. Still, Nick accompanies the troop. Judy encourages her partner to enjoy the day, whatever it brings.

 

Nick may not have found acceptance as a child. The fox may have missed out on a childhood filled with camping, fishing, and exploring the wonders of nature thanks to the rejection and trauma he suffered. Still, Nick’s concern for others pays off. He also demonstrates his ability to navigate tricky situations. In Zootopia #5, Judy is a competent officer who retains command even if she isn't in her element. Nick demonstrates the resilience that helped him succeed on the streets and now helps him serve the public as a member of the Zootopia Police Department.

 

Art

Judy’s eyes bulge and her ears rise as stuffed bunnies tumble off her bed. Nick looks confident as he gazes up through the windscreen at his partner leaning out the window of her small, upper-story apartment. He grits his teeth, and his eyes express fear, as he steers the bulky cruiser beneath the arbor built from logs. Like their car, Nick and Judy form silhouettes as the beaver addresses the attentive cat, hippo, bear, mouse, and kangaroo. Clad in fishing attire, Nick rests his pole on his shoulder. Judy looks ready for anything in her uniform. But as they prepare to meet the troops, Nick smiles confidently, while Judy grimaces.

 

Despite flashing his best smile, Nick must leap out of the way when the troop rushes past him. Dots occasionally swarm like bees around foreground figures as Alessandro Ranaldi focuses on characters further away. Characters also appear before banners punctuated with dots, like targets at a ZPD shooting range. Dearbhla Kelly lavishes a palette of bright, cheery colors on the vibrant plants and trees surrounding the nearby city. Light blue bubbles and currents flow along a strikingly blue river that glows with the sun's radiance in Zootopia #5.

 

Jeff Eckleberry fills white dialogue balloons with black uppercase letters that grow bold for intonation. The letters swell amid high-flying outrage, Nick awakening his partner, and the children's rejoicing. Balloons accompany faces in inset panels amid panoramic shots. Laughter rises when a character doesn’t watch his step, and sharp sounds fill the air when hunters achieve their objective. Thanks to Dynamite Entertainment for providing a review copy.

 

Final Thoughts

Nick Wilde suffers disappointments when his plan to gain recognition backfires. The Pawpsicle-loving fox may not don a wingsuit and leap off a skyscraper in Zootopia #5. Still, he navigates a fast and furious pursuit with style and validates Judy Hopps’ faith in him.

 

Rating: 9.4/10

 

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

Red Sonja Vs The Army Of Darkness #4 Review

 

Writer: Tim Seeley

Artist: Jim Terry

Colorist: Carlos Badilla

Letterer: Jeff Eckleberry

Editor: Joe Rybandt

Cover Artists: Bjorn Barends, Tim Seeley, Tom Raney & Nikkol Jelenic,

Publisher: Dynamite Entertainment

Price: $4.99

Release Date: August 6, 2025

 

Ash Williams traveled back in time to reunite with his beloved Sheila. Instead, he awakened in the Hyborian Age. Once again, the Necronomicon Ex Mortis created an Army Of Darkness. General Lanses hired Red Sonja to slay the Deadites infesting the land. Can Ash and Sonja reclaim the Necronomicon before Kulan Gath leads the Nemedian Deadite army in a recruitment drive across the Hyborian world? Let’s grab our swords and chainsaws, leap into Red Sonja Vs The Army Of Darkness #4, and see!

 

Story

Ash Williams is a haunted man. He lost his girlfriend Linda to the Necronomicon. Ash failed to return to Shiela in 1300 AD. But despite his confidence and swagger, he has slept through too many centuries in confined spaces. So, as he fights to prevent anyone else from falling prey to the Deadite curse, Ash battles claustrophobia in Red Sonja Vs The Army Of Darkness #4.

 

Red Sonja is a haunted woman. She pledged her life to defending the innocent and weak after villains slew her family. Yet when Kulan Gath turned children into Deadites, she had to kill them instead of protecting them. In Tim Seeley’s story, Red Sonja hides her blackening arm beneath a long leather glove. Her bond with the goddess Scathach has helped her fight off the Deadite transformation up to now. But Red Sonja knows that eventually, the evil flowing through her veins will transform her into what she abhors.

 

After completing his Army Of Darkness Forever run, Tony Fleecs hands his Kandarian quill to his former Local Man cowriter. Tim Seeley divides the point of view between Ash, Red Sonja, and Kulan Gath. Along with all the action, Tim Seeley increases the drama with a deeply flawed villain. By hinting at Kulan Gath's earlier trauma, readers understand the sorcerer’s desperation for omnipotence, even if they cannot condone Gath’s actions.

 

Art

Carlos Badilla shows Ash holding his beloved Sheila surrounded by yellow and orange. He marries memories of Ash attacking Deadites against a blue background with Red Sonja leaping into the fray beneath a blue night sky. Greenery surrounds the heroes as they journey toward Kulan Gath’s castle. But like Saruman, brown land without a trace of green foliage surrounds his fortress. Clutching the Necronomicon, Kulan Gath his forces from his throne in a high tower in Red Sonja Vs The Army Of Darkness #4.

 

Jim Terry delivers a folksy art style that, like Ash’s humor, softens the tone of Red Sonja Vs The Army Of Darkness #4. Scenes evoke the 1992 movie as Kulan Gath clutches the Necronomicon surrounded by burning torches. Red Sonja’s strategy draws on another fantasy icon while showing her concern for her unwilling helper. Another nod to Sam Raimi’s classic shows Ash using his superior knowledge to aid their cause. Yet when Red Sonja’s resistance to the Deadite infection weakens, Jim Terry switches to a glamorous, pinup style to peek inside the She-Devil’s mind.

 

Jeff Eckleberry casts uppercase letters into white dialogue balloons and colored narrative boxes. The letters swell for volume, grow bold for intonation, and shrink for lowered voices. Each letter O carries a period at its center among elegant words intended for Red Sonja’s ears alone. Sound effects help us hear slashing swords, death cries, roaring chainsaws, and explosions that rock the Hyborian Age. Thanks to Dynamite Entertainment for providing a review copy.

 

Final Thoughts

As Ash strives to put his past behind him, he wonders if he can trust his bikini-clad Hyrkanian teammate. Red Sonja must bear the weight of the world to save the weak and defenseless in Red Sonja Vs The Army Of Darkness #4. And Kulan Gath admits to a character flaw that makes him a powerful man with a weak soul.

 

Rating 9.2/10

 

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

Red Sonja Noir #1 Review

 

Writer: David Avallone

Artist: Edu Menna

Colorist: Adriano Augusto

Letterer: Jeff Eckleberry

Editor: Joseph Rybandt

Cover Artists: Lesley “Leirix” Li, Joseph Michael Linsner & Cosplay by Molly Stewart

Publisher: Dynamite Entertainment

Price: $5.99

Release Date: June 18, 2025

 

The goddess Scáthach imbued Red Sonja with exceptional fighting abilities. But the men who killed her family and violated Red Sonja left their mark on her soul. So, when Scáthach forbids her intimacy with men, Red Sonja doesn't protest. She may ally with warriors like Conan now and then. But she feels more comfortable around women. What happens when Red Sonja finds a man she trusts? Let's grab our swords, leap into Red Sonja Noir #1, and see!

 

Story

In David Avallone’s story, Red Sonja has set up a business with Tamsin. They’ve established their reputation in town as heroes for hire. Red Sonja and Tamsin have taken rooms in a tavern. Townspeople in need of their services ask for Blade and Archer. But the pattern of their days changes when a beautiful lady arrives. Shawna needs protection from Zander. The slaver has kidnapped her sister and demands a ransom for her safe return. Although Shawna wishes to employ both partners, Tamsin assures the lady that Red Sonja’s involvement is unnecessary. He will protect Shawna as they meet with Zander and rescue her sister.

 

In Red Sonja Noir #1, the town guards awaken Red Sonja early the following morning. They know her well enough that they don’t suspect Red Sonja of killing her partner. When she vows to find Tamsin's murderer, they don't protest. As Red Sonja investigates, we learn more about the beautiful Shawna. The story also introduces Lady Stradaverde. She's less interested in stringed instruments than the occult. Lady Stradaverde, or The Crone, seeks an ancient artifact. Red Sonja, Shawna, and Zander have roles to play in acquiring it for her.

 

Red Sonja’s past prevents her from taking others at face value. The She-Devil With A Sword navigates the dangers of the investigation, unfazed by the intrigues she observes. Unlike those around her, Red Sonja seeks neither money nor power in Red Sonja Noir #1. All she wants is to find her partner's murderer. Red Sonja failed him in life. She won’t fail Tamsin in death.

 

Art

While Red Sonja shines in her armored bikini, Edu Menna dresses Tamsin in pants, a tunic, and a capelet. Together with his eyepatch and Van Dyke beard, swashbuckling Tamsin seems suited to this medieval town. Guards patrol the streets wearing quilted armor and capes. A double-masted ship anchors in the canal that flows through this Tudor-style town. The inhabitants and travelers use gently arced stone bridges to cross from one embankment to the other.

 

Adriano Augusto lavishes a loaded palette on this town of red-roofed houses. Yellow and orange dance across the blue and green waters of the canal. Shawna's purple and magenta clothing outshines most of the town's inhabitants in Red Sonja Noir #1. But her rosy skin exhibits the same healthy glow as Red Sonja's. Amid the realism of the tavern, market, and hotel, light combats the lurking darkness. In the Crone’s domain, illuminated by candles, it triumphs, but just barely.

 

Jeff Eckleberry fills white dialogue balloons and beige narrative boxes with uppercase black letters. Words grow bold for intonation and enlarge for raised voice. Sound effects accompany clanging swords, spraying blood, and an act that dispels the dream of a lifetime. Thanks to Dynamite Entertainment for providing a review copy.  

 

Final Thoughts

What does it take for you to trust someone? Does it require a sterling character or just a knowledge of your partner's capabilities? When the She-Devil With A Sword commits to a man, she discovers that trust is in short supply in Red Sonja Noir #1.

 

Rating 9.4/10

 

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

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. 

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.

Bettie Page: La Dolce Vita TP Review

 

Writers: Mirka Andolfo & Luca Blengino

Artists: Elisa Ferrari, Mara Angelilli & Tommaso Ronda

Colorists: Maura Gulma & Francesca Vivaldi

Letterer: Jeff Eckleberry

Cover Artist: Leirix

Publisher: Dynamite

Price: $17.99

Release Date: September 4, 2024

 

Bettie may smile for the camera, but she seethes inside. The photographer calls her Ettie. No one else at the studio knows her name. They work her off her feet and fine her when she slips up. Bettie yearns to slip out for a half-hour lunch break at Tanino’s Pizzeria. But the studio will fire her if she holds up their schedule. And as her assistant Karen points out, Bettie can't afford to pay the default penalty on her contract. Can anyone rescue Bettie from her onerous, low-paying job? Let’s grab our cameras, leap into Bettie Page: La Dolce Vita TP, and find out!

 

Story

News Flash: Bettie’s agent, Benjamin Du’Met, got her a better-paying job. As they fly from New York to Rome, Benjamin explains that Eugenio Vitelloni wants Bettie in his next movie. The Italian director selected Bettie's photography portfolio from 1,500 candidates. She is his next muse! While Bettie revels in her shot at stardom and Benjamin calculates his commission, Karen wonders if this offer is too good to be true. After all, Bettie is a model, not an actress.

 

That’s not the only thing that doesn’t add up for Karen. If Vitelloni is such a great director, and Bettie is his next star, why are so many accidents occurring on his set? If Vitelloni has sufficient backing to pay off Bettie’s contract and fly them to Rome, why is he leasing an expensive villa and housing them in a cheap hotel? Karen is a tireless investigator in Bettie Page: La Dolce Vita TP. Her determination to discover the truth leads her to a surprising realization. Vitelloni picked Bettie because she is the spitting image of his new muse, and the mafia wants that woman dead.

 

In Mirka Andolfo & Luca Blengino’s story, Lisa Cosmi and her boyfriend fled their rival underworld families. But they got separated, and Paolo has gone missing. Bettie loves playing the star on Vitelloni’s film set. But once she realizes that Lisa and Paolo are in trouble, Bettie rushes to their rescue. Bettie vows to reunite the lovebirds, help them escape their criminal families, and begin a new life in the United States. And if she can grab a pizza while she is risking her life for Lisa and Paolo, so much the better!

 

Art

Elisa Ferrari, Mara Angelilli & Tommaso Ronda pay homage to Bettie’s iconic image by beginning Bettie Page: La Dolce Vita TP with Bettie posing in a swimsuit. Bettie wears a range of attire, from a coat and earmuffs to dresses, blouses, and slacks, but she always looks more elegant than her more practically minded body double. Karen prefers conservative suits and dresses as she tackles locks, safes, and Neapolitan paramours. Benjamin dazzles in his dashing suits and matching hats. But when danger threatens, the agent's elegant walking stick becomes a lethal weapon.

 

Eugenio Vitelloni and Lisa Cosmi’s past unfolds in sepia tones, but Maura Gulma & Francesca Vivaldi fill Bettie Page: La Dolce Vita TP with an appealing array of cheery colors. Smiling faces intrude on the brightly colored scenes to enhance narration, and Bettie's eyes become red hearts when she imagines Lisa and Paolo together. But whether bullets, cars, or pizzas hurtle through the air, or would-be rescuers race across rooftops in the evening, every page sparkles with energy and '50s fun.

 

Black uppercase and lowercase letters inhabit narrative boxes and white dialogue balloons. Words grow bold for inflection but never shrink, while question and exclamation marks enlarge for surprise and alarm. Musical notes accompany shower scenes and assassination attempts. Jeff Eckleberry's sound effects help us hear furious fists, careering cars, and the ruination of delicious delicacies. Thanks to Dynamite Comics for providing a copy for review.

 

Final Thoughts

When Bettie Page's shot at stardom makes her a target of the Italian mafia, she shrugs off danger to reunite lost lovers. Bettie Page: La Doce Vita mixes Shakespeare with The Saint for a humorous and exciting romp rooted in World War II and cinema history.

 

Rating 9.6/10

 

For cover art see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.