Tales of the Green Lantern Corps: Guy Gardner #1 Review

 

Tales of the Green Lantern Corps: Guy Gardner #1 Review

Writer: Gerry Duggan

Artists: Matteo Lolli, Laura Braga & Vasco Georgiev

Colorist: John Kalisz

Letterer: Dave Sharpe

Cover Artist: Edwin Galmon

Variant Cover Artists: David Aja, Ariel Olivette & Ethan Young

Editors: Jillian Grant & Paul Kaminski

Publisher: DC Comics

Price: $5.99/$6.99 Card Stock

Release Date: May 6, 2026

 

People may distrust his judgment. They may dislike his style. But like him or hate him, Guy Gardner gets things done. If he's not saving Lois Lane on a spaceship powered by Kryptonite, he's fighting in the Omega Tournament to preserve reality. But what do his fellow Lanterns think of Guy Gardner? And when Internal Affairs on Oa wants to investigate his activities, who do they call on for help? Let’s slip on our rings, leap into Tales of the Green Lantern Corps: Guy Gardner #1, and see!

 

Story

After Starbreaker led a devastating attack on Oa, Enquar tore through space in his quest for revenge against the Green Lanterns' crimes against his planet. As worlds and suns die, refugees flood Oa. While the Green Lantern Corps tries to find everyone new homes, Guy Gardner learns about a sun that went supernova. When he investigates a planet in the doomed solar system, the population has vanished. Which may be good, except that one of its inhabitants owed Guy money.

 

Zardum, who polices the Green Lantern Corps, narrates this tale of one of his best operatives. But while shining the spotlight on Guy, the Internal Affairs officer also enlists another Green Lantern from Earth. While Zardum delivers his imperative, John Stewart makes one thing clear to the Green Lantern cop. Like his flamboyant friend, John Stewart will conduct the investigation his way in Tales of the Green Lantern Corps: Guy Gardner #1.

 

As Gerry Duggan keeps the story moving with action and humor in equal doses, the Lanterns’ concern for each other shines through. Still, after Starbreaker’s intergalactic reign of terror and Darkseid’s attempted Reality coup, Guy Gardner and John Stewart are both marked by death. So Zardum observes the Lanterns from Earth to determine if their brightest days lie behind them. And as he watches and waits, Zardum tasks a leader who embodies the Corps' future to investigate Guy Gardner's seemingly wild claims in Tales of the Green Lantern Corps: Guy Gardner #1.

 

Art

With his bowl cut and collared gilet, Guy Gardner makes a striking presence as he points to his perp, and then at the faces emerging from the Source Wall. Then Guy reclines on a beanbag, taking notes while surrounding his suspect with a stone block cell. After mounting a platform with his prisoner bound in a yoke, Guy raises a fist in triumph to the Drekonites surrounding them in the desert. As his fans extend their arms out the passenger cars' windows, Guy plays his electric guitar atop the engine of a celestial steam locomotive. When he pulls the train into the impromptu Malaqyte Station, a giant green thumb points back toward him as Guy leaves Jessica Cruz and her people to feed, house, and resettle the latest refugees on Oa.

 

As Matteo Lolli, Laura Braga, and Vasco Georgiev propel Guy Gardner across worlds and moons, John Kalisz lavishes bright colors on the cavalcade of characters and settings. John Stewart forms a demurer appearance. As he saves travelers wearing a black-and-green bodysuit, the yellow and orange surrounding the troubled vessel recalls the world where Guy liberated the Drekonites. Zardum’s clothes, cane, and prosthetic leg link him with Guy and John. Yet the Internal Affairs officer's red Tootsie Roll Pop links him with the object of Guy's concern in Tales of the Green Lantern Corps: Guy Gardner #1.

 

Dave Sharpe fills white dialogue balloons with black uppercase letters and white narrative boxes with green letters. John's ring speaks green words into white balloons. Raised voices enlarge letters, change text color, and deform balloons, while lowered voices shrink words. Music notes adorn a splash page that science-fiction writer Michael Coney would love. Sound effects enhance battles, earthshaking developments, and the latest advancements in home security. Thanks to DC Comics for sharing this story with us.

 

Final Thoughts

Everyone needs to make a good impression to get ahead. Yet, when a hunch doesn't pay off, Guy Gardner's methodology threatens to cut short his career. As his penchant for theatricality fills the Internal Affairs office with complaints, Zardum wonders if he can still trust his officer’s instincts in Tales of the Green Lantern Corps: Guy Gardner #1.

 

Rating 9.7/10

 

To look inside see my preview of Tales of the Green Lantern Corps: Guy Gardner #1.

JSA #18 Review

 

JSA #18 Review

Writer: Jeff Lemire

Artists: Gavin Guidry & Joey Vazquez

Colorists: Luis Guerrero & John Kalisz

Letterer: Steve Wands

Cover Artists: Dave Johnson; Matt Taylor; Cian Tormey & Romulo Fajardo Jr

Editors: Marquis Draper, Andrew Marino & Katie Kubert

Publisher: DC Comics

Price: $4.99/$5.99 Card Stock

Release Date: April 1, 2026

 

The Ultra-Humanite has freed himself from the constraints of the body. He can move his consciousness from one vessel to another. Taking over Walter Baze gives him control of Starco Corporation. But he dreams of more than being a captain of industry. With the Third Reich rising in Europe, the Ultra-Humanite intends to impress Adolf Hitler. Once he enters the Führer's inner circle, he can take command of Nazi Germany's war machine.

 

But before the Ultra-Humanite leaves the United States behind, he’s got a parting gift for Gotham City. Just a little sweetener to impress Hitler with. Can heroes like Alan Scott and Jay Garrick prevent the destruction of Gotham? And in 2026, can these patriarchs of the Justice Society of America rebuild their struggling superhero team? Let’s leap into JSA #18 and see!

 

Year One Chapter Six: Story

Cyclotron built the bomb. But when he hesitates, Satanna detonates it. As Starco Tower falls, Alan Scott leaps to protect his fellow heroes. Johnny Thunder sends his genie to protect people in the streets as the bomb beneath Starco sets off a chain reaction through Gordon Degroot's subway extension project. And while Jay Garrick is fast, not even the Flash can race in two directions at once.

 

In the Tower of Fate, his companions advocated for a noninterventionist policy. But with so much hanging in the balance, Doctor Fate cannot stand on the sidelines in JSA #18. While the teammates split up to prevent the Ultra-Humanite from destroying Gotham, Doctor Fate flies out to help prevent the world from descending into chaos.

 

Doctor Fate introduces this final installment about the formation of the Justice Society of America. While Jeff Lemire splits the team into three directions, his story demonstrates how the teammates learn to work together. Compared with the heroes’ selflessness, Satanna, Sportsmaster, and the Ultra-Humanite show their selfishness, while Cyclotron clings to the belief that his work is more important than how he treats others. As this high-energy story winds together, reality sets in. They may have worked together once. But in JSA #18, each hero must decide if they’re ready to commit to a future together.

 

Year One Chapter Six: Art

As the heroes stand in the grayish-green labs beneath Starco, the red light of the bomb and the power it unleashes threatens to overwhelm them. After a panel shows Hippolyta, Hawkman, and Hawkgirl beholding the destruction in their red and gold costumes, a red-and-gold cloud of fire rises among the towers of Gotham City.

 

As Luis Guerrero lavishes nuanced colors on the Ultra-Humanite’s attempt to destroy Gotham, green becomes the power of protection. Green Lantern shelters the heroes beneath a green forcefield. Johnny Thunder, in his green suit, sends his genie off to protect people in the streets. And in the subway, Jim Corrigan battles his fears of being the Spectre while protecting those inside from being crushed.

 

Gavin Guidry grounds the 1940s action in rectangular panels bordered by white space. When the action grows hectic, the panels get diagonal. Dark red separates panels when the heroes confront the Ultra-Humanite, while Thunderbolt shows his solidarity by tracing a pink outline of the Spectre’s face in the darkness. While big scenes may take over half a page, JSA #18 saves the splash pages for when all the heroes come together as a team.

 

The Search for the Spectre Prelude Part Two: Story

The 1940s were exciting days for the team. But the world has changed since the JSA came together. After their recent defeat, Alan Scott and Jay Garrick wondered if the team could adapt to meet the threats facing them today. Alan believed they must tighten their ranks. He needed to be sure that the people they fought with had their backs.

 

His children argue otherwise in Jeff Lemire’s story. They’ve fought to find their place in the JSA. Despite the losses they’ve suffered, Jade and Obsidian don’t want to throw in the towel. Nor do they want to live in the fear that every new member will betray them. When Atom Smasher and Stargirl arrive, their enthusiasm for rejoining the team bolsters Jade and Obsidian’s arguments. But just as they did in the 1940s, Alan and Jay must decide if they can set aside their fears, put the past behind them, and continue to fight for justice together.

 

The Search for the Spectre Prelude Part Two: Art

While Jade looks relaxed, Obsidian stands at the ready. Atom Smash and Stargirl's swagger make Alan and Jay glow. Still, concern overtakes Jay Garrick and Alan Scott's features as they ponder Jade and Obsidian's proposal. When holographic displays appear before the wood-paneled walls, the younger generation regards them with smiles. But when Alan's frown reappears, Jade's expression echoes her father's concern.

 

As Joe Kalisz lavishes a bright palette on Joey Vazquez’s art, Jade’s skin links her with the green on Alan Scott’s uniform in JSA #18. The black in his costume links Obsidian with his father, while the blue forms a bridge with Atom Smasher and Stargirl. The younger team members exude vitality with their vibrant coloring. Still, the color of the wood-paneled walls evokes the subway tunnels where the JSA fought the Ultra-Humanite’s forces. The red-and-yellow background of the holographic display seems a reminder that, just as they faced danger head-on in the 1940s, they can do so again.

 

Lettering

Doctor Fate's wisdom appears in white narrative boxes and dialogue balloons with gold outlines. As he addresses the importance of nurturing promising individuals and fostering teamwork, the characters' black uppercase letters grow bold for intonation and swell for raised voices. The Spectre’s dialogue fills green serrated balloons, emphasizing how much wielding the power hurts the wielder. Silver boxes reflect green and red, recalling the JSA’s circular tale, as Jay Garrick proudly recalls the historic events. When enlarged colorful dialogue fills panels, Steve Wands enhances the fraught battles below and above Gotham with eye-catching sound effects. Thanks to DC Comics for sharing this story with us.

 

Final Thoughts

They weren’t sure they had what it took. Nor did they all get along. But as the heroes come together to save not just Gotham City, but also their world, they wonder if they could achieve more together than individually.

 

They won’t always win. Not every teammate will prove loyal. Yet as they look toward the future, the younger generation inspires the elders who paved the way for them in JSA #18.

 

Rating 9.8/10

 

To look inside see my preview of JSA #18.

 

For what happened last time, see my review of JSA #17. 

The Rocketfellers TP Vol 1 Review

 

Writer: Peter J Tomasi

Artist: Francis Manapul

Colorists: Francis Manapul, John Kalisz & Ian Herring

Letterer: Rob Leigh

Cover Artist: Francis Manapul

Designer: Steve Blackwell

Editor: Brian Cunningham

Publisher: Image Comics

Price: $14.99

Release Date: September 10, 2025

 

When does your life begin? With your birth, your first big job, marriage, or a singular achievement? The Rocketfellers' story starts in the 25^th Century, as they race to evade their pursuers. Yet their lives begin anew when they travel back in time. How will this future family find life in the 21^st Century? And why did they have to flee the era of their birth? Let’s leap into The Rocketfellers TP Vol 1 and see!

 

Story

After remaking their lives in Olympia, Washington, the Rocketfellers invite the neighbors over for a meet-and-greet. A BBQ on Thanksgiving may be unusual, but Roland recognizes the need to get to know his neighbors as he flips the burgers. The wives and mothers gather around Rachel. They pepper her with questions about handsome Harry Helicopter, who Rachel flies above the city each morning for his traffic reports.

 

Rodney is getting up in years, but he intrigues the older ladies by mentioning his age and his military service. Richie makes new friends in the pool. His little sister, Rae, offers umbrellas in case it rains. The Rocketfellers TP Vol 1 introduces readers to a loving, supportive family. Yet Peter J Tomasi’s story reveals how they are suffering.

 

Rose’s death plagues them most. But aside from leaving Rodney’s wife and Roland’s mother behind, they also miss the 25^th Century. Leaving the technology and superior resources of their time forces each member to adapt. Rae develops a close relationship with nature. Richie's technological abilities help him pursue his interests, but don't come without risks.

 

Rachel has put her career on hold for her family twice before. Now, her family's safety forces her to miss what might be her last opportunity to fulfill a dream. At least Roland can continue his bioengineering project in the basement. And after losing his wife, Rodney's dedication to fitness attracts disciples.

 

In The Rocketfellers TP Vol 1, trouble arises from the people they left behind. Roland’s former employers aren’t happy that he absconded with company property. Reggie covers his brother's tracks at the Time Zone Protection Agency. Yet while Reggie gets on with his life, the wheels of justice that would allow his family to return grind slowly.

 

Art

Francis Manapul begins his story with the Rocketfellers speeding across a snowy landscape. Yellow energy courses through a sleek copper structure that would give Anakin Skywalker’s podracer a run for Watto’s money. A missile sends the vessel tumbling through the snow. The family climbs from the fiery wreck clad in yellow and black, with orange insulation extending above their necks. Rose helps her husband hobble along as figures on hoverbikes race toward them. After she begs them to abandon her, a silver cyborg confronts Rose. White specks of snow dot the metal face as orange eyes reflect Rose's final moments.

 

After the desperate race for survival in the tundra, the family surrounds Roland as he greets neighbors on their backyard deck. Older women watch as Rodney does pullups with a free weight chained to his waist. When their neighbors aren’t watching, Rex, the family’s chihuahua, proves an able companion. The canine cyborg sprouts appendages handy around the house or piloting a vehicle. Yet this family from the future motors around town in an old Volkswagen bus. John Kalisz, Ian Herring, and Francis Manapul adorn Peter J Tomasi’s lighthearted tale with a bright, cheery palette.

 

Rob Leigh portals black uppercase letters into white dialogue balloons in The Rocketfellers TP Vol 1. The letters grow bold for inflection, enlarge for raised voices, and rarely shrink. Balloons grow spiky when characters undergo stress. Purple letters in lavender boxes denote time and space changes, while Reggie speaks with his brother across time using green boxes with lightning-bolt arrows. Sound effects enhance this story about losing loved ones, forming new traditions, and Roland’s bioengineering experiment floating in green liquid. Thanks to Image Comics and Ghost Machine for providing a copy for review.

 

Final Thoughts

Each member of the Rocketfellers has given up something to become exiles. Yet each also gains something to ease the pain of that loss. Every page of this reverse Buck Rogers saga resonates with the power of family to help, harm, and inspire in The Rocketfellers TP Vol 1.

 

Rating 9.8/10

 

For covers from the series (including a Christmas one) see my review at Comic Book Dispatch. 

 

Merry Christmas, All! 

Hornsby & Halo TP Vol 1 Review

 

Creators: Peter J Tomasi & Peter Snejbjerg

Colorist: John Kalisz

Letterer: Rob Leigh

Cover Artists: Peter Snejbjerg & John Kalisz

Editor: Brian Cunningham

Designer: Steve Blackwell

Publisher: Image Comics

Price: $14.99

Release Date: September 3, 2025

 

When nations go to war, resolving the issues that sparked the conflict can be difficult. Often, the underlying problem is that they're different and don't understand each other. Ancient cultures brokered peace by exchanging royal children and letting their adoptive families raise them as their own.

 

There are no more ancient cultures than Heaven and Hell. When the two realms wish to broker peace after years of war, they exchange babies. Who will raise these children from Heaven and Hell? And how will the realms ensure that the children grow up to accept both realms? Let's grab a party hat and blow tickler, leap into Hornsby & Halo TP Vol 1, and see!

 

Story

Zachary was an infant sired by angels. Rose was born to rule the Underworld. The task of overseeing their development fell to the Adjudicator. He placed them with Human families of opposing natures. The Hornsbys adopted Rose. As she grows, she helps them run the local community center. The Adjudicator placed Zachary with the Halos, who operate a funeral home. While Rose helps feed and clothe the unhoused residents of Warwick, New York, Zachary performs all the menial tasks so his parents can preen in their finery and go skiing on a snowy weekend.

 

As thirteen marks the beginning of the teen years, agents from Heaven and Hell arrive to test the children. These are not authorized visits in Peter J Tomasi’s story. Instead, they are surreptitious attempts to activate the children's inherent natures and help them reclaim their destiny. The Adjudicator has watched over Zachary and Rose for twelve years. But because the agents come in disguise, he doesn’t realize they are trying to break the celestial peace.

 

In Hornsby & Halo TP Vol 1, an unintended act of vandalism stirs Zachary's and Rose's emotions. When Zachary's parents upset him, his spirit attempts to rectify their foul deed. Linked by Zachary's hurtful act, Rose's spirit rises to pursue him. When their paths cross at Mount Hope Cemetery, Zachary and Rose compete for the same goal. While one wins the prize, both must deal with the consequences of victory.

 

Art

While baby Rose bathes in fire, baby Zachary flies with doves in Hornsby & Halo TP Vol 1. As she plays with skeletal birds and a toy ferryman in his boat, he eats tufts of clouds and shares his meal with his avian playmates. Rose clutches her mother’s horns when a sword-clad demon lifts her daughter from her bath. Zachary clambers over an angel's back, yanking out wing feathers as they fly over a field of fallen demons. More feathers descend as angels and demons hover above heavenly and hellish cities. Swords, pitchforks, and spears glow as energy and fluids spill from their lifeless bodies.

 

While Peter Snejbjerg provides tantalizing visions of Heaven, Hell, and small-town life in New York, John Kalisz lavishes a loaded palette on Hornsby & Halo TP Vol 1. Stars shine amid the darkness surrounding the blue-skinned Adjudicator as he clutches the orange and pink infants. After the intensely colored eternal realms, red-haired Rose sits amid gentler colors in her school bus. Her green art bag hovers before her as her schoolmate grabs her sketchbook. Zachary garners more attention as he leans out of the bus window. As he closes his eyes, birds soar above his outstretched arm.

 

Black uppercase letters in gray boxes reveal the children’s cosmic origins. Black letters in white balloons convey dialogue as the children fail to recognize the bond uniting them. Rob Leigh shows the children’s pets bark and meow into nonspherical balloons with lightning bolt arrows. Sound effects fill panels as agent provocateurs descend on Warwick, unleashing a variety of colored and shaped dialogue balloons. Thanks to Image Comics and Ghost Machine for providing a review copy.

 

Final Thoughts

What does becoming an authentic person involve? Can you accommodate others' differing worldviews without diminishing your identity? In Hornsby & Halo TP Vol 1, a celestial war has slaughtered millions of angels and demons. All that prevents the conflict from restarting is two children who don't know who they are and must decide who they wish to become.

 

Rating 9.5/10

 

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

Geiger TP Vol 3 Review

 

Creators: Geoff Johns & Gary Frank

Writer: Geoff Johns

Artist: Gary Frank

Penciler: Paul Pelletier

Inker: Andrew Hennessy

Colorists: Brad Anderson & John Kalisz

Letterer: Rob Leigh

Editor: Brian Cunningham

Designer: Steve Blackwell

Publisher: Image Comics

Price: $16.99

Release Date: June 4, 2025

 

After their battle with the Electrician, Barney feels down. Geiger and Nate wonder if the two-headed wolf will carry on. That night, Barney abandons their camp to protect and befriend a zebra. Geiger doesn’t want another mouth to feed. But Nate adores the three-eyed foal. So, the living nuclear reactor is responsible for four people. Can Geiger find the other glowing man like him and discover a cure for his condition? Or will the people hunting Geiger find them first? Let's grab some Boron dust, leap into Geiger TP Vol 3, and find out!

 

Story

Geoff Johns begins with a fight as Goldfield and other warriors try to capture Geiger. These knights regard Nate as a traitor. The Nuclear Knight understands the need to bring order to the post-apocalyptic wasteland. The warlords of Las Vegas safeguard civilization. They want the Glowing Man to unleash his immense power on their enemies. Before Nate sought redemption from Geiger, the Nuclear Knight served the warlords. Now, Nate protects isolated communities with his new friends in Geiger TP Vol 3.

 

As Geiger, Nate, Barney, and Zigzag travel to Lewistown, Montana, they find Nightcrawlers attacking people. When they realize the children donned radiation suits and risked the giant ants to find books, Geiger feels a link with them. Yet, the children also remind him of the family he lost. Before he became the Glowing Man, Geiger loved sharing his love of reading with his son and daughter. Like Geiger, these children’s parents mourn a world they can never have again. Unlike him, the community’s leaders disdain books.

 

After continuing Geiger's adventures with three recent issues, Geiger TP Vol 3 revisits the Glowing Man's origins. The two-issue story explains why the Russian bombs that decimated cities spread their mutation-producing radiation across the continental United States. Like the parents who fear the consequences of reading books, the Geiger: Ground Zero miniseries reminds us how often we perpetuate our ancestors' flawed legacies.

 

Art

While Nate cuts and thrusts with his sword, Geiger’s glowing skeleton slices through plate armor or breaks glass faceplates. As Geiger wields his control rods like truncheons, and the two-headed wolf bites and claws, the three-eyed Zebra foal watches. Paul Pelletier and Andrew Hennessy portray Geiger's battles with giant ants, repressive leaders, and the knights who seek Geiger as a wedding gift for the Queen and New King of Las Vegas.

 

Then, a Russian immigrant aids a military leader in Geiger TP Vol 3. Gary Frank peels away a quarter-decade to show Tariq Geiger’s fragile form before the radiation healed him. The art reveals why the military leader hunts the Glowing Man and, like Nate, how the Russian strives to relieve Geiger’s suffering.

 

Brad Anderson and John Kalisz lavish loaded palettes on Geiger TP Vol 3. Perhaps the brightest colors adorn a meeting in Las Vegas as the corpulent queen holds court. The warlords adopt iconic costumes from decades and centuries past. Subdued colors portray green-clad soldiers pursuing a glowing green skeleton through the gray night. Lamps illuminate the darkness as Tariq reads to his son and daughter. Sunlight helps a community glow when Geiger and Nate escort their children home.

 

Rob Leigh places uppercase black letters in dialogue balloons that grow bold for intonation, enlarge for volume, and shrink for lowered voices. Intense emotions distort balloons, while colorful dialogue amplifies the action. Sound effects help us hear the Nightcrawlers’ clicking, Zigzag’s braying, knights battling, control rods hissing, and a cherished memory incinerating. Script excerpts, process art, and covers close out Geiger TP Vol 3. Thanks to Image Comics and Ghost Machine for providing a review copy.

 

Final Thoughts

The Glowing Man is a dangerous man to know. Befriending him also has its perils. Painful memories propel Geiger on a desperate hunt for a cure in Geiger TP Vol 3. Yet his strange condition has allowed the morose man to survive and protect others from gangs, scavengers, and the monsters that terrorize the American wasteland.

 

Rating 9.6/10

 

This review first appeared at Comic Book Dispatch.

 

For a look inside see my preview of Geiger #7, the first issue in Geiger TP Vol 3. 

Hornsby And Halo #6 Review

 

Storytellers: Peter J Tomasi & Peter Snejbjerg

Colorist: John Kalisz

Letterer: Rob Leigh

Designer: Steve Blackwell

Editor: Brian Cunningham

Cover Artists: Peter Snejbjerg & John Kalisz; Germán Peralta; Mark Chiarello

Publisher: Image Comics

Price: $3.99

Release Date: April 23, 2025

 

After returning the zombies to their graves, Zachary Halo and Rose Hornsby wanted to resume their lives. But even a Vulcan Nerve Pinch can’t awaken the teenagers from this nightmare. The creature Rose calls a Mutant Demon Lion can assume any shape. Zachary and Rose know him best as their bus driver, but the Adjudicator has taken many forms while watching over them during their adolescence.

 

With agents from Heaven and Hell trying to influence the thirteen-year-olds, the Adjudicator agrees to show them where they came from. Will discovering their origins bring Zachary and Rose peace? Or will it freak them out even more? Let’s grab some snacks from the Drive-In Theater concession stand, leap into Hornsby And Halo #6, and find out!

 

Story

Zachary damaged Rose's sketchbook, broke into her bedroom, hotwired the truck from Jim's Orchard, and pilfered candy bars from the concession stand. So, when the Adjudicator transports them to Hell, Rose struggles to accept she belongs there, while Zachary hails from Heaven. It doesn't help that a demon welcomes her by name. Nor does Rose appreciate Zachary's snarky comments as they watch people suffering eternal torment.

 

But then, Zachary is not enjoying their interdimensional sightseeing tour either. Zachary has spent his youth weighed down by guilt over his parents’ bad behavior. He blames himself for the zombie uprising. So when Zachary visits Heaven in Hornsby And Halo #6, he struggles to feel like he belongs. Worst, Heaven delivers good vibes but seems strangely lacking in substance.

 

The Adjudicator finds the teenager’s dissatisfaction troubling in Peter J Tomasi & Peter Snejbjerg’s story. He has watched over them all their lives. Yet Rose and Zachary hesitate to trust him. The Adjudicator granted their wish to see where they belong. Yet the teens wonder if they want the privileged futures awaiting them. The Adjudicator tries to make Rose and Zachary understand that they must prevent a cosmic war. Still, Rose and Zachary struggle to accept that everything they thought they knew about themselves is a lie in Hornsby And Halo #6.

 

Art

Peter Snejbjerg conveys Rose and Zachary’s space odyssey amid cinematic widescreen imagery. Panels stretch across two pages or convey depth in vertical strips as the characters descend to Hell and ascend to Heaven. The interdimensional imagery seems lifted from illuminated manuscripts painted with quill pens in medieval monasteries. A moment of wonder in Hornsby And Halo #6 recalls Superzach’s “flights” on the school bus. Visions of her eternal destiny evoke drawings in Rose’s sketchbook.

 

After remaining by Zachary’s side during the zombie uprising, Pepper gazes at a tiny cosmos of pink, blue, and white circles. The green-eyed orange-and-white cat paws at the sparkling energy as if struggling to believe its master left it behind. Rose and Zachary fly through green clouds amid the starry cosmos. Orange, yellow, and red convey the horrors of Hell, while purple and green portray doomed souls. Greens and blues dominate the Adjudicator’s ascent, while beige, blue, mauve, and white fill Heaven with radiance and mystery. John Kalisz's colors capture the majesty and horrors of the eternal realm and the richness of Earth.

 

Rob Leigh places uppercase letters into white and colored dialogue balloons. Letter size, balloon shape, and arrow size vary as the teens ask the Adjudicator to hold their hands. Sound effects convey the anguish of Hell, a battle in Heaven, and the Adjudicator’s frustration when the future rulers turn on each other. Thanks to Image Comics and Ghost Machine for providing a copy for review.

 

Final Thoughts

Rose and Zachary used to respect Mr Wenders. Now, they call their bus driver by his first name and question everything he tells them. Like many teens, Rose and Zachary struggle to embrace truths they don't want to accept. But then, people like the Adjudicator have been influencing them without their knowledge or consent. While their friends ponder how to spend their lives, Rose and Zachary's futures seem already written in Hornsby And Halo #6.

 

Rating 9.4/10

 

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

Hornsby And Halo #5 Review

 

Storytellers: Peter J Tomasi & Peter Snejbjerg

Colorist: John Kalisz

Letterer: Rob Leigh

Designer: Steve Blackwell

Editor: Brian Cunningham

Cover Artists: Peter Snejbjerg & John Kalisz; Gary Frank & Brad Anderson; Dean Haspiel

Publisher: Image Comics

Price: $3.99

Release Date: March 26, 2025

 

A hellish night united them, forcing Zachary to sprout a feathered wing to spirit a fiery Rose and his cat Pepper away. After resuming human form, Zachary uses his ingenuity to appease the unquiet dead and return them to the cemetery. But their transformations and evening assisting zombies leave both teens disturbed. Each thought they knew who they were. Now, they are unsure where they belong.

 

Zachary and Rose attend Warwick Valley Central School but have never been friends. After destroying Rose's sketchbook, Zach invaded Rose's bedroom to reclaim the burial goods she stole from the grave robbers. Zachary is a child of Heaven raised by fiendish undertakers. Rose is a child of Hell growing up with nurturing social workers. Can the two thirteen-year-olds help each other adjust to their supernatural puberty? Let's leap into Hornsby And Halo #5 and find out!

 

Story

Zachary is used to taking the blame. His parents may run the mortuary, but he does all the work. Like Cinderella and her stepsisters, Zachary slaves while his mom and dad play. He takes responsibility for the zombie invasion, weighed down by guilt over his parents’ thefts. But Zachary also picks locks and hotwires vehicles. In Hornsby And Halo #5, Rose becomes his conscience, pointing out consequences await those who groove to Judas Priest's famous song.

 

Like Zachary, the Adjudicator also feels guilty. He believes he failed to prepare the children for their Coming Out party. So, when agents from Heaven and Hell attempt to use the children to restart the War Between The Realms, Zachary and Rose aren't ready. The zombie invasion and their transformations freaked them out. Now, they can no longer distinguish reality from fantasy.

 

Peter J Tomasi and Peter Snejbjerg's story evokes parents ripping away the illusion of belonging. In Hornsby And Halo #5, the Adjudicator must find a way to get Rose and Zachary to trust him. But the young teens want nothing to do with him. Unlike Rose, Zachary can not lock horns with him. But, like Rose, he insists they belong with their human parents.

 

Art

The Sphinx towers over the children in the cemetery. Rose and Zachary are so desperate to wake up that when they pinch each other, both children scream and shake off the pain. Zachary, Rose, and the Adjudicator become reverse silhouettes before the blazing truck headlights. With one sweep of his hands, energy crackles across the graves, and the snow covering the reburied caskets smoothen. But, the moment the Sphinx takes his eyes off them, the teens vanish.

 

John Kalisz lavishes a bright palette on appealing characters caught in crisis. The little cemetery, old truck, and snow-covered town are just some of the beloved remnants of Americana that ground readers in fantastic events. The evening sky becomes a tapestry of grayish greens dappled with white amid the frantic, high-flying action. But in Hornsby And Halo #5, nothing is more eye-catching than the Sphinx. Pink, blue, and purple galaxy spin across its dark wings while its glowing yellow eyes link with the golden bands covering his forearms.  

 

Rob Leigh places uppercase letters into white and colored dialogue balloons. Letter size ranges from blessedly generous to accursedly small as the children confront a creature out of mythology. Enlarged and bold letters deform arrows and threaten balloon integrity. Flying stars enhance the children’s pain, while sound effects amplify their fright. But the emblem on a stolen truck reminds us Zachary and Rose tasted something forbidden. Their childhood is over, and scary adulthood awaits. Thanks to Image Comics and Ghost Machine for providing a copy for review.

 

Final Thoughts

After settling an undead uprising, Rose and Zachary hope to resume their lives. Neither feels like they belong. Still, that is all they know. In Hornsby And Halo #5, the shocks to their systems continue. On the cusp of physical, emotional, and social changes, the thirteen-year-olds discover that their peers aren’t their peers, their parents aren’t their parents, and their world isn’t their home.

 

Rating 9/10

 

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

The Rocketfellers #4 Review

 

Writer: Peter J Tomasi

Artist: Francis Manapul

Colorists: John Kalisz, Ian Herring & Francis Manapul

Letterer: Rob Leigh

Cover Artist: Francis Manapul; Brad Walker & Brad Anderson; Todd Nauck

Designer: Steve Blackwell

Editor: Brian Cunningham

Publisher: Image Comics

Price: $3.99

Release Date: March 19, 2025

 

Roland Rocketfeller discovered a secret his employer prefers to remain hidden. Forced to flee their wrath, Roland's brother Reggie enlisted Roland and his family in the Time Zone Protection Program. Officially, no one knows where and when the Rocketfellers reside. But Reggie has told his fiancée Olivia. And Cronex is scouring time zones and interlinked realities for clues to their hiding place.

 

Abandoning the 25^th Century for the 21^st necessitated learning new ways of living. It also meant leaving behind Roland's mother, Rose. While the Rocketfellers gradually adjust to our time, their neighbor notices Rachel’s enhanced swimming ability. Roland and Rachel's son Richie exploits his futuristic skills for spending money. Can Cronex follow the family’s footsteps through time? And will they capture Roland’s bioengineering project before it matures? Let’s grab our hoverboards, leap into The Rocketfellers #4, and find out!

 

Story

While Richie attracted notice at the family's neighborhood Thanksgiving bash, Rodney proved a hit with the ladies. Seniors in the neighborhood join him on his morning run. The ladies don't realize he wasn't joking about his age. Nor do they know he has a cybernetic leg. But they respond to his zest for life, and he inspires them with his commitment to physical fitness.

 

Rachel remains the thrill seeker in the family. In The Rocketfellers #4, she remembers the heartbreaks of her career. Roland takes a rare break from his basement lab to revive her spirits. While Rachel refuses to complain about her sacrifice, her actions on their sporting date suggest resentment over putting her dreams on hold.

 

Perhaps the most intriguing member of the family is little Rae. In The Rocketfellers #4, the Sparrows she rescued from a Christmas tree are no longer babies. Yet they return to her after their flights and are content to remain in a box. Rae has a reverence for nature. In Peter J Tomasi's story, the young girl demonstrates a deeper understanding of our world than her brother senses.

 

Art

Francis Manapul gives us a second look at Yuri and Nicholas. The stature-challenged brothers dress like decorated generals as they shake a seated man awake. Like Dennis Nedry in Jurrasic Park, the worker sits at a desk littered with empty cans, paper cups, and scattered snacks from a bag. He is shocked when his Napoleon-like bosses surround him in The Rocketfellers #4. Their words relax his facial muscles, and he smiles as they escort him from the control room. When the brothers activate a big screen, the other workers turn to watch the man meet with the demure Miss Kleb.

 

John Kalisz, Ian Herring, and Francis Manapul lavish bright colors and realistic flesh tones on Rachel as we glimpse her face through a page of numbers. Green holoscreens surround control room workers clad in green suits. The repulsors on their gravchairs glow yellow, linking them with the mission controller and the astronauts surrounded by purple. Then Rachel, clad in a green-and-yellow Jetsons-like minidress, stares at their yellow-and-brown TZPP suits hanging in the closet.

 

Rob Leigh portals black uppercase letters into white dialogue balloons in The Rocketfellers #4. The letters grow bold for inflection, enlarge for raised voices, and rarely shrink. Balloons grow spiky when characters undergo stress. Purple letters in lavender boxes denote time and space changes as Reggie's fiancée Olivia travels through time. A fact sheet on Rodney featuring lowercase letters closes this family saga. Thanks to Image Comics and Ghost Machine for providing a copy for review.

 

Final Thoughts

Raina demonstrates the company's ruthlessness when she travels through time to prevent the Time Zone Protection Program from building a case against Cronex. Raina seems heartless and cruel. Yet a repetitive injury suggests an intriguing link between Raina and Roland in The Rocketfellers #4.

 

Rating 9.6/10

 

To look inside and view more cover art see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.

Hornsby And Halo #4 Review

 

Storytellers: Peter J Tomasi & Peter Snejbjerg

Colorist: John Kalisz

Letterer: Rob Leigh

Designer: Steve Blackwell

Editor: Brian Cunningham

Cover Artists: Peter Snejbjerg & John Kalisz; Ivan Reis, Danny Miki & Brad Anderson; Kyle Hotz & Dan Brown

Publisher: Image Comics

Price: $3.99

Release Date: February 26, 2025

 

Heaven and Hell made a pact. They sacrificed their highborn children to end a terrible war. Hell sent Rose to live among the selfless Hornsbys. Heaven sent Zachary to live with the selfish Halo family. The Adjudicator chose their Human parents to ensure the children got a balanced view of good and evil. Perhaps one day, they will visit the Council Of Realms. Zachary and Rose can share how they learned to tolerate other views and make peace with their enemies. But first, they must survive their turbulent teen years.

 

Zachary and Rose’s powers manifest when they hit thirteen. Zachary shares his cupcake with his cat in an empty home. Rose’s parents throw her a party in the Hornsby Warwick Community Center. After falling asleep, the children fly to Mount Hope Cemetery to intercept grave robbers. But while Zachary returned home empty-handed, Rose captured the robbers' loot. Can the Highborn Infernal and Celestial survive the zombies that arose from the cemetery and want their valuables back? Let's leap into Hornsby And Halo #4 and find out!

 

Story

A Celestial posing as a postal worker gave Zachary a box. Inside was a quill and a tiny cloud. When the zombies chased the kids, she urged him to eat the cloud. Zachary sprouted a wing, prompting Rose to assume her demon shape. The kids may not be friends, but both realize this extraordinary experience unites them. This metamorphosis differs from their night at the cemetery when they shed their Human forms. Zachary evades the zombies by carrying Rose and his cat into the air. But he is new to flight and unsure of his abilities. The kids end up back in the snow, and the zombies resume their pursuit.

 

A Celestial influenced Zachary's changes. Yet, Infernal agents have also visited the kids' town. Factions from both sides want to end the peace and resume the War Of The Realms. As Zachary and Rose revise their perceptions of who they are, the Adjudicator watches over them in Hornsby And Halo #4. By day, he poses as their school bus driver. But he takes other forms and jobs in Warwick to keep watch over his charges.

 

Rose and Zachary have otherworldly powers. Yet, in Peter J Tomasi and Peter Snejbjerg’s story, they tackle the zombies using their skills and ingenuity. While her parents’ ethics have rubbed off on Rose, she angers easily and realizes her role in endangering her neighborhood. Zachary uses the skills his underhanded undertaker parents taught him to right wrongs and recognize his responsibility for the undead uprising.

 

Art

White fire burns one side of Zach’s face. Yellow and orange fire erupts on half of Rose’s. While Rose’s body assumes her demonic shape, Zachary remains in street clothes. Each has one glowing eye and one Human eye, while light fills the zombies' eyes. The inked and colored faces lend the zombies a kid-friendly appeal. Pepper, Zach's orange cat, also enchants with its antics. While wearing the pearl necklace, Pepper betrays no fear of falling from trees or risky maneuvers requiring split-second timing.

 

Zach’s white and orange coloring matches the night sky and falling snow. Ruth may struggle to walk on her clawed toes, but her orange and yellow coloring links her with Pepper. Ruth's pink jacket turns lavender amid darkness, and both colors echo the zombies' attire. Blues and greens also dominate the attractive coloring in Hornsby And Halo #4. After Peter Snejbjerg pairs Zachary, Rose, and Pepper’s flight with the Adjudicator and the Celestial’s, John Kalisz colors the Adjudicator’s power yellow and orange.

 

Rob Leigh places uppercase letters into white and colored dialogue balloons. Letter size ranges from blessedly generous to accursedly small to signal inflection and volume. Enlarged and bold letters deform arrows and threaten balloon integrity. Sound effects link small actions between Zachary and the Adjudicator while enlivening impacts and honking horns. Yet the multiple squiggly arrows dropping from the zombies' balloons make the strongest statement about life and our relationship with each other in Hornsby And Halo #4. Thanks to Image Comics and Ghost Machine for providing a copy for review.

 

Final Thoughts

While Rose and Zachary discover their Nature, the thirteen-year-olds rely on their Nurture to resolve a crisis and bring peace to the injured in Hornsby And Halo #4.

 

Rating 9/10

 

For two more covers see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.