All-New Spider-Gwen: Ghost-Spider #4 Review

 

Writer: Stephanie Phillips

Artist: Paolo Villanelli

Colorist: Matt Milla

Letterer: Ariana Maher

Cover Artists: David Marquez & Federico Blee; Inhyuk Lee; Leirix; David Yardin

Logo Designer: Stacie Zucker

Production Designer: Kat Walkington

Editors: Emerald Bensadoun, Martin Biro, Jordan D White & CB Cebulski

Publisher: Marvel

Price: $3.99

Release Date: November 19, 2025

 

After he abducted Judge Jeffrey Barbour, Carlos LaMuerto conducted a trial via cell phone. Carlos presented evidence of Barbour's corruption. The people of New York who tuned into his app voted that Barbour was guilty of embezzling public funds devoted to assisting the unhoused. Carlos tried to execute the people's mandate, but Spider-Gwen and his son Fabian stopped him. The authorities threw Carlos in Ryker's Island without access to a judge, attorney, phone, or visitors. He cannot even see Fabian.

 

Carlos isn’t the only one who is angry at the situation. As he helps Spider-Gwen track down the symbiote she abandoned, Fabian LaMuerto seethes at his father's imprisonment. So, when Spider-Gwen and the new Black Tarantula corner the symbiote in an alley, and Gwen refuses to take it back again, the alien lifeform finds a new host in Fabian. Can Gwen Stacy and Flash Thompson recapture the symbiote and free Fabian from its influence? Or are Spider-Gwen and Anti-Venom a match for a venomous Black Tarantula? Let’s thwip into All-New Spider-Gwen: Ghost-Spider #4 and see!

 

Story

When Spider-Gwen and Anti-Venom track Fabian and the symbiote to Ryker’s Island, they find the facility in lockdown. Instead of securing the prisoners in their cells, tanks and armored vehicles surround the facility. Spider-Gwen and Anti-Venom take themselves to the leader. The soldier claims they are clearing the facility, but the power is down, and the soldiers cannot contact the corrections officers. He sees no option but to bomb the facility while the monster is inside.

 

In All-New Spider-Gwen: Ghost-Spider #4, Flash and Gwen ask him to delay his air strike so they can defuse the situation. After they gain entrance, Gwen tries to control the situation by giving the symbiote a name. She attempts to bond with Flash and inject a little humor to lift their spirits. But as Gwen and Flash venture deeper into the prison, both realize how dangerous the symbiote has become.

 

Stephanie Phillips' story is a meditation on how anger drives us. As Gwen fights, she reflects on how the symbiote empowered her and why she wanted to get rid of it. Flash argues that Gwen shouldn't feel guilt over the symbiote's actions or what it forced her to do while bonded with her. But as her father told her, when Gwen put on the symbiote suit, it stole her joy. And even though she’s free of the symbiote, Gwen still feels its allure. Years of relying on anger tempt Gwen to attack problems instead of contemplating a peaceful solution in All-New Spider-Gwen: Ghost-Spider #4.

 

Art

With the military on high alert outside Ryker's Island, Spider-Gwen startles a soldier when she lands beside him. Anti-Venom stands at ease in his armor. When the soldier reaches for his handgun, Gwen thwips it while Flash lifts his hands to explain. The soldier glances back at the entrance, where soldiers are assisting civilians from the facility. A star bursts from Gwen’s head when she grows angry, turning her into a partial silhouette. In response, Anti-Venom moves between her and the soldier. Then Flash pumps his fist, adopting a hero pose to assert his capabilities.

 

As Paolo Villanelli shows how Anti-Venom teams with Spider-Gwen while compensating for her impulsiveness, Matt Milla adorns All-New Spider-Gwen: Ghost-Spider #4 with a limited fluorescent palette. While pink, yellow, and orange shine in the abandoned lobby, the symbiote amplifies the colors as the fighting grows intense. After Carlos experiences a revelation drenched in green, he pumps his fist to assert his capabilities. Yet amid the anger and emotions sending the prisoners into a frenzy, Gwen’s dominant color is black, while Anti-Venom’s is white.

 

Ariana Maher thwips uppercase black letters into white dialogue balloons and red letters into turquoise-outlined boxes. A thick line of turquoise underlines the words that locate us in time and space. The text grows bold and enlarges for intonation, while intense emotion turns balloons spiky. An abrupt landing threatens to stop a soldier's heart. Then, heroes and villains battle amid hits and thwips while hissing echoes through the cells and dormitories of Ryker’s Island. Thanks to Marvel for providing a review copy.

 

Final Thoughts

Gwen loves music filled with rage at the machine. Music with a post-punk experimental vibe (influenced by the grindcore scene) makes her feel alive. Yet as much as she delights in the punk scene, Gwen knows she should restrain her anger. Having a symbiote was like plugging herself into Wes’s amplifier. And like a magnet, the symbiote Gwen cast off makes a new home among prisoners filled with rage at the machine in All-New Spider-Gwen: Ghost-Spider #4.

 

Rating 9.2/10

 

To look inside see my review at Comic Book Dispatch. 

Absolute Green Lantern #7 Preview

 

Cameron Chase was miserable at work, so her superior gave her paid leave. She frowns when her partner encourages her to enjoy her vacation. Cameron can't bear thinking about a proposed transfer that could do her career a world of good. Will Cameron get any happier when Sojourner Mullein brings trouble to her doorstep?

Here's all the info from DC Connect:

 

Absolute Green Lantern #7

Writer: Al Ewing

Artist: Jahnoy Lindsay

Cover Artists: Jahnoy Lindsay, Taurin Clarke, Leirix & Nikolas Draper-Ivey

Publisher: DC Comics

Price: $4.99/$5.99 Card Stock

Issue Length: 32 Pages

Release Date: October 1, 2025

 

The truth of Absolute Oa!

 

How far out is the world that’s coming? From across the depths of space, the Blackstars are turning their attention towards Earth…and only Tomar Re stands in their way.

 

 

Now, let's take a look inside:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks to DC Comics for sharing this preview with us.

 

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. 

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.