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. 

 

 

Wandering Review

 

Wandering Review

Writer & Artist: Jonathan Djob Nkondo

Publisher: Magnetic Press

Hardcover Price: $29.99 US

Kindle Price: $19.99 US

Book Description: Black-and-White, 200 Pages

Release Date: October 20, 2026

 

Standing in a spotlight, a speaker addresses his audience. As an oddly shaped ring circles the planet overhead, another spotlight reveals more people encircling a fallen man. Surrounded by stage assistants, another actor waits in the wings. Then, he accepts a knife with a flame-shaped blade and enters the stage. A third spotlight accompanies him toward the actors in the second spotlight. What is the play about? And who is watching the production? Let's leap into Wandering and see!

 

Story

As the audience watches, the two spotlights touch. But when the actor, clad in robes and a hat, raises his knife, an attendee breaks the spell. The spectators watch the man navigate the narrow walkway between elevated rows of seating. Outside the auditorium, he walks past the towering columns in the lobby and two lovers on a narrow stairway. The man declines an incoming call. Then, he merges with the crowds packing the streets.

 

In Wandering, the man tries to immerse himself in his civilization. Yet he also seems a stranger to the city. He observes his surroundings as he walks, while those around him take little heed. The man gazes up at advertisements. He checks out a crowded marketplace. The traveler prefers watching to interacting as he drifts along, awaiting each discovery.

 

As Jonathan Djob Nkondo follows the man’s reawakening, his gaze occasionally drifts upward. Far above the central character, another man gazes around in wonder. While the man below walks past vehicles and technological marvels in a suit, the man on the surface wears shorts. He carries a spear. The surface dweller hunts for food. Unlike the man in the underground city, the man on the planet's surface seems at home in Wandering.

 

Art

One or two Black-and-White images per page tell this tale of two travelers. On the surface, the thin man with dreadlocks chases birds that evoke robots. Yet the V-shaped drones flying over the city below don't flap their wings. Machinery and conduits line walls seemingly extending into infinity. On the surface, the half-dressed man watches the city’s roof sections rise, tilt, and fall.

 

The man below ground often chews gum. An advertisement and a woman who approaches him suggest why he pursues this habit. Perhaps it also explains his renewed interest in his surroundings. Unlike him, many of the people around him experience their world with their eyes closed. Yet the poorest people watch passersby as they huddle in tents clustered in an encampment. Those slightly better off find joy in their lives, even if that means hurting others.

 

No thought balloons adorn the pages of Wandering. Although advertisements sport words, none appear in panel backgrounds or in the margins. Instead, readers ponder the thoughts, lives, and hopes of these two disconnected travelers on the surface and far below it. Thanks to Oni Press and Superfan Promotions for providing a review copy.

 

Final Thoughts

When a wealthy man grows disinterested in a scripted drama, he cuts himself off from his social network to experience life from another perspective. While he travels a world he inhabits but has never noticed, another man lives on the surface of their planet. Physical and social distance separate them. Yet both wonder what, if anything, their futures hold in Wandering.

 

Rating 9/10

 

Take a look inside and/or buy Wandering at Amazon.

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.  

Pacific Rim: Final Breach Vol 1 Review

 

Pacific Rim: Final Breach Vol 1 Review

Writer: Joshua Hale Fialkov

Artist: E J Su

Colorist: Rebecca Good

Letterers: Richard Starkings, Tyler Smith & Jimmy Betancourt

Cover Artist: Cat Skaggs

Publisher: Legendary Entertainment

Price: $19.99 US

Release Date: May 5, 2026

 

They invaded his world and wreaked destruction on civilization. Yet the kaiju fascinated Dr Newton Geisler. So, as his friend Hermann Gottlieb used math to predict the Precursors' appearances, Newt sought to understand their motivations. But when he shared a kaiju's mind, Newt emerged changed. And after Raleigh Becket sealed the Breach, Newt helped the aliens find another way to invade our world. How will Humanity ensure the Precursors never attempt to terraform Earth again? And can anyone touched by the kaiju retain their Humanity? Let's suit up, leap inside Pacific Rim: Final Breach Vol 1, and see!

 

Story

After defeating a Category Six kaiju on the slopes of Mount Fuji, Jake Pentecost tells Newt that Humanity is taking the fight to the Precursors. But Newt had subverted Ms Shao's army of automated Jaegers, and the Shatterdome needs time to rebuild. Six months later, General Jake Pentecost is itching to lead a team into the breach to attack the Precursors' world. But Marshal Nate Lambert and Ms Shao prize his piloting experience and leadership abilities too highly to risk him in the operation.

 

When the Shatterdome invasion fails, Pacific Rim: Final Breach Vol 1 picks up five years later. Once again, Pentecost and his team struggle to achieve their objectives. They lose pilots and Jaegers. This time, government leaders don't try to build shield walls to guard coastlines. Still, people around the world begin to question the Shatterdome's role in protecting Earth.

 

In Joshua Hale Fialkov's story, Newt becomes a cautionary tale for how he turned against his kind. Yet along with the mental connection, a physical transformation occurs when Humans interact with the kaiju. And knowing how infectious a link with the kaiju can be, the leadership keeps its plans close to its chest, reluctant to share them even with its most experienced and trusted personnel in Pacific Rim: Final Breach Vol 1.

 

Art

While Ms Shao, Nate Becket, Jake Pentecost, Hermann Gottlieb, and Dr Newton Geisler retain the spotlight, the young bucks who helped Jake defy the Precursors' terraforming project fall by the wayside. Jake works more with the people who run the Shatterdome than the pilots who protect the world. And when one of Humanity's greatest defenders returns to resume his duties, the doctors want to know why he could exit the breach without a kaiju to unlock it.

 

As E J Su packs pages with familiar characters and powerful new kaiju, Rebecca Good adorns the furious action and two-page spreads with a loaded palette. Direction lines channel the energy of battles and otherworldly invasions as Jaegers defend Humanity against the monsters in Pacific Rim: Final Breach Vol 1.

 

Richard Starkings, Tyler Smith, and Jimmy Betancourt fill white dialogue balloons with black uppercase letters. Off-camera dialogue fills color-coded narrative balloons, while radio transmissions fill stars. Shaky letters fill edgy balloons as the Precursors reveal their ability to control the intelligent but unwise, while large colored dialogue accompanies heightened emotions. Thanks to Legendary Comics for providing a review copy.

 

Final Thoughts

Humanity had a plan. Yet once again, the Precursors demonstrated how they have repeatedly conquered worlds. Jake lost his father, sister, and students battling kaiju. Raleigh Beckett lost his older brother and a woman he loved. Now, as a new era of the film franchise begins, these two legendary warriors meet to see if together they can free Humanity from the Precursor threat in Pacific Rim: Final Breach Vol 1.

 

Rating 8.6/10

 

For more, see Legendary Entertainment 2026 Publishing Slate. 

Legion of Super-Heroes #2 Review

 

Legion of Super-Heroes #2 Review

Writer: Joshua Williamson

Artist: Hayden Sherman

Colorist: Tamra Bonvillain

Letterer: Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou

Cover Artists: Hayden Sherman & Tamra Bonvillain

Variant Cover Artists: Alex Eckman-Lawn; Hayden Sherman & Ulises Arreola; Jonboy Meyers; Yasmine Putri

Editors: Chris Rosa & Paul Kaminski

Publisher: DC Comics

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

Release Date: October 14, 2026

 

A thousand years from now, the United Planets are struggling. On Earth, R. J. Brande spearheaded efforts to help troubled planets remain in the union. Yet while the rich man sought to help stabilize the UP, he secretly researched a forbidden topic. In a galactic society where Super-Heroes are illegal, Brande sought to learn what he could about them. Yet on distant planets like Winath, young people like Garth yearn to use their unregistered superpowers to safeguard their societies.

 

His partner may wish Brainiac One of Five would stick to investigating paying jobs. Still, Tenzil helps his partner break into R. J. Brande’s office. Why does the United Planets fear unregistered Super-Heroes? And what did Brande hope to accomplish? Let’s lose any nearby Persuaders, leap into Legion of Super-Heroes #2, and see!

 

Story

After deactivating the robot guard and accessing Brande’s surveillance records, Brainiac learns who killed the United Planets Council member. Then the Persuaders arrive. The UP police don’t want anyone to know about R. J. Brande's secret and illegal obsession.

 

While Legion of Super-Heroes #2 follows Brainiac's search for the truth, the story checks in with Rokk Krinn and Imra. It also links the disgraced Magnoball player on Braal with the Princess of Titan. But the primary focus remains on how Brainiac and Tenzil’s investigation of R. J. Brande’s death links with Garth and Ayla’s reunion with their older brother. Mekt’s retelling of his recent adventures enthralls Garth. Yet his sister worries their older brother could damage their family's future.

 

Joshua Williamson’s story reveals the power factions that rule the struggling interstellar society. It also shows how the authorities rule their worlds with an iron hand. As a truly omnivorous Bismollian, Tenzil may hunger for the Persuaders’ armor. Yet Brainiac’s thirst for the truth antagonizes the people who control the narrative. When the private detectives and the Persuaders discover that Mekt killed R. J. Brande, both parties race across the galaxy to question him first. Yet what a telepathic princess on Saturn’s richest moon has discovered could be even more important than R. J. Brande’s repository of Super-Hero knowledge in Legion of Super-Heroes #2.

 

Art

Amid Earth's rounded towers, the circular Persuaders emblem adorns a cracked tablet. As circles or partial circles frame events on Earth, the Persuaders' masks bear a frown. The leader swoops through the sky on wings, while Princess Imra's jacket evokes feathers. Yet on Winath, diagonal lines and diamond patterns define pages as Mekt reunites with his siblings. On Braal, circular panels show glowing circles surrounding Rokk's hands. On Titan, symbols in white circles represent Princess Imra's psychic communication with her elders.

 

As Hayden Sherman weaves the tapestry of life across the United Planets, Tamra Bonvillain adorns Legion of Super-Heroes #2 with a vibrant palette. While Garth and Ayla wear blue and yellow, their red hair links them to their blonde brother’s red-and-green costume. As violet-and-indigo Rokk works on his orange world, Princess Imra walks past orange columns to behold her violet-and-indigo city. While the blue Persuaders seek to crush hope in unlicensed Super-Heroes, Brainiac One of Five's red-and-green skin links him with Mekt’s costume. Yet his violet-and-indigo clothes link him with Rokk Krinn and Princess Imra.

 

Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou fills white balloons with black uppercase letters. Intonation emboldens words. Lowercase letters convey lowered voices. Raised voices swell letters, change text color, and deform balloons. While Brainiac One of Five speaks white letters into red rectangles, the Persuaders speak black letters into light-blue boxes. Yellow letters with red outlines identify places, while violet words in white shapes interest one character. Yet as sound effects enhance the detectives' flight and aspiring Super-Heroes' fight, one non-Persuader's offscreen comment appears as black uppercase letters in a blue box. Thanks to DC Comics for sharing this story with us.

 

Final Thoughts

The United Planets struggle to govern so many solar systems. Anyone with superpowers must register with the authorities, and only the oppressive Persuaders can legally use them. Either R. J. Brande forgot that Super-Heroes nearly destroyed their society, or he began to question his government’s official history. Either way, now he's dead. And anyone he interacted with could become the Persuaders' next target in Legion of Super-Heroes #2.

 

Rating 9.8/10

 

To look inside see Legion of Super-Heroes #2 Preview.

 

For how this series started, see Legion of Super-Heroes #1 Preview. 

The Savage Sword of Conan: Reforged #7 Review

 

The Savage Sword of Conan: Reforged #7 Review

Writer: Roy Thomas

Artist: John Buscema, Alfredo Alcala & Walt Simonson

Colorist: GFB Group

Cover Artists: Bart Sears & Earl Norem

Publisher: Titan Comics

Price: $11.99 US

Release Date: October 14, 2026

 

As Conan stands in the burning sand, his companion collapses at his feet. Natala, racked by sobs, cannot go further. Only one jug of water remains. It's not enough to help them survive in this seemingly endless desert until they reach a town or village. Will Conan force the weeping woman to struggle on? Or will the Cimmerian put Natalia out of her misery? Let’s shout “Hail Crom,” leap into The Savage Sword of Conan: Reforged #7, and see!

 

The Slithering Shadow: Story

Conan is no soothsayer. Yet as he stands in the vast desert, the Cimmerian envisions a dire future. Then, a shimmer on the horizon gives him hope. After giving Natala all the remaining water, her spirits rally. Still, Conan carries her across the dunes, unwilling to let Natala expend her remaining energy on a likely mirage.

 

In Roy Thomas' adaptation of Robert E. Howard's story, dreams can come true. Conan and Natala reach the city and gain entrance. As they explore its confines, they encounter mysteries, such as the dead returning to life. Natala's fright at each bewitching occurrence may play on the fatigued Cimmerian's nerves. Still, he insists that they regain strength before returning to the desert.

 

This story in The Savage Sword of Conan: Reforged #7 is divided into chapters. When fate separates the travelers, the story follows one character. Then, the clock rewinds to chronicle the other character's journey. Conan has a very different temperament from Professor John Kirowan. Yet each strange occurrence makes Conan yearn to understand it.

 

Along the way, Roy Thomas blends Conan and Natala's recent past into Robert E. Howard's supernatural mystery. Peril and battles may threaten them. Yet as Conan and Natala struggle to survive in this ancient city, their fierce loyalty binds them more securely than any shackles.

 

The Slithering Shadow: Art

As the sun beats down, Conan presses his hand to his forehead. When he glances down, Natala gazes up and clasps her throat. While Natala drinks, he looks away. Sweat rolls down his features. After the water jug lands in the sand, Conan carries Natala. Images of a battle on horseback and a silhouette of two people riding a camel merge with Conan and Natala’s journey toward a cloud hovering over a city.

 

As John Buscema and Alfredo Alcala fill The Savage Sword of Conan: Reforged #7 with detailed scenes, the GFB Group enlivens the art with color. The four-color recreation enhances the green city as towers rise above the walls. Inside, gray stone surrounds white columns and gold architectural features. As the adventurers explore rooms, lavish tapestries depict animals, and interior supports evoke plants. Silk cloths drape elegant furniture. Amid a preponderance of green, Natalia shines in her red clothes. Yet Conan’s gold bracers, arm rings, and sword handle link him with the city’s inhabitants.

 

As black uppercase letters fill white dialogue balloons, raised voices enlarge letters and distort the balloons. White and colored letters fill black boxes as the narrator guides readers through the story. Larger colored letters swim on unseen breezes, as screams echo through the ancient city.

 

The Hyborian Age Part IV: The Beginning of the End: Story

The Battle of Venarium set Conan’s sandaled feet upon a quest to explore the Hyborian world. Just as the Aquilonian fort in Cimmeria awakened Conan's dauntless spirit, the Aquilonians’ later desire to expand their empire drew the curtain on the Hyborian Age. Ironically, another of the ethnic populations they attempted to subjugate played a role in the empire's downfall. And once again, Conan forged a link between them by working as a scout and mercenary for the Aquilonians.

 

The Hyborian Age Part IV: The Beginning of the End: Art

As Roy Thomas charts the end of the Hyborian Age, Walt Simonson begins at the end, with broken stonework and fallen columns lining an empty street. Then, using two or three panels per page, armies and warrior bands clash. As civilization falls, the principal players in its collapse take the pages. A full-page collage closes this chapter of Robert E. Howard's essay.

 

Extras

Robert Yaple provides a three-page essay on some of the gods of the Hyborian Age. In-text citation numbers and a sidebar reveal his sources. A picture enlivens his description of one deity in The Elder Gods: Part III of “The Gods of the Hyborian Age.”

 

Instead of interspersing the story and essays in The Savage Sword of Conan: Reforged #7 with pin-ups, The Corben Conan provides three splash pages. Quotes from Robert E. Howard stories accompany each illustration, revealing Richard Corben's inspiration. Thanks to Titan Comics and Heroic Signatures for providing a review copy.

 

Final Thoughts

Within the haunted rooms and corridors of Xuthal, Conan and Natala discover a city of untold riches. Yet despite its grand heritage, the inhabitants have lost the will to live. Conan may be exhausted. But while the residents of Xuthal accept their fate, Conan refuses to submit to their ruler. Still, the Cimmerian doesn't expect the inhabitants to thank him for trying to free them from tyranny in The Savage Sword of Conan: Reforged #7.

 

Rating 9.8/10

 

For more collectible covers see The Savage Sword of Conan: Reforged #7 Cover Preview.

Clayface: Celebrity Dirt #4 Review

 

Clayface: Celebrity Dirt #4 Review

Writer: Jude Ellison S. Doyle

Artist: Fran Galán

Colorist & Cover Artist: Patricio Delpeche

Letterer: Tom Napolitano

Variant Cover Artists: Mike Del Mundo & Marc Aspinall

Clayface Movie Variant Cover Artist: Frank Cho

Publisher: DC Comics

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

Release Date: October 14, 2026

 

He escaped Arkham Towers to reclaim his identity. Then he learned that someone else had stolen it. So, "Todd Russell" traveled to Hollywood to prove he was Basil Karlo. But proving the movie star is an imposter is harder than Clayface suspected. When Dr Victoria October finally agrees to see him, Clayface fears he's burned the bridges between them. But the one person who has befriended him has gone missing. And when Clayface breaks into Katie Park's apartment, he finds a photo of himself as "Bob Palmer" leaving Katie after their talk outside the diner. 

 

Can Clayface find Katie before the "Basil Karlo" imposter turns her into another meltdown? And is his nemesis also behind Losilmix, the supplement that is giving people meltdowns? Let’s leap into Clayface: Celebrity Dirt #4 and see!

 

Story

The future she imagined with Clayface may have been a mirage. Still, when he returns and shows her videos on his phone, she cannot ignore the evidence before her eyes. So, in her private lab, Dr Victoria October studies the Losilmax victims. From outside the patients’ rooms, Clayface watches the meltdown cases. The supplement promised users total control over their bodies. Instead, it turned them into distorted semblances of the Human form.

 

Victoria may not have wanted to see Clayface again. But as they study the victims and pool their knowledge, Victoria and Clayface catch up on each other’s lives in Clayface: Celebrity Dirt #4. As Jude Ellison S Doyle follows Clayface’s search for the truth, “Basil Karlo” meets with a reporter from Mister Magazine. Mr Dunne asks Basil about his life. Like Clayface, the reporter wonders about the women who vanished after being with him.

 

Yet, like Losilmax’s victims, Clayface has changed. When he was locked in a tank in Arkham Towers, he could only think about getting his life back. Discovering that someone had stolen his identity and was doing so well in Hollywood gave him an enemy to fight. Then, Katie Park helped him get on his feet and shared her struggles with him. Now, Clayface no longer prioritizes his interests. He still wants to destroy the imposter's career. But his priority is preventing "Basil Karlo" from melting down other people’s lives in Clayface: Celebrity Dirt #4.

 

Art

As a reporter in a suit sits on a recliner, "Basil Karlo" stares through his wall of windows in his short robe and slippers. When the actor raises his cup toward the surrounding city, the reporter studies the carpet. In her private laboratory, Dr Victoria October visits a patient in her hazmat suit while Clayface watches through an interior window. A trail of brown links their silhouettes with Clayface and Victoria’s current position. When she removes her white lab coat, Clayface towers above her like Beauty and the Beast. Yet when they exit the elevator, Basil wears casual attire and approximates Victoria's height.

 

As Fran Galán adorns Victoria’s home with modern furniture and rectangular building design, violet furnishings hint at the life she and Basil (or, if you prefer, Matt Hagen) could have had. Patricio Delpeche links their shirt and blouse with blue as Victoria and Basil sit beside a green pool. After Clayface relives a red memory, his imposter wears a red shirt. Yet while desert-style plants surround Clayface and Victoria, the tropical foliage behind Hollywood’s brightest star suggests an impenetrable jungle in Clayface: Celebrity Dirt #4.

 

Tom Napolitano fills irregularly shaped white balloons with uppercase black dialogue. Offscreen conversations fill narrative boxes. Clayface's words evoke a leaky pen, while white letters in red balloons hint at the speaker's sanity. Clayface's thoughts inhabit boxes with irregular gray borders, while sound effects heighten a frightened woman’s plight. Thanks to DC Comics for sharing this story with us.

 

Final Thoughts

When Gotham's authorities imprisoned him in Arkham Towers, Clayface believed he deserved better than being classed with other criminals. But after returning to Hollywood and discovering how little the authorities cared about villains destroying people's lives, Clayface decided to do something about it. He may not be the world’s greatest detective. But as Clayface searches for missing women and investigates a dangerous supplement, he could be Hollywood's greatest protector in Clayface: Celebrity Dirt #4.

 

Rating 9.8/10

 

To look inside, see Clayface: Celebrity Dirt #4 Preview. 

 

For how Losilmix is "Giving people total control of their bodies," see Clayface: Celebrity Dirt #3 Preview. 

For "Todd's" fight to reclaim his life in Los Angeles, see Clayface: Celebrity Dirt #2 Preview. 

For how this series began, see my Clayface: Celebrity Dirt #1 Preview.

 

For more recent series involving Clayface, 

See my review of DC K.O. Knightfight #1,

My preview of Harley and Ivy: Life and Crimes #1 & 

My review of Batman and Robin: Year One #1. 

 

The Toxic Avenger Vs The Noxious Offender #1 Review

 

The Toxic Avenger Vs The Noxious Offender #1 Review

Writer: Matt Bors

Artist: Felipe Sobreiro

Colorist: Lee Loughridge

Letterer: Rob Steen

Flash Fiction Writers: Carol Lay & Margaret Beeler

Flash Fiction Illustrators: Carol Lay & Rob Steen

Cover Artists: Matt Bors; Greg Scott; Troma & Steen; Grant Perkins

Publisher: Ahoy Comics

Price: $4.99 US

Release Date: October 7, 2026

 

Toxie and Yvonne went to Washington, D.C., to help pass the Clean Bill. Instead, they killed a President or two. Still, as the 66^th President of the United States, newly sworn-in Congressman Mike Flichigan of Michigan presented Toxie with a Presidential Mop of Honor for cleaning up the country.

 

Now, new challenges threaten Toxie and Yvonne. Can they root out the aliens trying to destroy the Earth so Humans can destroy the environment? And after fulfilling a fantasy in the White House, how will Toxie and Yvonne enjoy the reality in Tromaville? Grab your mop, leap into The Toxic Avenger vs. The Noxious Offender #1, and see!

 

Story

It was one thing to make love while knowing their imperfections. Yet as the doctor performs an ultrasound and the prospective parents see the developing fetus, Toxie and Yvonne begin to wonder what they've taken on. The responsibilities of bringing a baby into a world with a corrupt government, continual threats from toxic substances, and alien invasions seem overwhelming.

 

In The Toxic Avenger Vs The Noxious Offender #1, the action follows Toxie as he faces the responsibilities ahead while trying to keep Tromaville safe. While friends surround him, family is on his mind. He begins to wonder about his own family and why his mother raised him as a single parent. But in Matt Bors’s story, Toxie’s life grows more complicated when someone who resembles him begins terrorizing the neighborhood.

 

Toxie has often protected the world against the dangers that threaten it. Now, the past his mother sheltered him from returns. Yvonne assured Toxie the future couldn't be as terrible as he imagined. Instead, people attempt to steal the future Toxie worried about in The Toxic Avenger Vs The Noxious Offender #1.

 

Art

The doctor smiles as he points to a staticky white shape on a green monitor. An informative handout includes a scan of the developing child, a graph, and a pictorial description of the dangers threatening the child. Yvonne frowns, resting her crossed arms on her swelling stomach, as she frowns at the doctor. When he raises a gun and smiles, Toxie places a hand on Yvonne's shoulder and uses the other to suggest, "Don't call us. We'll call you."

 

As Toxie returns to work, a tattered banner hangs over the street in The Toxic Avenger Vs The Noxious Offender #1. Felipe Sobreiro shows the townspeople gathering amid the graffiti and dilapidated buildings. Yet as some residents try to protect their town, their bug-eyed glasses announce their opposition to Tromaville’s premier mop-wielder.

 

Lee Loughridge links a glimpse of the pink baby inside Yvonne with Toxie’s ballerina attire. Pink also represents Toxie's concerns about alien invasions. But while pink aliens come in all shapes and sizes, shades of green also show that mutated people can be good or bad. As night falls, purple colors the compressed junk and Toxie and Yvonne's clothes. Yet purple will color people closer to him than Toxie would prefer.

 

Rob Steen fills white dialogue balloons with black uppercase letters. Toxie’s lowercase thoughts fill green splotches, while the Noxious Offender’s green commentary fills black splotches. Blobby’s small, hand-printed-style letters appear in pink clouds as he hovers near his mutated friend. While sound effects represent an unexpected threat, giant bluish-white letters in black fields chart the baby's progress toward birth.

 

Flash Fiction

Carol Lay contributes two stories originally presented in The Wrong Earth #3 and #4. In “Meat,” society has broken down. Without police to protect the public, suppliers have more trouble getting their goods to market. Nor do inspectors assess the quality of the goods available for sale. This makes shopping difficult and dangerous. So, as the story follows Trevor through his shopping day, “Caveat emptor” is very much on his mind.

 

In Carol Lay's story "Rich," Francine Headley has used her money to live apart from society. But as she enjoys life as a recluse in her elegant mansion, Francine yearns for even more isolation. She doesn't want to see or interact with another person ever again. As her Delegator, James must ensure that she never has to be with another person ever again.

 

As Margaret Beeler contributes a new story to round out this debut issue, Emma and her friends seek a remote setting to conduct "The Ritual." But as they head into the private school's darkened gym, the impressive house on the grounds strikes her as a touch ironic. Thanks to Ahoy Comics and Superfan Promotions for providing a review copy.

 

Final Thoughts

As their bundle of joy grows inside Yvonne, Toxie worries. While Yvonne believes he can face the future, Toxie delves into his past. Yet the biggest danger threatening Toxie, Yvonne, and their growing family may be the fame his heroism engenders in The Toxic Avenger Vs The Noxious Offender #1.

 

9.6/10

To look inside see The Toxic Avenger Vs The Noxious Offender #1 Preview.

Bad Seeds: Streets of Gotham #1 Review

 

Bad Seeds: Streets of Gotham #1: Bad Seeds Week 8 Part 1 Review

Writers: Mariko Tamaki & Matt Fraction

Artists: Bruno Abdias, Rossi Gifford, Gretel Lusky, Jorge Fornés, Brian Ching & Steve Lieber

Colorists: Pedro Estouco, Miquel Muerto, Gretel Lusky, Dave Stewart, Adriano Lucas & Lee Loughridge

Letterers: Ariana Maher & Clayton Cowles

Cover Artist: Javi Fernández

Variant Cover Artists: Dustin Nguyen & Javier Rodríguez

Editors: James Reid, Ben Meares & Rob Levin

Publisher: DC Comics

Price: $5.99 US | Variant $6.99 US (Card Stock) | Variant $8.99 US (Foil)

Release Date: October 14, 2026

 

Batman has battled Vandal Savage’s TUCO squads to prevent the Police Commissioner from killing untold thousands of Gotham’s citizens. Along the way, he detected a way to defeat Poison Ivy’s superbloom. As Batman seeks to end the world-threatening crisis, the Bat-family goes to work.

 

Batwoman helps keep the Bat-coms operating. Batgirl Cassandra Cain, her brother Tenji Turner, and her friend Jaya Jayesh protect the patrons of Bà Bao’s Noodle Shop. Officers Jim Gordon and his partner Espinoza protect Dr Annika Zeller from a psychopath who escaped from Arkham Towers. And Nightwing races through the night to prevent a grieving father from becoming what he hates.

 

What of other members of the Bat-family? And how do the residents who remain in Gotham fare? Let's leap into Bad Seeds: Streets of Gotham #1 and see!

 

Story

In "The Party," Lenny's friend doesn't want Lenny to think. The thief wants him to follow instructions. But as they split up to burgle empty apartments, someone else draws Lenny into her web. In "The Lock Walk Home," Beth's date has ended in disaster. As she stumbles home, Beth meets someone who distracts her from her troubles. In "The Stand," children await their mother's return. With monstrous plants taking over the streets, two of them battle over who best embodies their inspiration. But when they hear a scream, the girls rush off to see who they can help.

 

In the second trio of stories in Bad Seeds: Streets of Gotham #1, "Primaries" takes readers into the mind of a TUCO soldier. It demonstrates the qualities Vandal Savage sought for his private army and how they protect the city. "Balladeers" shows how an aspiring newsmaker can inspire a disillusioned veteran. The story also shows how, when people's lives are in danger, heroes prioritize protecting others over their happiness. Finally, after Gotham’s Police Commissioner urges the inhabitants of a free society to become informants and Mayor Pamela Isley forces a news anchor to follow her script, “The Pitch” introduces readers to the people who shape the news.

 

As Mariko Tamaki and Matt Fraction hand off storytelling duties, their stories highlight our need for friends to help us through tough times. The writers also muse on what makes a society function. While selfish people prey on their neighbors or commit seemingly victimless crimes, Gotham’s inhabitants help and protect others. Some people look down on anyone who doesn’t share their values and outlooks. These groups even use the emergency to cleanse the city of corrupting influences. Gotham may be suffering through its latest catastrophe. Still, people reach across the generational divide to help their elders, protect children, and guide lost young people in Bad Seeds: Streets of Gotham #1.

 

Art

In “The Party,” residents light candles and activate flashlights. A glow surrounds them as they gather food and gravitate toward the roof. While Lenny looks up to his friend with a bandaged nose, the man swats his head and points at him. As Bruno Abdias portrays Lenny's unhappiness, Pedro Estouco links Lenny's balaclava with the red night.

 

Rossi Gifford opens “The Long Walk Home” with a close-up of Beth’s heels navigating dense plant life. An overhead shot reveals how vines and foliage have taken over a playground. But as Beth trips and falls, a boy perches atop a jungle gym covered with plant growth. Miquel Muerto imbues the air with a magical quality, as purple, pink, and yellow-green fill the sky. While Beth's red blazer and green blouse link her with the surrounding greenery and red flowers, the boy's lavender hoodie ties him to the sky.

 

In "The Stand," Martha displays her bat-gear on the coffee table. Amid Gretel Lusky's round, expressive faces, Martha's brother Lenny wears square glasses. Compared with the darker colors and fluorescent sky of "The Long Walk Home,” Gretel Lusky lavishes pastels on her art. Lenny's green shirt links him to his sister's bat-gear, while her yellow gloves and shirt emblem bind her to hanging-loose Corp's yellow mohawk.

 

Silhouettes frame the soldiers. Lightbars fill the air with red-and-blue. Vandal Savage's black suit and white shirt link him to his black-clad TUCO squads. In "Primaries,” Jorge Fornés’ art suggests that the voracious plants have moved on after damaging buildings and vehicles. But amid Dave Stewart's green, gray, and orange, people hang in green webs in Bad Seeds: Streets of Gotham #1.

 

In a liquor store, two men and a boy gather around a radio. A candle in a bottle illuminates the batteries surrounding the radio. As Brian Ching fills “Balladeers” with action, Jack Dean and Huston Gray take to the streets wearing jackets and balaclavas. But amid Adriano Lucas’ blue, green, and red palette, orange intensifies the action, while yellow signals a person in need.

 

“The Pitch” begins outside, as Steve Lieber portrays the damage-strewn street, then repeats the scene after the streetlights go out. A branch moves through the air, spewing yellow-green liquid, and suggesting how the plants damaged buildings and vehicles in “Primaries.” Lee Loughridge paints an office in beige and tan. Among the men, James' orange shirt links with their leader's hair. But as the three men struggle to get along, Sarah keeps the peace in a violet dress with pink dots.

 

Lettering

While Ariana Maher places black uppercase letters in Mariko Tamaki's stories, offscreen dialogue fills white and colored narrative boxes. Enlarged dialogue pierces the night in "The Stand," while sound effects accompany the plant attacks and Lenny's burglar friend.

 

While Clayton Cowles also fills white balloons with black uppercase letters in Matt Fraction’s stories, white letters in colored narrative boxes reveal thoughts and off-camera dialogue. Larger words in white or black boxes proclaim time and space. Balloons grow spikes amid heightened emotions and intense situations. But only in "Primaries" do sound effects enhance the TUCO's battles with plants and their targets. Thanks to DC Comics for sharing this story with us.

 

Final Thoughts

Gotham is Batman's city. Yet it's a city in which he wants everyone to flourish. While Mariko Tamaki portrays the inhabitants' relationship with their city, the Bat-family looms large for children, while adults take their protection for granted. Matt Fraction's stories let secondary members of the Bat-family shine, while also training the spotlight on their supporters. Yet in all six stories, both authors remind us why, despite all the reasons to leave, we choose to plant our lives in imperfect places in Bad Seeds: Streets of Gotham #1.

 

Rating 9.8/10

 

To look inside see Bad Seeds: Streets of Gotham #1 Preview. 

 

For more of the Bad Seeds Event, see

 

Poison Ivy #47: A Batman: Bad Seeds Prelude: Preview 

 

Batman: Bad Seeds – Sunset #1 Preview 

 

Batman #13: Bad Seeds Week 2 Part 1 Preview 

 

Batgirl #23: Bad Seeds Week 2 Part 2: Preview 

 

Batman: Bad Seeds: Gotham Central #1--Bad Seeds Week 3 Part 1 Review 

 

Batwoman #7: Bad Seeds Week 4 Part 1 Review 

 

Detective Comics #1113: Bad Seeds Week 4 Part 2 Preview  

 

Catwoman #91: Week 4 Part 3 Preview 

 

Nightwing #142: Bad Seeds Week 4 Part 4 Preview  

 

Harley Quinn #66: Bad Seeds Week 5 Part 1 Preview  

Poison Ivy #48: Bad Seeds Week 6 Part 1 Review 

Batman #14 Bad Seeds Week 7 Part 1 Review 

Batgirl #23: Bad Seeds Week 2 Part 2: Preview