The Fury of Firestorm #7 Review

 

The Fury of Firestorm #7 Review

Writer: Jeff Lemire

Artist: Rafael De Latorre

Colorist: Marcelo Maiolo

Letterer: Lucas Gattoni

Cover Artists: Rafael De Latorre & Marcelo Maiolo

Variant Cover Artists: Nimit Malavia & Martin Simmonds

Editors: Marquis Draper, Andrew Marino & Brittany Holzherr

Publisher: DC Comics

Price: $3.99/$4.99 Card Stock

Release Date: October 21, 2026

 

Martin Stein and Ronnie Raymond couldn't have been further apart. Yet the threat to Earth outweighed their differences. By pooling their efforts, Martin and Ronnie regained control over the Firestorm Matrix. But they knew it couldn't last. Eventually, the Matrix would reassert control and carry out its threat to destroy the Earth.

 

As Firestorm, Ronnie Raymond embraced Lorraine Reilly one final time. Then, she watched as Firestorm ventured into space. Will Lorraine carry on as Firehawk without Ronnie and Martin? And is Earth's sun strong enough to incinerate an entity as powerful as Firestorm? Let's don our flame-resistant clothes, leap into The Fury of Firestorm #7, and see!

 

Story

After Firestorm dies, it rises from the Earth’s fiery core. Reborn, Firestorm follows its previous pattern. As in Bedford, Colorado, Firestorm seeks out a town. Once again, it sits on a park bench. But this time, a boy approaches and attempts to awaken Ronnie Raymond's memories.

 

In The Fury of Firestorm #7, Ronnie’s fate is uncertain. Yet the world is ready to write his epitaph. The Justice League must work with national leaders already troubled by their Villain Amnesty plan. Firestorm crossed a line when he killed people. Anyone who missed how he destroyed Bedford couldn’t ignore how he threatened Pittsburgh. And a reawakened Firestorm, with or without Human controllers, remains a danger to all organic life on Earth.

 

Amid the ongoing struggle between governments and their metahuman vigilante protectors, Jeff Lemire’s story addresses the hole Ronnie and Martin’s absence leaves behind. Some people benefit from Firestorm’s departure. Others, like Lorraine, lose a part of themselves. Yet Lorraine’s closeness to Ronnie and his mentor, Dr Martin Stein, cast a shadow over Firehawk’s hero status in The Fury of Firestorm #7.

 

Art

After Firestorm dives into the sun, the red-stained cracked clay evokes a sacrifice. An explosion beneath the Earth likens Firestorm's rebirth to the Big Bang. A fire geyser recalls a burning bush. This time, Firestorm stalks down a road with fiery hair and flaming forearms. Surrounded by a burning mane, Firestorm's face evokes a lion.

 

As Rafael De Latorre unveils the newly reborn entity, Marcelo Maiolo clothes it in red and white in The Fury of Firestorm #7. A boy in a red-and-white shirt sits beside the entity on a green bench. Yet Firestorm’s chest shines like a blue lantern. Far overhead, violet chairs suggest caring. Yet compared with the desert’s warmth, the bluish-white walls feel cold and impersonal. Cherished red, green, and blue objects recall Ronnie's childhood dreams. A disparity between spoken words and a green-and-red object demonstrates how he began to doubt himself. Black, white, and red pronounce judgment. Yet green also represents a determination to enter a new phase of life.

 

Lucas Gattoni conveys speech with black uppercase letters in white balloons. Firestorm’s yellow dialogue appears in red balloons. Spiky balloons and lightning bolt arrows convey electronic transmissions. While the narrator’s voice fills beige boxes, yellow-and-orange letters in red fields denote time and space. Amid a clash over the past, sounds also accompany an attempt to reconnect, and perhaps forge a better future. Thanks to DC Comics for sharing this story with us.

 

Final Thoughts

Despite difficult circumstances, Ronnie Raymond had a happy childhood. But over time, Ronnie began to doubt himself, and a gulf opened between father and son. Now, Ronnie Raymond, Martin Stein, and/or the Firestorm Matrix may have an opportunity to start over. But either way, the entity’s return recalls Martin Stein’s fears about metahumans in The Fury of Firestorm #7.

 

Rating 9.6/10

 

To look inside see The Fury of Firestorm #7 Preview. 

For how Ronnie saw past Firestorm's deceptions, see The Fury of Firestorm #6 Review. 

For Firehawk and Martin Stein's attempt to save Pittsburgh, see The Fury of Firestorm #5 Preview. 

For Firehawk's tense reunion with Martin Stein, see The Fury of Firestorm #4 Preview.  

For the Justice League's attempt to stop Firestorm, see my preview of The Fury of Firestorm #3. 

For how Ronnie Raymond met Martin Stein, see my review of The Fury of Firestorm #2.

For how this series started, see my preview of The Fury of Firestorm #1. 

 

 

The Doom Patrol #2 Review

 

The Doom Patrol #2 Review

Writer: Darcy Van Poelgeest

Artist & Cover Artist: Niko Henrichon

Letterer: Lucas Gattoni

Variant Cover Artists: Kyuyong Eom, Eric Canete & Pete Woods

Editors: James Reid, Ben Meares & Rob Levin

Publisher: DC Comics

Price: $3.99 US/Variant $4.99 US (Card Stock)/Variant $6.99 US (Foil)

Release Date: October 14, 2026

 

Cliff Steele drove the fastest cars on Earth. Now, he ferries his team around in an outdated van. Rita Farr competed against the world's best on the Olympic stage and starred on the silver screen. Now she searches the streets for lost cats. Larry Trainor flew the US Air Force's newest jets as a test pilot. Now, he hides his face behind bandages to prevent anyone nearby from getting cancer. Robotman, Elasti-Girl, and Negative Man are ready to move on with their lives. Yet they are all that they have left.

 

Can the Doom Patrol remember the reason they once felt like a family? And how will their boss, Niles Caulder, threaten their future together? Let's leap into The Doom Patrol #2 and see!

 

Story

Like Dick Grayson, Niles Caulder has struggled with his sleep. Every night, a girl invades his mind via a recurring dream. Yet the nightmare varies. In a recent dream, he spoke with the girl. Her name was Evelyn. After dying in one dream, Niles promises to help her in another. Worn down by the nightmares, it may not have seemed like a great sacrifice. Yet as Larry Trainer transforms into Negative Man to investigate an alien's pain, he emerges with a physical object that further troubles Niles.

 

As Niles types up his incident report on Robotman, Elasti-Girl, and Negative Man’s battle with the alien, Niles imagines his subordinates’ experiences. Then, in The Doom Patrol #2, he calls his team in for a briefing. The promised income from their next assignment lifts Rita’s spirits. As Cliff contemplates the ethics of Niles’ instructions, he remembers the crash that ended his racing career. Unlike his teammates, Larry’s former life holds little allure. Niles' instructions also trouble him. Yet, Larry mourns a death no one else cares about.

 

As Darcy Van Poelgeest’s story unlocks a new power set for Negative Man, a villain arises to menace them. Like Robotman, Elasti-Girl, and Negative Man, the villain seeks a return to greatness. As they drift farther apart, the team seems ill-prepared to fight him. The villain ignites a spark of levity in the ominous atmosphere. Still, the team's demise may be nearer than they realize in The Doom Patrol #2.

 

Art

Images of Negative Man traveling through a memory support a silhouette of Niles typing his report. An alien ship lies beside a burning firehouse, flames surrounding a family photo. As he leaves the spaceship via a conduit-filled tunnel, Negative Man picks up a stuffed cat with a heart pendant on its collar. Yet the alien ship in Niles' imaginings resembles the spaceship that Robotman and Elasti-Girl attacked.

 

As Niko Henrichon adorns Niles’ mental images in green and blue, autumn colors surround the team in The Doom Patrol #2. Their yellows and oranges find echoes in the villain’s observation post and the evil the team prepares to confront. Yet a poster in the villain’s hideout links with the violet and indigo in the family photo. While Robotman’s blue trousers clash with his mood, they link him with a schematic of their destination. Vibrant green surrounds Elasti-Girl as she envisions a better future. Still, a vignette of Niles and Larry evokes Niles' dream of sprawling on the floor, with his head resting in a pool of blood.

 

Thick white letters in colored boxes denote time and space. Small, lowercase black letters in beige boxes convey Niles’ typed report. Uppercase black letters fill tan narrative boxes. Then, the box color shifts to blue as the story veers toward its conclusion. Lucas Gattoni fills white balloons with black uppercase letters. The dialogue shrinks for lowered voices, grows bold for intonation, and swells with raised voices in balloon shapes that differentiate the teammates. Cliff and Larry’s enlarged dialogue in white and orange balloons haunts their memories. Yet orange music notes accompany Rita’s enlarged dialogue as she attempts to lift their spirits. Thanks to DC Comics for sharing this story with us.

 

Final Thoughts

Negative Man remembers happier times when his teammates were heroes. But as Elasti-Girl and Robotman seem headed in opposite directions, a character who fears he’s losing his connection to his Humanity demonstrates his heart in The Doom Patrol #2.

 

Rating 9/10

 

To look inside see The Doom Patrol #2 Preview. 

 

For why cats have started disappearing in their neighborhood, see The Doom Patrol #1 Review.  

Absolute Green Lantern #19 Review

 

Absolute Green Lantern #19 Review

Writer: Al Ewing

Artist, Colorist & Cover Artist: Jahnoy Lindsay

Letterer: Lucas Gattoni

Variant Cover Artists: Mateus Manhanini; Steve Skroce & Dave McCaig; Giuseppe Camuncoli & Romulo Fajardo Jr

Editors: Ash Padilla, Andrew Marino, Katie Kubert & Chris Conroy

Publisher: DC Comics

Price: $4.99 $US/$5.99 US Card Stock

Issue Length: 32 Pages

Release Date: October 7, 2026

 

DEO Agent Cameron Chase may not be able to make the Kessel Run in less than 12 parsecs. But when she digs into Jonny Double’s files, she swiftly enhances her understanding of the universe. From intergalactic events to a hidden dimension known as the Zero-Zone, M-Zone, or the Zone of Madness, Cameron can’t connect the dots fast enough.

 

Before Cameron killed him, Kari Limbo briefly breached the barrier of death to speak with their former boss. Now, Simon Baz has returned to existence. He helped Emily Hawke, codenamed Agent Zero, escape the Zone of Madness. Can an OSS Agent who disappeared in the 1940s and a teammate who cannot see his own reflection help Cameron repel Hector Hammond's next assault? And how were Emily's actions in the 1940s linked to Cameron's agency today? Let's leap into Absolute Green Lantern #19 and see!

 

Story

The world has always been in chaos, as forces vie to change the balance of power. While some people lead from the forefront, others prevent catastrophes from the shadows. Paul Kirk sought opportunities to safeguard society by preventing economic, cultural, and military conflicts from expanding. Then, a glimpse of yellow alerted him to a realm beyond most Humans' reach. And it imbues him with a sense of cosmic order Earth sorely needs.

 

While Absolute Green Lantern #19 begins in 1935, it doesn't stay there. As years pass, Paul struggles to understand what he glimpsed. Empires rise and gobble up countries in their desire to dominate the globe. Desperate to avert the unthinkable, Paul seeks to bring order to Earth's chaos. 

 

Al Ewing charts Humanity's attempt to contact extraterrestrial entities through time via a series of diary entries. While Paul Kirk may be the first seeker, others follow. As wars and conflicts come and go, people like Paul seek new ways of safeguarding society. Not everyone is as studious or selfless as Paul. Yet as decades pass, the knowledge Paul sought to learn helps shape contemporary society.

 

Knowledge always comes at a price. And as Paul's aliens insist, no man escapes paying it. So, as heroes like Jo Mullein and Jessica Cruz take the cosmic stage, women also steer Humanity's course in Absolute Green Lantern #19.

 

Art

After Paul abandons his bed clad solely in his underwear, he stumbles into the bathroom. Bald Humanoid aliens stare back at him through the mirror. Afterward, Paul shaves his head. Then Paul dresses for work, picks up his pipe, and reads a newspaper. At home, Paul sits on the floor, resting against the bed, when he risks a second encounter. But the third time, he sits in a carefully arranged room, his muscular body poised in reverence.

 

Jahnoy Lindsay arranges Paul’s second encounter with aliens across two pages in Absolute Green Lantern #19. Each panel shines with a different color. Yet when Paul turns green to match the aliens' clothes, he puts his hands upon his shaved head. He sought his second encounter wearing shorts. Yet Paul appears before the aliens in his underwear. When the convergence ends, his body glows gold like a message on the wall.

 

Lucas Gattoni shares conversations with uppercase black letters in white balloons. Letters and balloons change color. Paper scraps reveal each speaker's lowercase record of events. As changes reshape American leadership and the intelligence community, blue increasingly colors scenes. Yet blue and red letters in blue shapes and white boxes herald the rise of a leader who will strive to imprison aliens and anyone who befriends them. Thanks to DC Comics for sharing this story with us.

 

Final Thoughts

They stood on the sidelines, watching as chaos rocked their world. A spaceship imprisoned a town beneath an energy shield. Citizens who never exemplified psi-talent suddenly wielded fantastic energy. Their boss betrayed them. Hector Hammond unleashed his private military on them. Now, as they get their feet back under them, DEO Agents Cameron Chase and Simon Baz discover how their world really works and their place on the cosmic stage in Absolute Green Lantern #19.

 

Rating 9.3/10

 

To look inside see Absolute Green Lantern #19 Preview. 

 

For Emily Hawke's confrontation with Baron Blitzkrieg, see Absolute Green Lantern #18 Preview. 

For how the battle for Earth ended, see Absolute Green Lantern #17 Preview.

For what happened to Kari Limbo, see my Absolute Green Lantern #16 Preview.

For Jo Mullein's battle with Tomar Re, see my Absolute Green Lantern #15 Review. 

For Cameron and Simon's last battle with Hector Hammon, see my Absolute Green Lantern #14 Preview.

For how Emily Hawke ruined Overseer Shade's day, see my Absolute Green Lantern #13 Review.      

 

Superman: Father of Tomorrow #5 Review

 

Superman: Father of Tomorrow #5 Review

Writer: Kenny Porter

Artist: Danny Earls

Colorist: Nick Filardi

Letterer: Lucas Gattoni

Cover Artists: Danny Earls & Nick Filardi

Variant Cover Artists: Gabriel Hardman & Matt Hollingsworth; Taurin Clarke

Editors: Michael McCalister & Andrew Marino

Publisher: DC Comics

Price: $4.99 US/Variant $5.99 US (Card Stock)

Release Date: September 23, 2026

 

Seeing Jonathan Kent die, and knowing he could have saved him, propelled Jor-El on a crusade. Yet while he seeks to upgrade Earth's technology, villains adapt his Kryptonian tech to build even more powerful weapons. Even Batman believes Jor-El's attempt to help Humanity adversely altered his life.

 

Now, his former ally, General Sam Lane, wants to kill or control Jor-El. Will he receive help from another of Jor-El’s former friends? And can Lois Lane prevent her father from killing Humanity’s great benefactor? Let’s leap up, up, and away into Superman: Father of Tomorrow #5 and see!

 

Story

Lex Luthor's father wanted Lex to follow in his footsteps. Instead, he bought into Superman's vision of the world. But when he deviated from the plan, Superman cast him aside. So, Lex bolstered his scientific expertise by mastering magic. Then, in the time-honored manner of tyrants everywhere, Lex killed his teachers so they could never defy him. Now, he wields Nabu, Dr Fate's former helmet, as a sword. And he intends to impose his own order on the world.

 

In Superman: Father of Tomorrow #5, Lex Luthor is in good company. General Sam Lane has become Captain Atom to kill all metahumans he cannot control. Then there’s Jor-El. After failing to save his family and his planet, Jor-El intends to insulate Humanity against its weaknesses. Each man believes he’s smart enough to save the world. But as Martha counsels Jor-El, wielding too much power creates problems instead of solving them.

 

As Kenny Porter weaves his story about three perfectionists, he also gives other characters a chance to shine. But while people strive to give Lex Luthor, General Sam Lane, and Jor-El wake-up calls, each must recognize that they have become the dangers that they dedicated their lives to combating. Still, the revelation may come too late. All of them, in their own ways, have created a threat that may destroy the world, unless they can resolve it in Superman: Father of Tomorrow #5.

 

Art

The Spectre may have sympathized with John Constantine in Bobo’s bar. But when John confronts a Lex Luthor clothed in shimmering green armor and a green cape, Lex offers him disdain instead. While General Lane's skin now resembles a diamond, the red image on his chest reinforces his status as the hardest soldier to kill. But as forces battle in Metropolis, Jor-El sits in his farming clothes at the Kent Farm. Martha wants him to be open with her. So, she pours him a mug of coffee.

 

As Danny Earls contrasts Jor-El’s futuristic Metropolis with Martha’s little-changed Kent Farm, Nick Filardi adorns Superman: Father of Tomorrow #5 with a vibrant palette. Captain Atom’s red symbol and blue skin represent his hope for the world and his anger at metahumans. Lex Luthor’s armor links him with Krypton and Jor-El’s attempt to protect his world. Yet while the orange Kryptonite in the Fortress of Solitude shows what Lex Luthor desires, the destruction he unleashes hints at his love for the world. Jor-El feels as misguided as General Lane and Lex. Yet the costume beneath his shirt and overalls expresses his belief that doing right by others should be black-and-white.

 

Lucas Gattoni fills white balloons and boxes with black uppercase letters. The words grow bold for intonation and change color when casting spells. Black letters in beige boxes locate readers in time and space. Yet amid all the fighting, energy blasts, and explosions, the rumbling ground shows how Luthor views his place in the world. Thanks to DC Comics for sharing this story with us.

 

Final Thoughts

When people are struggling, it's natural to want to help them. But when Jor-El tries to make Earth more like the world he lost, he gives them new problems to contend with. Her friend from the stars may be feeling sorry for himself. Still, Martha isn't letting Jor-El bask in self-blame in Superman: Father of Tomorrow #5.

 

Rating 9.8/10 

 

Thanks to DC Comics for sharing this preview with us.

For a look inside see Superman: Father Of Tomorrow #5 Preview. 

For the battle at the United Nations, see Superman: Father Of Tomorrow #4 Preview. 

For Intergang's attack on upgraded public transportation, see my preview of Superman: Father of Tomorrow #3. 

For how Jor-El fares against Kryptonite, see my preview of Superman: Father Of Tomorrow #2.

For how this series started see my preview of Superman: Father Of Tomorrow #1.  

 

The Fury of Firestorm #6 Review

 

The Fury of Firestorm #6 Review

Writer: Jeff Lemire

Artist: Rafael De Latorre

Colorist: Marcelo Maiolo

Letterer: Lucas Gattoni

Cover Artists: Rafael De Latorre & Marcelo Maiolo

Variant Cover Artists: Brad Walker & Maiolo; Eric Canete; Juni Ba

Editors: Marquis Draper, Andrew Marino & Brittany Holzherr

Publisher: DC Comics

Price: $3.99/$4.99 Card Stock

Release Date: September 9, 2026

 

After Dr Polaris killed his son, Dr Martin Stein worked tirelessly to create metahumans that the US government could control. But while trying to protect other parents from losing their children, Martin's goal outweighed his ethics. Eventually, Ronnie Raymond and Lorraine Reilly realized how Martin had tricked them. So, despite what they accomplished together, Firestorm and Firehawk eventually parted company with manipulative Martin.

 

Now, Firestorm and Firehawk are back, but the artificial intelligence Martin designed controls Firestorm. Can Lorraine Reilly and Martin Stein help Ronnie prevent the Firestorm Matrix from transmuting everything in creation? Or does Martin Stein have another secret agenda? Let's put on our flame-resistant clothes, leap into The Fury of Firestorm #6, and see!

 

Story

After Lorraine Reilly brought Dr Martin Stein to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, they beheld a giant crystal protecting Firestorm. Firehawk invaded the Matrix’s new home and freed Ronnie from memories of working with the Justice League. But when Dr Martin Stein used his device to enter Firestorm’s home, the Matrix recognized him as its father. And instead of casting the Matrix out of Firestorm as he promised, Martin destroys his device.

 

In The Fury of Firestorm #6, Ronnie, Lorraine, and Martin work together again. This time, they battle supervillains in Ronnie's memories. Or perhaps it is an alternative reality created by the Matrix. Life may have torn them apart. But in this realm, Martin, Ronnie, and Lorraine can fight destructive metahumans to their hearts' content.

 

As Jeff Lemire muses on the relationships that define us, Martin Stein becomes a father figure. Ronnie and Lorraine love him. Yet Martin’s innate need to control others has prompted them to build barriers to protect themselves from his manipulative nature. Like its Human counterparts, the Firestorm Matrix also seeks freedom from the Humans who once controlled it. Yet while Ronnie, Lorraine, and Martin seek a way to regain control of Firestorm, the artificial intelligence protects them. And instead of transmuting everything around it, the Matrix hesitates to destroy its creator’s world in The Fury of Firestorm #6.

 

Art

While Firestorm kneels before its creator, Lorraine also kneels before the man who transformed her into Firehawk. Her features contort as Martin smiles and destroys the device that could have banished the Matrix from Firestorm. Yet while Firestorm and Lorraine raise an arm to ward off the resultant explosion, Martin throws his arms wide as the flames hurtle toward him. Then Firestorm stands alone and gazes down in contemplation.

 

As Rafael De Latorre transports readers from Firestorm’s physical domain to a mental mindscape, Marcelo Maiolo adorns Ronnie’s dreamlike existence with a recollection of the four-color era. Off-white pages replace bright white borders, while shades of green link Martin and Ronnie. Yet yellow, orange, and red link Martin with the “children” he created and link Firestorm’s crystal home with the memories he has placed the Humans inside. Yet everyone has a special place to call their own. As the Matrix contemplates its future, Ronnie, Lorraine, and Martin invade a realm dominated by violet and indigo with just a hint of blue.

 

Lucas Gattoni conveys speech with black uppercase letters in white balloons. Firestorm’s yellow dialogue appears in red balloons. When Lorraine transforms into Firehawk, she speaks into light blue fields. Martin's blue-and-white face accompanies a storm cloud as he counsels Ronnie in his pseudo-memories. Colored letters reveal the stress the Humans are enduring. Sound effects accompany Martin's act of mercy, his intrusion on Ronnie and Lorraine's privacy, and an action that will change everything. Thanks to DC Comics for sharing this story with us.

 

Final Thoughts

Locked together inside the Firestorm Matrix, Ronnie Raymond, Lorraine Reilly, and Dr Martin Stein struggle with deactivating it. Yet after the Matrix remembered how Martin created it, and how Ronnie controlled it while Martin advised him, the Matrix ponders Martin's original intentions. As the characters confront their fears, love, desire for control, anger, and compassion, they reach for a slender thread of hope, even if their choices will part them forever in The Fury of Firestorm #6.

 

Rating 9.8/10

 

To look inside see The Fury of Firestorm #6 Preview. 

For what happened last time, see The Fury of Firestorm #5 Preview. 

For what happened before that, see The Fury of Firestorm #4 Preview.  

For what happened even before that, see my preview of The Fury of Firestorm #3. 

For what happened even more before that, see my review of The Fury of Firestorm #2.

For how this series started, see my preview of The Fury of Firestorm #1. 

The Doom Patrol #1 Review

 

The Doom Patrol #1 Review

Writer: Darcy Van Poelgeest

Artist & Cover Artist: Niko Henrichon

Letterer: Lucas Gattoni

Variant Cover Artists: Clayton Crain & Ian Bertram

Next Level Variant Cover Artist: Hayden Sherman

1:25 Variant Cover Artist: Ashley Wood

Editors: James Reid, Ben Meares & Rob Levin

Publisher: DC Comics

Price: $3.99 US/Variant $4.99 US (Card Stock)/Variant $6.99 US (Foil)

Release Date: September 2, 2026

 

Dr Niles Caulder has been contemplating the cycles of life. The Chief has led his team through good times and bad. He has always believed that endings, no matter how painful, give birth to new beginnings. But recently, something has shaken his confidence. A recurring dream robs him of sleep, leaving him weakened. It's so extraordinary that he decides to file an incident report. Why does the nightmare bother Niles Caulder so much? And what is his team doing while he draws inward? Let's leap into The Doom Patrol #1 and see!

 

Story

Once, the world needed them. They battled villains and saved the Earth from destruction. But now, Robotman, Elasti-Girl, and Negative Man are helping their neighbors. When they find Milo in the street, Negative Man is disheartened. He knows how much Ms Green will miss her companion. Robotman urges him not to get sentimental. It’s bad enough that they’ve been reduced to finding lost cats. But Elasti-Girl has a plan. She may not be doing something important. Still, she can make an aging, lonely woman happy.

 

While The Doom Patrol #1 provides a glimpse inside the Chief’s psyche, it also covers the team’s desperate attempt to get through another dreary day. With the team on the wane, Robotman and Elasti-Girl recall the incidents that shipwrecked their earlier careers. Negative Man wants to take comfort in all their victories. Yet even he wonders if the team that gave them a second shot at life has outlived its usefulness.

 

In Darcy Van Poelgeest’s story, Robotman and Elasti-Girl need a reason to keep going. Life may have dealt them another failure. Still, Elasti-Girl has a plan to reverse their fortunes. But Negative Man quietly disagrees with his friends. Unless he is going into battle, Negative Man cannot reveal the truth about who he is for fear of hurting others. And he’s tired of hiding.

 

His team may be at a crossroads. His boss may be withdrawing due to lack of sleep. Still, Negative Man wants to face the facts. If these are his team’s final days, he wants to go out by recognizing the situation for what it is, instead of what he’d like it to be, in The Doom Patrol #1.

 

Art

As Niles sits at his desk, a framed photo shows him with Negative Man, Elasti-Girl, and Robotman in happier times. Yet, no smile relaxes his taut features. The cloaked girl who appears before Niles lacks his blemishes and wrinkles. After his stony features transform into shock, an overhead view reveals Niles sprawled on a white background. But in the street, an upshot shows the team looking down at a corpse. While they may be in the cat rescue business, Elasti-Girl has a bag ready. Still, when she holds it out for Robotman, she looks away as he drops the still body in the bag.

 

While Niko Henrichon adorns Niles’ office with brown and green, Negative Man’s red tie links him with Elasti-Girl’s dress in The Doom Patrol #1. The yellow sky hangs over Robotman’s yellow body as he contemplates another losing situation. Yet the sky turns white as they travel in their throwback van adorned with fall colors. The remaining orange leaves cling to the mostly bare trees as the team pursues its plan. Yet Ms Green's green earrings and skirt link with Negative Man's memory of his team as he decides how best to resolve the situation.

 

Lucas Gattoni fills white balloons with black uppercase letters. The dialogue shrinks for lowered voices, grows bold for intonation, and swells with raised volume in balloon shapes that differentiate the teammates. While the narration fills beige boxes in Act One, yellow boxes adorn Act Two, before transforming to light indigo boxes in Act Three. After Niles’ clacking typewriter fills the air of his study, the team pursues its mission despite animal sounds, knocking, and a cry for help. Thanks to DC Comics for sharing this story with us.

 

Final Thoughts

Through their ups and downs, Niles Calder has insisted that Robotman, Elasti-Girl, and Negative Man remain by his side. Yet, as the Chief struggles with haunting dreams, the team wonders if the cycles that turn losses into new opportunities are winding down in The Doom Patrol #1.

 

Rating 9.8/10

 

To look inside see The Doom Patrol #1 Preview. 

Harley Quinn #65 Review

 

Harley Quinn #65 Review

Writer: Elliott Kalan

Artist: Carlos Olivares

Colorist: Marissa Louise

Letterer: Lucas Gattoni

Cover Artist: Brandt&Stein

Variant Cover Artists: David Nakayama; Terry Dodson & Rachel Dodson; Derrick Chew

Dark Knight Returns 40^th Anniversary Variant Cover Artists: Daniel Warren Johnson & Mike Spicer

Editors: James Reid, Arianna Turturro & Rob Levin

Publisher: DC Comics

Price: $3.99 US/Variant $4.99 US (Card Stock)

Release Date: August 26, 2026

 

When Batquinn kept sending people to the hospital, her injured enemies formed a club. But instead of meeting once a week for games, movies, and snacks, the Harley Quinn Revenge Squad armored up. Then they abducted Batquinn and gave her a new suit. And when she awakens in her last battleground, the grim sentinel of justice has a new mission: escape the rollercoaster of death and free Mrs Grimaldi from her captors.

 

With the Monochromatic Man's poison flowing through her veins, can Batquinn survive the bullets, missiles, and power saws long enough to rescue her landlady? And what joker selected a carnival for the battle of Batquinn's life? Let's leap into Harley Quinn #65 and see!

 

Story

After Batquinn’s attack, Backhand armored up and became 4orehand. But when he attacked her at the carnival of death, Batquinn liked one of his philosophical quotes. So, he led her to the benefactor who financed his new armor. Harleen carries a bat. She holds Mrs Grimaldi hostage. But all Harleen wants is for Batquinn to hang up her cape.

 

Harley Quinn #65 follows Batquinn’s insistence upon fighting for justice. Former friends become enemies when they get in her way. Harleen and Chicken Fingers insist on trying to reason with her. They want her to consider how her new serious approach to life has driven people away. Yet Batquinn doesn't want to weigh the merits of her new approach against her former way of living. She's finally taking her life seriously, and they're wrong if they don't share her new worldview. Plus, Batquinn is dying. She may only have a little time left. In her final moments, Batquinn doesn't want to abandon the mission that gives her life meaning.

 

Amid all the violence, Elliott Kalan's story highlights how much Harley Quinn's friends care about her. They want her to realize that happiness and devotion to a cause are not necessarily the same thing. Harleen and Chicken Fingers admit that using violence to solve problems often feels like winning. But Batquinn hurts others because she has been hurt. And even if she survives the Monochromatic Man's poison, Batquinn cannot have a life until she addresses why she is hurting and learns to move on in Harley Quinn #65.

 

Art

Harleen rests her baseball bat atop a shoulder and waves away Batquinn’s assertions that she’s better the way she is now. Batquinn raises her fists, and her cape flutters as Harleen says something the grim sentinel of justice takes for criticism. Despite his arrival on a two-page spread, Chicken Fingers battles Batquinn across panel-packed pages. Yet even with his newfound powers, Chicken Fingers’ expression reveals the strain the battle takes on him.

 

As Carlos Olivares delivers an action-packed finale to The Harq Knight Returns, Marissa Louise adorns Harley Quinn #65 with bright colors. A transparent shield covers Batquinn's gray face, while her gray hair flows with her every movement. She may wear a red-and-blue uniform. Still, Batquinn retains her black bat ears. As Chicken Fingers battles Batquinn, his red, blue, and yellow costume evokes the reader’s discomfort when Superman and Batman clash. Yet the gray-and-white Monochromatic Man’s actions illustrate Chicken Fingers’ concerns about using his superpowers.

 

Lucas Gattoni places black uppercase dialogue in white balloons. Harleen speaks into pink clouds, evoking her former status as Quintellect. While the Monochromatic Man’s balloons are bordered in gray, Batquinn’s white thoughts appear in black boxes adorned with a Bat symbol. Yet sound effects proliferate as the battle for justice grows increasingly intense, and the Monochromatic Man’s poison drains Batquinn’s vitality. Thanks to DC Comics for sharing this story with us.

 

Final Thoughts

Pamela Isley loves Harley Quinn. Still, the way Harley Quinn made light of everything she did hurt Mayor Isley's credibility. So after Pamela pushed her away, Harley tried to do as her beloved friend suggested. The Alpha Energy that Superman shared with all the Omega Tournament participants made that job easier. But in her pain, hurt by Ivy's betrayal, Harley drew inspiration from Ivy's nemesis. Now, as she nears her end, Batquinn must decide if she wants to keep punishing Ivy for pushing her away and herself for letting Ivy down in Harley Quinn #65.

 

Rating 9.8/10

 

To look inside see Harley Quinn #65 Preview.

 

 

 

 

For what happened last time, see my preview of Harley Quinn #64. 

 

 

 

For what happened last time, see my preview of Harley Quinn #63. 

 

 

For what happened before that, see my preview of Harley Quinn #62. 

 

 

For what happened even before that, see my preview of Harley Quinn #61.

 

 

For how this story arc started, see my preview of Harley Quinn #60. 

 

 

  

Absolute Catwoman #2 Review

 

Absolute Catwoman #2 Review

Writers: Che Grayson & Scott Snyder

Artist & Cover Artist: Bengal

Colorist: Giovanna Niro

Letterer: Lucas Gattoni

Variant Cover Artists: Leirix, Mirka Andolfo & Jonboy Meyers

1:25 Variant Cover Artist: Eric Canete

Editors: Andrew Marino, Katie Kubert & Chris Conroy

Publisher: DC Comics

Price: $4.99 US/Variants $5.99 (cardstock)

Release Date: July 8, 2026

 

After her final job with the Calicos, Selina Kyle vowed never to work with other people again. Her solo career proved so successful that, at age 25, Selina decided to retire. Then Holly Robinson brought trouble to her door. And just like the day they met, Holly secreted something valuable inside a cake.

 

Now, a gang of vicious cat burglars holds Holly in their claws. The flames devouring Selina's London penthouse also incinerate her plans. Can Selina rescue her friend from whatever trouble she has gotten into? And why did Holly hide a mysterious orb inside a Red Velvet birthday cake? Let’s leap into Absolute Catwoman #2 and see!

 

Story

Selina lost more than her London penthouse. Sure, she felt the same violation that anyone feels when thieves invade their privacy. But she also failed to rescue a friend she didn't realize she missed from a woman with skills equal to her own. So as Selina Kyle recovers from a fraught battle amid a high-speed chase in the British capital, she seeks answers to the chaos that shipwrecked her plans. And they all start with the sphere that Holly snuck into her home.

 

In Absolute Catwoman #2, Selina’s success has ushered her into an exclusive world of the ultrarich, world-class power players, and professionals in select professions like hers. In a glowing infirmary, Selina receives the medical attention she needs. Then, as she recovers aboard a super yacht, Selina searches the internet for information about the orb. Despite Selina’s experience and Jonesy’s extraordinary abilities, the sphere remains a mystery. As Selina can’t find out why a woman abducted Holly Robinson to get the orb, she decides to see who might want to buy it.

 

As Che Grayson and Scott Snyder move the action to an auction house carved into a Swiss mountain, they also provide glimpses of Selina’s past. While Selina plans out her visit and mixes among potential buyers, she looks back on her time with Holly in Gotham. Selina was happy with things as they were, but Holly wanted more. So, her friend brought two more members into their team.

 

Selina grew up as a loner in Gotham. She always worried about getting trapped there. Holly’s actions threatened to bind Selina to responsibilities she didn’t want. Yet, when events in the auction house go differently than she anticipated, Selina realizes that she learned far more from Holly than she wanted to in Absolute Catwoman #2.

 

Art

Amid old brick buildings with failing stucco, a diamond-shaped gazebo rises from a rooftop. As darkness fills the skies over Gotham, the interior glows with light. Yet Selina looks unhappy as she slips a mask over her eyes, while a smile stretches across Holly’s face.

 

Bengal contrasts Selina’s youth with her more elaborate present. After visiting a doctor, she walks past her fellow passengers clustered around the bar on the main deck of the Wandering Rose. In her stateroom, she sits at her vanity. Her laptop loads the camera feed from her helmet via a cable. After studying the orb, she rises to stand before the sliding glass windows, as snowcapped mountains rise in the distance.

 

Giovanna Niro applies a limited palette to Absolute Catwoman #2. The immense indigo window in a dark room links the silhouette studying a wall of blue monitors with Selina's indigo catsuit. Yellow light fills the sunroom ceiling of the Calicos' clubhouse as Selina walks past the yellow wall windows of the Swiss auction house in a yellow dress. The clubhouse's orange furnishings link with the bar area of the super yacht. Yet they also bind a wig in Selina's room with a member of her former team. Switzerland's blue sky and snow-covered mountains connect with Selina's memories of a mission with the Calicos. Yet the rectangular blue panels of her smartwatch and glasses contrast with the organically shaped area where Selina initiates her plan, and a sphere to die for.

 

Lucas Gattoni slips black uppercase letters into white dialogue balloons that grow bold for intonation. White uppercase letters in blue boxes reveal Selina’s thoughts on the stories we write, and the ones that get written for us. Medium blue boxes convey Jonesy's responses. Stylish black letters in light blue fields locate readers in time and space in a universe where despair crushes hope. Words enlarge, and balloons get red borders, when things don’t go Selina’s way. Sound effects accompany the Calicos’ extraordinary mission, and a battle when the past returns to haunt Selina Kyle. Thanks to DC Comics for sharing this story with us.

 

Final Thoughts

Selina Kyle grew up without parents. She forged a new life on the streets by learning skills that could secure the lifestyle she wanted. Yet her fear of getting trapped in Gotham drove her to abandon Holly and the Calicos. The attack on her London penthouse threatened to derail the retirement Selina thought would bring her happiness. But when her search for answers delivers more than she bargained for, Selina Kyle discovers that her life may only be beginning in Absolute Catwoman #2.

 

Rating 9.8/10

 

To look inside see my preview of Absolute Catwoman #2. 

 

For what happened last time, see my review of Absolute Catwoman #1. 

For Selina Kyle's relationship with Bruce Wayne, see my preview of Absolute Batman #12, 

 

 My preview of Absolute Batman #13, and 

 

My preview of Absolute Batman #14.