Lenore: Ghost Story #1 Review

 

Lenore: Ghost Story #1 Review

Writer, Artist, Colorist & Letterer: Roman Dirge

Cover Artists: Roman Dirge & Kit Wallis

Editor: David Leach

Designer: Matt Bookman

Publisher: Titan Comics

Price: $4.99

Release Date: May 13, 2026

 

Lenore lives with her friends Pooty and Ragamuffin in a house outside Nevermore. She enjoys exploring the woods surrounding her home. The little undead girl plays games with her friends, watches movies, and reads classic tales. Despite her penchant for violence, Lenore often shies away from killing cute and cuddly creatures.

 

After surviving their encounter with the Beebee Yaga and her grandson, Lenore, Pooty, and Ragamuffin return to the woods. How will they wile away the evening? And which will be a bigger target for roasting: the marshmallows they brought, or each other’s stories? Let’s leap into Lenore: Ghost Story #1 and see!

 

Story

After the homicidal Pickle Hat trapped Lenore, Ragamuffin, and Pooty inside their house, they grew hungry. So when two Time Goat agents arrived to rescue them, Lenore killed and cooked them. But eating the meat of seasoned time travelers dispersed the friends across the time stream. And when they united in ancient Egypt, Time Goats sent all their agents to the distant past to kill Lenore, Ragamuffin, and Pooty.

 

As darkness falls, and they roast their marshmallows, Ragamuffin asks for a ghost story in Lenore: Ghost Story #1. The undead girl still has goats on the brain. It takes Ragamuffin a while to explain he wants a ghost story, not a goat story. Lenore grows angry when her story fails to command her friends' attention. So, when Ragamuffin begins his tale, Lenore's not inclined to listen.

 

Although Muffin Monster has rejoined their circle of friends, Lenore allows few people into her inner circle. As Lenore and Ragamuffin compete for Best Storytelling honors, more visitors from previous adventures arrive in Roman Dirge’s story. They serve as reminders that Lenore may regard the people who help her, bring her joy, and offer her affection as irritants or threats to her way of life. And like Flashback Squirrel, Lenore knows how to protect herself from those she cannot abide.

 

Art

After catching Flashback Squirrel at an awkward moment, a yellow pinprick amid the silhouettes of evergreens welcomes readers to the Hundred Story Woods. The friends sit on logs by the fire, while the new addition to Lenore's family sits in a pet carrier. Lenore smiles as she delivers a killer conclusion to her story. But when Muffin Monster and Pooty regard her with bemusement, she grows increasingly incensed. Eventually, she leaps off the log, lands before Ragamuffin, and shakes the stuffed doll in Lenore: Ghost Story #1.

 

As Roman Dirge adorns his art with vibrant color, green dominates the friends' evening by the fire. While Ragamuffin is Black and White, gray accompanies decay and death in his biographical story. A yellow visitor links with the campfire and reminds readers of how Lenore treated the person the last time they met. Pink links the Muffin Monster with his life-changing present, while red drenches Ragamuffin’s story and evokes the room where the friends conceived their post-apocalyptic adventure.

 

Large uppercase black letters fill white dialogue balloons. Like the dark panel borders, the balloon and box shapes suggest hand lettering. Ragamuffin's narration fills beige balloons. Words written on a person’s forehead suggest their thoughts, while a white word that hovers before Lenore doesn’t deliver the intended effect. But white sound effects accompany the action as storytelling grows increasingly fraught in Lenore: Ghost Story #1. Thanks to Titan Comics for providing a review copy.

 

Final Thoughts

While three is company, four doesn’t necessarily make a crowd. Still, the Muffin Monster’s return prompts the friends to pair off. Ragamuffin helped the undead girl amid her helplessness, and Muffin Monster delivered a cure for the zoomies. So, Pooty stays close to Lenore while Ragamuffin draws strength from Muffin Monster’s support. Yet Ragamuffin has something he wants to get off his chest, and the vampire trapped in a stuffed doll is determined to tell it in Lenore: Ghost Story #1.

 

Rating 9.8/10

 

To look inside see my preview of Lenore: Ghost Story #1. 

 

For what happened last time, see my review of Lenore: Muffin Else Matters #1. 

Lenore: Muffin Else Matters #1 Review

 

Lenore: Muffin Else Matters #1 Review

Writer, Artist, Colorist & Letterer: Roman Dirge

Cover Artists: Roman Dirge & Kit Wallis

Publisher: Titan Comics

Price: $4.99

Release Date: April 15, 2026

 

Death couldn't stop Lenore's huge spirit from returning to the little girl. She lives in her family's house with her friends Pooty and Ragamuffin. Along with the demon from Heck and the vampire reincarnated as a doll, the former Egyptian Pharaoh Taxidermy occasionally visits the undead girl.

 

Recently, another friend has resurfaced. He was enhancing his culinary skills by training with the muffin chefs in Europe. But when he got Pooty's call, Muffin Monster dropped everything to return to Nevermore. How will Lenore's life change now that the Muffin Monster has returned? And what happens when Lenore goes into cat withdrawals? Let’s leap into Lenore: Muffin Else Matters #1 and see!

 

Story

Lenore, Pooty, and Ragamuffin may have exceeded the average Human lifespan. Still, they're easily bored. So when their Xbox breaks, Pooty explores a new interest. But after enjoying the high life as a celebrated gladiator in ancient Rome, Pooty raids the Funsies budget whenever he sees something he wants. While Ragamuffin takes him to task for his selfishness, Pooty’s weakness pales in significance when Lenore gets the zoomies.

 

Ragamuffin may be a vampire trapped in a stuffed toy. Still, he cares for Lenore and puts up with Pooty’s antics. He often plays the sidekick in Lenore’s adventures. Both Pooty and Lenore may look the other way when Ragamuffin suffers misfortune. But in Lenore: Muffin Else Matters #1, Ragamuffin drives the story. He knows Lenore’s history better than Pooty and how to act when Lenore starts meowing, scratching, licking, and coughing up furballs. Pooty thinks the solution to Lenore’s dilemma is easy. But as they struggle to help their friend recover, the demon realizes how much he and Lenore need Ragamuffin to keep them grounded.

 

As a child, Lenore loved her family. But so long after they abandoned her, all she knows about them is the absence in her life that they should be filling. Roman Dirge’s story delves into Lenore’s past and explains the reason behind one of her struggles. It may not explain every mystery in Lenore's past, or why her family rejected her when she returned to life. But as Ragamuffin's authority on the occult says, sometimes, the past should remain a mystery in Lenore: Muffin Else Matters #1.

 

Art

Ragamuffin crosses his arms over his chest as he remonstrates with Pooty. The demon flings his arms in the air and points at his purchases. But mostly, he rests his hands on the purple marble-framed game table. When Pooty realizes how he has failed them, his head droops. The demon looks up when Lenore soars over the table. She crawls down the hall and leaps over furniture. Then she bounds onto a window seat. Frowning at the bird perched on a wooden railing outside, Lenore scratches at the window.

 

Roman Dirge applies a lavish palette of vibrant colors to Lenore: Muffin Else Matters #1. A diagonal checkerboard of purple, lavender, and beige wallpaper rises above the wainscotting that tops the maroon and coral stripes. Purple dominates the elegant rooms of her family's mansion. Red, pink, and blue also glow in the light shining through the gold-framed windows and the yellow lamps. At night, the former vampire lies in his bedroom on a red bedspread. When he ventures into the house at night, a green cast fills the walls, furniture, and people illuminated by his flashlight. And a glimpse of a green, blue, and yellow realm evokes Lenore’s meeting with Cthulhu.

 

Large uppercase black letters fill white dialogue balloons and colored paper scraps. Like the dark panel borders, the balloon and box shapes suggest hand lettering. Ragamuffin speaks into yellow balloons while braving the darkness with the yellow beam of his flashlight. An occult authority’s off-panel dialogue fills green balloons. White sound effects fill the darkness and accompany broken white lines, revealing how Lenore's affliction drives her actions. Thanks to Titan Comics for providing a review copy.

 

Final Thoughts

Confronted with Lenore's dilemma, Ragamuffin reveals an unexplored episode of Lenore's history and how one friend sought justice for the undead girl. As Pooty helps him seek a remedy to Lenore's affliction, another friend comes to their aid. Whether dead or alive, friends stick together, and love never dies in Lenore: Muffin Else Matters #1.

 

Rating 9.8/10

 

To look inside see my preview of Lenore: Muffin Else Matters #1.

 

For what happened last time, see my review of Lenore: Blood & Money #1. 

 

For how this series began, see my review of Lenore: Curse of the Beebee Yaga #1. 

Lenore: Muffin Else Matters #1 Preview

 

COVER A: ROMAN DIRGE

Lenore may have died. But that couldn't prevent her huge spirit from returning the little girl to life. Lenore lives in her family's house with her friends Pooty and Ragamuffin. Along with the demon from Heck and the vampire reincarnated as a doll, the former Egyptian Pharoah Taxidermy occasionally pays her a visit. 

Recently, another friend has resurfaced. He was enhancing his culinary skills by training with the muffin chefs in Europe. But when he got Pooty's call, Muffin Monster dropped everything to return to Nevermore. How will Lenore's life change now that the Muffin Monster has returned? And what happens when Lenore goes into cat withdrawals?

Here's all the info from Titan Comics:

 

LENORE MUFFIN ELSE MATTERS #1

Format: Comic book

Writer / Artist: Roman Dirge

Publisher: Titan Comics

FC, 32pp, $4.99, On sale: April 15 2026

 

Behold a tale of Lenore and her kitties! When Lenore’s cat battery runs down due to a lack of feline friends, an ancient Witch takes us on an origin story of Lenore’s history of cats, which holds the key to unlocking the truth about Lenore’s mum. THIRD ISSUE IN A SERIES OF FOUR LENORE ONE SHOTS!

 

 

Now, let's take a look inside:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here's another cover option:

 

 

COVER B: KIT WALLIS

 

  

Thanks to Titan Comics for sharing this preview with us.

 

For what happened last time, see my review of Lenore: Blood & Money #1. 

 

For how this series started, see my review of Lenore: Curse of the Beebee Yaga #1. 

 

 

For more info: 

https://titan-comics.com/c/2425-lenore-muffin-else-matters/

 

Lenore: The Time War HC Review

 

Lenore: The Time War HC Review

Writer, Artist, Colorist & Letterer: Roman Dirge

Cover Artists: Roman Dirge & Kit Wallis

Editor: David Leach

Designer: Matt Bookman

Publisher: Titan Comics

Price: $24.99

Release Date: July 22, 2025

 

Lenore and her friends live in the town of Nevermore. Ragamuffin is a vampire trapped in a stuffed doll. Pooty is a bucket-headed demon with a pitchfork who decided he liked living with Lenore better than inhabiting his native realm. Yet strange things happen in Nevermore. When Lenore’s Pickle Hat becomes self-aware, it tries to kill the undead girl and her friends.

 

Like a medieval lord, knights, and villagers trapped in a castle, the situation grows steadily worse as the siege continues year after year. Weakened and irritable due to lack of food, can Lenore and her friends escape the psychotic Pickle Hat and get something to eat? And how might their actions affect Humanity? Let’s slip on our time rings, leap into Lenore: The Time War HC, and see!

 

Story

When events reach their lowest ebb, Time Goats teleport into Lenore’s home. They take her side and urge Pooty not to kill the Pickle Hat. Sadly, hunger overwhelms Lenore. Although they could rescue her, she kills the Time Goats and shares the roasted meat with her friends. Yet as they eat, the three friends teleport to distant locales in Lenore: The Time War HC. Pooty makes a new life in ancient Rome. Ragamuffin adapts to life in the Cretaceous Period. Lenore appears in space and joins a cosmic choir.

 

At first, the friends fare well apart from each other. Pooty may miss Lenore and Ragamuffin. Yet the demon enjoys wealth and acclaim as a gladiator. Ragamuffin finds a new family when he joins a band of Velociraptors. Still, the vampire-doll yearns for more. Ironically, Lenore finds fulfillment with her new friends. Like someone suddenly discovering the all-encompassing power of religion, Lenore never grows bored, hungry, or yearns to kill anyone as she sings with space aliens.

 

Lenore may have lived for a century. Still, she is a child. And after six years, the undead girl wonders why the choir sings. As curiosity often provokes change, Lenore goes on an adventure across space and time. But when Lenore and her friends reunite, the Time Goat society that monitors the stability of the time stream triangulates their position in Lenore: The Time War HC.

 

Art

Lenore’s mansion seems filled with the mysterious power that resurrected her. After vanishing from her stately home, Lenore hangs out with tooth-shaped aliens wearing robes. In Rome, Pooty uses his pitchfork to slay Human gladiators wearing golden helmets with red plumes. After each bout, women in robes and sashes crave his bucket-head body. Ragamuffin races with Velociraptors through grasslands to leap upon unsuspecting prey. Each evening, the stuffed doll scratches its back with a crab on a stick. Then, Ragamuffin sleeps in the skull of a Tyrannosaurus beneath a starry blue sky.

 

Flashback Squirrel, who introduces the story, watches his family clash before his statue in Lenore: The Time War HC. Taxidermy, an Egyptian god with an insect head, protects the friends against the vengeful Time Goats. A character shaped like a crescent moon with a narwhal-worthy nose offers his help, but may not be as powerful as he claims. And then there are cats. Lenore adores them, even if she doesn’t know how to care for them.

 

Roman Dirge enhances the richly colored cinematic scenes with generously sized words in balloons, colored boxes, and backgrounds. Lenore: The Time War HC includes detailed panels, flash pages, and enormous double-page spreads. Sound effects help us hear roaring monster babies, shouting aliens, and a remark that makes an elder god cry. The beautifully produced hardcover seems durable, securely bound, and like Pooty's pitchfork, excellently balanced. The volume also boasts a gallery of cover art. Thanks to Titan Comics for providing a physical review copy.

 

Final Thoughts

Lenore: The Time War HC is a celebration of friendship, a guide to surviving interesting times, and a reminder to have fun regardless of what life throws our way.

 

Rating 9.8/10

 

To look inside see my preview of Lenore: The Time War #1. 

 

For more, see my interview with Roman Dirge. 

Rafael García: Henchman #1 Review

 

Rafael García: Henchman #1 Review

Story: Peter Murrieta

Writers: Peter Murrieta & D.E. Schrader

Artist: Ben Herrera

Colorist: Emmanuel Torres

Letterer: Clay Adams

Cover Artists: Kit Wallis, Orlando “Mexifunk” Arocena, Dan Mendoza

Publisher: Titan Comics

Price: $4.99

Release Date: March 25, 2026

 

Rafael works for Maverick, Inc. He enjoys hanging out with his coworker Kyle and trading gossip about the boss they’ve never met. Scott may be a pain, but Danny is a cool squad leader. But what happens when Danny decides to retire? Will Rafael get ideas above his station? And even if that throws him into danger, might that be good for his life? Let’s strap on our combat armor, leap into Rafael García: Henchman #1, and see!

 

Story

At Maverick Inc, Rafael and Kyle stand on guard as other employees load the plane. They don't know what stolen goods Maverick plans to sell, or where the buyer lives. But as Scott keeps everyone updated on the loading progress, Rafael lightens the monotony with a little dancing and singing. Kyle urges Rafael to look the part of an armed guard and not draw attention to them. Assuming Maverick exists, Kyle doesn't want their boss blaming them if things go wrong.

 

In Rafael García: Henchman #1, Danny’s decision to retire prompts Rafael to reevaluate his life. His landlord belittles him. His girlfriend left him because he lacked ambition. Rafael doesn’t understand why people don’t esteem him. He’s traveled around the world, and his boss has the potential to change it. He enjoys his exciting life. Yet other people have the security of regular paychecks and health insurance. Rafael wonders if people would regard him differently if he earned more money and held a management position.

 

Peter Murrieta and D.E. Schrader's story covers the risks and potential rewards of advancing through the ranks. While Rafael wants to know more about the company he works for, he yearns for the good life. Maverick may work for a villain, but he'd like nothing better than for everyone to be happy and work together harmoniously. But in Rafael García: Henchman #1, being a boss can get you killed.

 

Art

While a woman directs loading, Rafael dances in place before the airplane. Dramatic up and down angles enhance Rafael’s positive energy amid the routine duty. At Josh’s urging, they move apart and resume proper defensive stances. But when trading intelligence, the two friends in uniforms and combat armor draw nearer again.

 

As Emmanuel Torres lavishes bright and cheery colors on Ben Herrera’s art, blue dominates the first half of Rafael García: Henchman #1. The soldiers stand in their blue uniforms before blue backgrounds. After their duty shift, they gather in the blue-dominated coffee shop. As Rafael and Josh sit with their departing boss, Danny epitomizes "coolness" with his ponytail and handlebar mustache. The dark bangs hanging over Rafael's left eye enhance his easygoing appearance. Of the three, he smiles the most. And only Rafael wears a shirt adorned with the blue Maverick logo.

 

Clay Adams fills white balloons and boxes with black uppercase letters that grow bold for intonation. The balloons grow spiky when people communicate via radio. Enlarged letters dance in a joyful moment. Yet sound effects signal that worse trouble than an exploding plane lies in Rafael's future. Thanks to Titan Comics for providing a review copy.

 

Final Thoughts

Rafael works for a secret organization. Yet he's oblivious about the need for secrecy. And while his boss adapts to changing times, Rafael is trapped by his yearning for the good old days. His love for people and his desire to help others could help Rafael improve his life. Or they could complicate his future when he gets "too close to the flame" in Rafael García: Henchman #1.

 

Rating 9/10

To look inside see my preview of Rafael García: Henchman #1.

Lenore: Blood & Money #1 Review

 

Writer, Artist, Colorist & Letterer: Roman Dirge

Cover Artists: Roman Dirge & Kit Wallis

Publisher: Titan Comics

Price: $4.99

Release Date: March 18, 2026

 

Lenore has rebuffed the persistent Mr Gosh. She has survived the Pickle Hat's siege of her home in Nevermore. With her friends and a moon god, Lenore triumphed over the vengeful Time Goats. The girl who has defied death has even faced down Cthulhu. And to paraphrase JRR Tolkien, when it comes to bees, she's been there and back again. What lies in store next for Lenore and her friends? Let’s leap into Lenore: Blood & Money #1 and see!

 

Story

After Lenore died and revived at the mortuary, her family abandoned her. Yet, of all her family, her mother is the relative she misses most. Watching a movie with her friends reminds Lenore of how things used to be. But that doesn’t mean she enjoyed watching the movie. The filmmaker’s re-imagining of the stories she treasures makes Lenore angry. But when Pooty points out that reshaping classic tales into new forms often ignites interest among moviegoers, inspiration strikes.

 

In Lenore: Blood & Money #1, the little dead girl decides to make her own cinematic mash-up. After watching “Huny & Blud: Winnie The Pooh,” Lenore combines A A Milne’s classic characters with Mad Max and Jurassic Park. Unfortunately, when casting a film, not everyone gets the role they desire. And as on any film production, the director always encounters a few surprises.

 

Roman Dirge’s story reminds us of the power of the imagination. Lenore’s tale offers an exciting look at life following an apocalyptic event. Along the way, Lenore encounters an old friend. Yet while making her film, she reveals the wounds that have never healed. Pooty may be a demon. Ragamuffin may be the spirit of a vampire inhabiting a stuffed doll. Still, neither of them force Lenore to face something before she is ready to. Instead, Pooty and Ragamuffin dance around the truth, allowing Lenore to maintain the fiction that makes her continued existence bearable in Lenore: Blood & Money #1.

 

Art

As Lenore, Pooty, and Ragamuffin sit on a three-person settee that evokes cinema seats, Lenore simmers with her arms crossing her chest. When the credits finish, she gestures while venting her anger. Pooty’s face may be forever frozen into a frown. But as her outburst frightens Ragamuffin, a stuffed head gazes down at them from the wall, evoking a recent adventure.

 

Lenore, Pooty and Ragamuffin race across the desert in a plastic car in Lenore: Blood & Money #1. Adorned with skulls, a smiley face, the car with a smiley face on the front outpaces a group of weapon-toting bikers. Amid the fast-paced action, Roman Dirge lavishes a loaded palette on the sky. Like paints poured into a water tank, pink, orange, and yellow battle the vibrant blue sky gazing down on this shattered land.

 

Roman writes large uppercase black letters into white dialogue balloons and colored paper scraps. Like the dark panel borders, the balloon and box shapes suggest hand lettering. Sound effects enhance the big screen action while reminding readers that, having returned from the afterlife, Lenore doesn’t understand why people make a big deal about injuries and death. Thanks to Titan Comics for providing a review copy.

 

Final Thoughts

We may never tire of our favorite stories. Still, new stories often excite us in ways we could never imagine. Lenore: Blood & Money #1 reminds us that utilizing familiar characters and situations can help aspiring creators begin their careers as storytellers.

 

Rating 9.8/10

 

To look inside, see my preview of Lenore: Blood & Money #1.

 

Lenore: Blood & Money #1 Preview

 

COVER A: ROMAN DIRGE

 

Lenore has rebuffed the persistent Mr Gosh. She has survived the Pickle Hat's siege of her home in Nevermore. With her friends and a moon god, Lenore triumphed over the vengeful Time Goats. The girl who has defied death has even faced down Cthulhu. And to paraphrase JRR Tolkien, when it comes to bees, she's been there and back again. What lies in store next for Lenore and her friends?

Here's all the info from Titan Comics:

 

LENORE: BLOOD & MONEY #1 (ONE-SHOT)

Format: Comic book

(W/A) Roman Dirge

Publisher: Titan Comics

FC, 32pp, $4.99, On Sale March 18, 2026

 

“Roman Dirge has the best imagination this side of Tim Burton." - Caroline Thompson (Writer, Nightmare Before Christmas, Edward Scissorhands).

 

ENTER THE WORLD OF WINNIE THE POOH AS ONLY LENORE AND CREW CAN DO. I DIDN’T MEAN FOR THAT TO RHYME. EW.

 

Now put that world in an apocalyptic wasteland and gaze in wonderment why Roman would do this, as Winnie the Pooh (played by Lenore), ROOgamuffin, and Pootlet outrun dangerous raiders, and defend their 100 Acre Wood Dino-park fortress from exploding cars, just like I’m sure the original creators of Winnie the Pooh intended.

 

 

Now, let's take a look inside:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Here are more cover options:

 

 

 

COVER B: KIT WALLIS

COVER C: ROMAN DIRGE

Not pictured:

 

FOC: KIT WALLIS FOIL VARIANT 

 

 

Thanks to Titan Comics for sharing this preview with us.

 

For the previous issue in this series of 1-shots, see my review of Lenore: Curse of the Beebee Yaga #1. 

 

Rafael Garcia: Henchman #1 Preview

 

COVER B: ORLANDO ‘MEXIFUNK’ AROCENA

 

James Bond works for Universal Exports. But with tariffs raising the costs of importing and exporting goods between countries, secret organizations are branching out into big box stores. What cases will the agents take on in the new Henchman series? And who will clean up the spill in aisle five?

Here's all the info from Titan Comics: 

RAFAEL GARCIA: HENCHMAN #1 (OF 4)

(W) Peter Murrieta, David Schrader

(A) Ben Herrera

Publisher: Titan Comics

FC, 32pp, $4.99, On Sale March 18, 2026

 

WHAT IF LIFE IN A SUPER-VILLAIN ORGANIZATION WAS LESS LIKE A JAMES BOND MOVIE AND MORE LIKE WORKING AT WALMART CORPORATE?

 

FROM EMMY AWARD-WINNING WRITER PETER MURRIETA (MR. IGLESIAS ) AND WRITER/FILMMAKER DAVID SCHRADER (BABY BADASS)

 

RAFAEL GARCIA: HENCHMAN brings the old familiar tropes of a DARK WORKPLACE COMEDY by way of a brand-new cinematic superhero universe.

 

An action comedy that mixes the daily grind of The Office with the slacker absurdity of Stripes - if the General in charge was more like Lex Luthor.

 

Now, let's take a look inside:

 

 

 

 

Here are more cover options:

 

COVER A: KIT WALLIS

 

COVER C: DAN MENDOZA DOUBLE COVER NUDE BAGGED $10.00

 

COVER D: KIT WALLIS VIRGIN 

 

 

Thanks to Titan Comics for sharing this preview with us.