The Savage Sword of Conan #16 Review

 

The Savage Sword of Conan #16 Review

Writer: Jim Zub

Artist: Nicola Scott, Chris Campana & Sean Izaakse

Pin-Ups: Jesús Merino, Luke Eidenschink & Leonardo Manco

Letterers: Richard Starkings & Tyler Smith

Cover Artists: Joe Jusko & Nick Percival

Publisher: Titan Comics

Price: $6.99 US

Release Date: September 16, 2026

 

Conan has battled Thulsa Doom across time and space. When Doom threatened his homeland, the Cimmerian teamed with a Pict scout to rescue his people from the sorcerer's clutches. He fought alongside King Kull and Brissa's distant ancestor Brule. The Cimmerian has joined forces with occult detectives John Kirowan and John Conrad. He's stood shoulder to shoulder with Solomon Kane, Dark Agnes, and El Borak to combat a creature that could attack people through their memories.

 

Still, no matter how many times Conan defeats him, and who the Cimmerian fights alongside, Thulsa Doom resolutely claws his way back to life and power. How will Thulsa Doom threaten Conan next? And what other legendary warriors will get drawn into the soul-stealing vortex of the Black Stone's power? Let's shout "Hail Crom," leap into The Savage Sword of Conan #16, and see!

 

Story

In "Conan: Massacred Memories," Jim Zub looks back at the Cimmerian's childhood. While his father instructed him in Cimmerian beliefs and Lyolf taught him to fight, Conan urged his older friend Hydallan to cast off his fear. Jim Zub shows us life in the village of Erianne from Hydallan’s eyes. The story moves back and forth in time, weaving Conan into Hydallan’s life. It also shows the Cimmerian's life after Conan departed to explore other lands. Hydallan’s life is filled with joys and sorrows. Yet Conan remains someone who inspires Hydallan, even if he cannot hope to emulate him.

 

Unlike Hydallan, gunslinger Steve Corcoran enjoys Conan’s fearless nature but lacks Hydallan’s morality. In "The Ghosts of Wahpeton," Jim Zub summarizes Steve Corcoran's adventures in Robert E. Howard's novella, "The Vultures of Wahpeton." While Hydallan loses much but retains his will to carry on, Steve Corcoran loses everything and lacks a reason to continue. But as with Hydallan, when Death comes calling, Steve Corcoran gets a second chance in The Savage Sword of Conan #16.

 

After venturing into the Hyborian Age and the Old West, Jim Zub transports readers to Eastern Europe in the early 20^th Century. In “The Warrior Within,” Zuleika is a girl foraging for mushrooms. Given her Circassian heritage, others prey on her people. Like Hydallan and Steve Corcoran, Zuleika loses people she cares about. Still, she finds ways of coping with her losses and hardships as a woman in a male-dominated society.

 

Unlike Dark Agnes, Zuleika cannot channel her anger to become a fearless warrior. Yet the skills and mental discipline she learns as a serving girl in Stamboul fill her with her ancestors' courage. And perhaps, like Conan, King Kull, and the Pict Brule, Zuleika can find a way to contact her earlier counterparts in The Savage Sword of Conan #16.

 

Art

Cimmerians hide along the road as Aquilonian soldiers in armor, uniforms, and helmets leave their garrison. Conan fights wearing a fur across his back, a loincloth, and boots. Hydallan is better clothed, like the rest of his kin. He also carries more arms and a shield. Yet Hydallan watches Conan chart his own course, while he stays with the pack.

 

Hydallan remembers walking through the woods in his youth. Older and taller than Conan, Hydallan swings a stick like a sword and boasts to his smaller friend about the great warrior he will become. Nicola Scott steeps her epic scenes and heartfelt recollections with shades of gray, lending depth and reality to her art in The Savage Sword of Conan #16.

 

After showing Steve Corcoran riding his galloping horse away from his failure, a collage of memories retells his recent events in Wahpeton Gulch. Riding through the lonely desert, the cowboy eventually dismounts and reclines against a rock, tipping his hat over his head. When he awakens, a strange sight and a visitor propel him on an unexpected adventure. Chris Campana uses black lines, inked backgrounds, silhouettes, and crosshatching in this story about a Western gunslinger embarking on an otherworldly adventure.

 

As a child, Zuleika kneels among mushrooms sprouting around a tree stump. Streams of light pervade the canopy, illuminating the girl and making the ground glow. Mesmerizing imagery conjured from a battle between darkness and light conveys the majesty of young Zuleika’s spirit in The Savage Sword of Conan #16. Despite all the trauma she endures, a memory of a woman clad in gems, fine linens, and a warrior's garb helps the girl endure the wooden cages, lattice windows, hinged screens, and stone walls that enclose her in Sean Izaase’s art.

 

Lettering 

Richard Starkings and Tyler Smith fill white dialogue balloons with black uppercase dialogue. Hydallan relates his story with white letters in black boxes, while white dates in black boxes chart Zuleika’s life. Black uppercase letters in white boxes share Steve Corcoran’s struggles, while letters grow bold for intonation and swell for raised voices. Sound effects fill the air as Hydallan and Steve Corcoran reach a nadir and confront a potential way forward. Thanks to Titan Comics and Heroic Signatures for providing a review copy.

 

Final Thoughts

Thulsa Doom and the power of the Black Stone unite heroes and villains across history. As the sorcerer realizes that Conan has become his nemesis, more people enter his orbit. Jim Zub introduces three people who have survived against the odds. But what role they will play in Thulsa Doom’s next foray on the Cimmerian is anything but certain in The Savage Sword of Conan #16.

 

Rating 9.8/10

 

To look inside see The Savage Sword of Conan #16 Preview. 

Superman Unlimited #17 Review

 

Superman Unlimited #17 Review

Writer: Dan Slott

Artist: Montos

Colorist: Ivan Plascensia

Letterer: Dave Sharpe

Cover Artists: Lucas Meyer & Giuliano Peratelli

Variant Cover Artists: Mark Spears; V Ken Marion & Veronica Gandini; Vincenzo Riccardi

Editors: Jillian Grant & Paul Kaminski

Publisher: DC Comics

Price: $4.99 US/$5.99 US Card Stock

Release Date: September 16, 2026

 

Dru-Zod may be dead. Yet despite Power Girl’s efforts to contain it, Zod’s Kryptonite infection spreads across the Earth. In El Caldero, Mary Marvel, Martian Manhunter, and Kara’s Super Force are in prison. Kal-El's Super Family is struggling. Even after studying how Zod weaponized Kryptonite, John Henry Irons and his niece Natasha don't know how to reverse the deadly infection.

 

Can anyone save the world from Zod's attempt to rebuild Earth into a New Krypton? And will Ursa destroy the timeline by preventing Krypton's destruction? Let's find a phone booth, leap into Superman Unlimited #17, and see!

 

Story

On Krypton, Kara tried to warn Zod of Krypton's impending doom. Yet her admission that Jor-El was right about their ailing planet infuriated Zod. Still, his discovery of their time bubble lends credence to her story. So, Zod forms a plan. But the general specializes in destruction.

 

While Superman Unlimited #17 begins on Krypton, the story then shifts to Earth. Like the Humans of his adoptive planet, Superman is in pain. Shielded by the lead-lined tunnels, the pain doesn't drive him out of his mind. Instead, he looks back at the origins of his dilemma. Superman thought he had prevented an extinction event. Even though it hampered his efforts to protect the Earth, Superman thought the Green-K meteorite could benefit Humanity. Yet despite temporarily gifting people a better life, he only delayed Earth's destruction.

 

While Dan Slott’s story follows Superman, it also shows how El Calderan Green-K affected people worldwide. As Superman attempts to do what Steel could not, people from all walks of life realize how much he sacrifices for them. Just as working on a difficult task brings a sense of empowerment, Clark’s belief that he can save the Earth fills him with a sense that a greater destiny awaits him. Yet as Clark acts to counteract Zod’s poisoning of his planet, some people will lose, and others will have to adjust to new lives in Superman Unlimited #17.

 

Art

Dru-Zod and Batman may be worlds apart. Still, he uses grapplers to capture the people who threaten his world. A one-page collage rewinds the clock to reveal the events that led to the spread of weaponized El Calderan Green-K. But when he realizes how to protect the Earth, an upshot shows Superman standing apart from his group, while his son, as Tomorrow Man, stands at the center of those nearby.

 

As Montos uses double-page layouts to portray Superman’s efforts to save communities, and single-page layouts to intervene with individuals, Ivan Plascensia adorns Superman Unlimited #17 with a vibrant palette. On Krypton, red fills the air as Zod advances on those bearing his enemy's family crest. Yellow fills the background as Kara reacts to prevent his interference in the timeline. Zod's grapplers link his captives with the gleaming city of Kryptonopolis. Yet on Earth, another color attacks green.

 

Dave Sharpe shows Eradicatrix’s white uppercase dialogue in black balloons, while black narrative boxes reveal another character's thoughts and follow Superman's attempt to save Earth. As Krypton saps his super-abilities, the symbols < and > highlight young Clark's inability to interact with its citizens. Broken balloon borders reveal lowered voices, while a character with a big intellect speaks with lowercase letters. Sound effects enhance a desperate flight, sizzling energy, and destructive impacts as the heroes fight over the future of two planets. Thanks to DC Comics for sharing this story with us.  

 

Final Thoughts

The world can be a scary place. People in small towns and big cities all over the world are suffering and dying from unprovoked chemical warfare. In El Caldero, a populist president has vanished. Soldiers in unfamiliar armor stalk their streets. The Kryptonite that elevated them to a world power is killing them. Yet after Zod and Ursa tried to stamp out weakness while preserving the purity of the Kryptonian race, Superman (and his younger self) strive to safeguard everyone in Superman Unlimited #17.

 

Rating 9.4/10

 

To look inside see Superman Unlimited #17 Preview. 

 

For more in the Kingdom Of Zod storyline:

For General Zod's rise to power, see Action Comics #1100: End Of Reign Review. 

For the mission to El Caldero, see Supergirl #16: Kingdom Of Zod Part 1 Review. 

For the battle in El Caldero, see Action Comics #1101: Kingdom of Zod Part 2 Review. 

For how Superman takes the fight to Zod, see Superman Unlimited #16 Review.

For Zod's revival of Ursa see Superman #41: Kingdom Of Zod Part Four Review 

For Ursa, Kara, and young Clark's arrival on Krypton, see Supergirl #17: Kingdom Of Zod Part 5 Preview 

For what happens when Ursa, Kara, and young Clark meet Zod on Krypton, see Action Comics #1102: Kingdom Of Zod Part 6 Preview. 

 

Absolute Green Arrow #5 Review

 

Absolute Green Arrow #5 Review

Writer: Pornsak Pichetshote

Artist: Rafael Albuquerque

Colorist: Marcelo Maiolo

Cover Artists: Rafael Albuquerque & Marcelo Maiolo

Variant Cover Artists: Gerald Parel, Seba Fiumara & Mirka Andolfo

1:25 Variant Cover Artist: Karl Kerschl

Editors: Sabrina Futch, Katie Kubert & Chris Conroy

Publisher: DC Comics

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

Release Date: September 16, 2026

 

Her mother broke her father's heart. Then, cancer broke his body. Like her parents, Dinah Lance had planned on a career in the Star City Police Department. Instead, she has worked as a professional fighter and a bodyguard to society's elite.

 

Now, Dinah works for Hector Hammond. The billionaire employs a surgeon to experiment on people. Hector claims it's all about achieving Longevity Escape Velocity. But really, he's just a rich kid who wants to play with people like toys and turn them into monsters.

 

Can Dinah Lance escape Hector’s House of Horrors? And can she bring down his empire like Kal-El imprisoned Ra’s al Ghul and forced Lazarus Corp into bankruptcy? Or will the "Black Canary" and the mysterious Green Arrow become two more of Hector Hammond’s playthings? Let’s grab our bows, leap into Absolute Green Arrow #5, and see!

 

Story

When Dinah helped Hector Hammond enter Oliver Queen's Arrow Cave, the Green Arrow took Hector's hand. Later, when Roy Harper led Dinah to Jubal Slade's "Island," the Green Arrow used Hector's hand to infiltrate Hector Hammond's security. As Dinah and the Green Arrow battled Solomon Grundy, Hector's monster took the Green Arrow's hand. Then, as they sit together in Hammond’s House of Horrors, the Green Arrow broaches the subject of Dinah’s mother.

 

Hector and Solomon Grundy's return cuts short the Green Arrow's revelation. But then, Hector gets a surprise when he removes Green Arrow’s mask. While the discovery shakes him, Hector quickly regains control. He’s too used to treating people like disposable commodities to feel the sting of betrayal.

 

As Absolute Green Arrow #5 begins with an insight into the past, more revelations follow as the Green Arrow reveals what prompted them to pursue this course. These insights link evidence from Dinah's investigation with Oliver and the Green Arrow's past. Yet flashbacks reveal two sides of Oliver Queen as the Green Arrow tries to empower Dinah, while Hector seeks to disillusion her.

 

Amid the action and drama, the narrator contemplates the world Dinah inhabits. These ponderings dovetail with Dinah's concerns and why she refused Hector's employment until he threatened her father's life. Pornsak Pichetshote’s story is filled with plot twists and leaves the reader hanging. Yet in this story about the forces that sicken society, the people who struggle with their conscience emerge as heroes and antiheroes, even if they walk on feet of clay.

 

Art

While Hector Hammond conducts business elsewhere, Dinah Lance and her fellow captive sit back-to-back in Absolute Green Arrow #5. Unable to face each other, Green Arrow studies his bandaged stump as he broaches a difficult subject. Dinah cranes her head as far toward him as she can and shouts in reply. Panels frame a wide shot of Hector and Solomon Grundy’s entrance. While Solomon Grundy seems an unbeatable monster, the eyes staring at them from his limbs and torso evoke the child found in Oliver Queen’s Arrow Cave.

 

As Rafael Albuquerque’s detailed art fuels drama, revelations, and action, Marcelo Maiolo applies a limited palette to Absolute Green Arrow #5. Green Arrow relates his backstory with green, indigo, and violet, while Hammond retells history in green, yellow, and orange. Yellow, orange, red, and green dominate Hector's House of Horrors. Yet half of a red, orange, and yellow close-up fades to black, comparing Hector Hammond with the Controller of MU in Absolute Green Lantern.

 

Black uppercase letters in white dialogue balloons grow bold for intonation, shrink for lowered voices, and enlarge for raised voices. Dark green letters in green balloons convey recollections of Oliver Queen, while painful utterances, whether small or large, fill cloudy balloons. Letters in green boxes show the narrator's words, while sound effects heighten a battle to survive a nightmare. Thanks to DC Comics for sharing this story with us.

 

Final Thoughts

Hector Hammond's security advisor, Malcolm Merlyn, wanted Dinah Lance to protect Hector Hammond and Reese Tyler while investigating the Green Arrow. The former Star City police detective's search for truth won her entry into Hector Hammond’s private lair. While a prisoner awaiting medical experimentation, torture, or death, Dinah learns more about the people in her life and aspects of society the media never reports on. Yet Hector Hammond, who believes he is one of the few Humans who can handle cosmic insights, clings to assumptions and refuses to accept the truth in Absolute Green Arrow #5.

 

Rating 9.6/10

 

To look inside see Absolute Green Arrow #5 Preview. 

For how Dinah learned Oliver Queen's fate, see Absolute Green Arrow #4 Review. 

For what happened before that see Absolute Green Arrow #3 Review. 

For what happened even before that, see my preview of Absolute Green Arrow #2. 

For how this series started, see my preview of Absolute Green Arrow #1.

For how Oliver Queen died, see my preview of Absolute Evil #1. 

For more on the series, see Pornsak Pichetshote on Absolute Green Arrow. 

Barbara Gordon: Breakout #5 Review

 

Barbara Gordon: Breakout #5 Review

Writer: Mariko Tamaki

Artist: Amancay Nahuelpan

Colorist: Tamra Bonvillain

Letterer: Ariana Maher

Cover Artist: Karl Kerschl

Variant Cover Artists: Rafael Albuquerque & Marcelo Maiolo; Nimit Malavia; Hayden Sherman

Editors: James Reid & Rob Levin

Publisher: DC Comics

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

Release Date: September 9, 2026

 

Barbara Gordon has made a new friend in Supermax. And unlike Sparrow, Myrna Shelton doesn't try to keep her doped. Yet despite their pact to protect their fellow inmates, screams echo through the prison cells at night. Barbara and the former GCPD officer wonder if they can convince a guard to work with them. Yet, like the TUCOs who arrest any police officer who steps out of line, the guards seem loyal to Police Commissioner Vandal Savage.

 

Who keeps killing inmates and staging them as suicides in Vandal Savage's private prison? And who can Barbara Gordon trust amid this twisted game of murder and revenge? Let’s leap into Barbara Gordon: Breakout #5 and see!

 

Story

After someone attacked Barbara on her first night in Supermax, Sparrow looked after her. The nurse assisted her back to her cell and gave her medication to help her deal with her injuries. But instead, the drugs gave Barbara hallucinations. And they didn't do anything to ease the headaches from her concussion. Now, Sparrow occupies a bed in the infirmary. Someone beat her mercilessly. Realizing she may not survive, the doctor calls to let someone know Sparrow's fate.

 

In Barbara Gordon: Breakout #5, Myrna Shelton looks after Barbara. The GCPD officer kicked Barbara against an electrified fence to banish Sparrow’s drugs from Barbara’s system. After Jim Gordon tells Nightwing he sent someone into Supermax to look out for his daughter, Myrna tells Barbara that she is loyal to her father. Still, after Sparrow tried to keep Barbara safe, Myrna couldn't protect Sparrow.

 

As Mariko Tamaki's story follows Barbara Gordon and Myrna Shelton's efforts to find who is killing inmates in Supermax, the story also provides a glimpse of Vandal Savage. Everyone believes that the Gotham City Police Commissioner is calling the shots. That was one reason Barbara let the TUCOs arrest her. But the Torus put Vandal Savage in a position to help them.

 

As more deaths rock life in Supermax, everyone begins to feel a little like Anarky. He thought he was striking a blow for the little guy in Gotham. Instead, one crime family used him to ignite a war between their rivals. And inside Supermax or outside, no leader like the Minotaur seems capable of uniting the warring factions in Barbara Gordon: Breakout #5.

 

Art

Hands pass a folded piece of paper along until Barbara opens it. A view through the bars of an infirmary window lends the note greater context. While the doctor speaks into a cellphone, the callee uses a rotary-dial landline. As she slips into the infirmary, Myrna shields her features behind a stack of freshly laundered towels. But when she pulls away Sparrow's oxygen mask, Myrna's features betray no softness.

 

As Amancay Nahuelpan portrays life in Supermax and Gotham, orange and green battle for dominance. Red links Vandal Savage with his aide, while ripples in the sky above the exercise yard evoke the visual distortion Barbara noticed after Sparrow doped her. Red also invades the prison yard as people unleash their anger. Yet in a realm filled with green, Tamra Bonvillain fills panels with yellow as inmates lash out against each other in Barbara Gordon: Breakout #5.

 

Ariana Maher fills white balloons with black uppercase dialogue, while Barbara's black lowercase thoughts in green paper scraps evoke handwritten notes. The dialogue shrinks when people lower their voices to avoid being overheard. Yet enlarged uneven black uppercase dialogue links Vandal Savage with an inmate in his private prison. Thanks to DC Comics for sharing this story with us.

 

Final Thoughts

Barbara Gordon used to watch over Gotham from her office high above the city. When she learned that inmates were dying in Vandal Savage's private prison, Barbara gave up her perch to investigate among the crowd. But as people fight and die around her, Barbara lacks her former perspective. Unable to access electronic communications and digital information, Barbara must reassess not only the players but also their objectives in Barbara Gordon: Breakout #5.

 

Rating 9/10

 

To look inside see Barbara Gordon: Breakout #5. 

 

For what happened last time, see Barbara Gordon: Breakout #4 Preview. 

For what happened last time, see Barbara Gordon: Breakout #3 Preview. 

For what happened before that, see my preview of Barbara Gordon: Breakout #2.

For how this series started, see my preview of Barbara Gordon: Breakout #1.

For how Vandal Savage's TUCO squad caught Barbara Gordon, see my preview of Batman #9. 

 

Tank Girl: Blue Helmet #1 Review

 

Cover A: Jamie Hewlett

Tank Girl: Blue Helmet #1 Review

Writer: Alan Martin

Artist & Cover Artist: Jamie Hewlett

Publisher: Titan Comics

Price: $4.99 US

Release Date: September 9, 2026

 

Brian Smell is bored. So, as he rides a train between Horsham and Worthing Art College, he opens a paperback. When his friends board the train, Simon and Barry display no interest in Blue Helmet. But the beautiful Shit Face, a fan of Kerouac's oeuvre, offers to compare notes on "The Jack" sometime. Can Brian absorb enough of Jack Kerouac's literary style, themes, and underlying meanings to impress her? And what adventure has Jack Kerouac recorded in this book? Let's leap into Tank Girl: Blue Helmet #1 and see!

 

Story

After loading the old Hudson, Jack and his friend Allen hit the road. But as they listen to tunes, they come upon a fiery wreck. Unable to help the passengers, they continue until they come upon a young woman standing in the road. Although she is injured, Tank Girl appeals for assistance with her boyfriend. So, Jack and Allen help Tank Girl and Booga into the back seat of the convertible. Then, they resume their journey along the open road as Tank Girl tends the Kangaroo's wounds.

 

In Tank Girl: Blue Helmet #1, Jack Kerouac relates his journey in flowing prose. Tank Girl gets dialogue in scenes, while Jack's narration lends scope to their adventures. Every day brings something new and exciting. Tank Girl pulls pranks and displays an amorous nature. Yet, she also engages in thieving and killing.

 

The first half of Alan Martin's story flows like a dream, with the quartet untouchable amid their Bonnie-and-Clyde escapades. Yet in Part 2, the tables turn. The old Hudson has failed them. While they've picked up a fun, fifth companion, their situation seems dire. Then Booga suggests a way to improve their lot. The Kangaroo's suggestion seems inspired, and Jack Kerouac begins to imagine a future to howl about. But when his life seems on the cusp of change, Jack Kerouac begins to wonder if, while Tank Girl delights in tearing down the world, she lacks the vision to build a better one in Tank Girl: Blue Helmet #1.

 

 

 

Cover B: Jamie Hewlett (Cardstock)

 

 

Art

As Brian sits clutching his book in the train carriage, wearing his jacket and newsboy hat, Shit Face displays far more fashion sense than Simon and Barry. Her purple jacket glows like the attractive face framed by short, blue hair. But when Brian studies his paperback, a yellow car drives through an orange desert. Purple hoodoos and arches arise in the distance. Ironically, Jack and Allen's orange glow evokes a face on Barry's T-shirt, while Simon's red forehead and eyes link him with the book cover.

 

While Jamie Hewlett lavishes a vibrant palette on his art, panel-packed pages combine with close-ups in larger panels. Occasionally, images merge, forming a collage of the wild lifestyle Tank Girl enjoys and Booga condones. Tank Girl even lets her hair grow as much as it can, linking her more with the hippies and hangers-on than Allen’s freethinking movement. Yet when trouble strikes, Tank Girl wears a newsboy hat like Brian Smell in Tank Girl: Blue Helmet #1.

 

Handwritten black uppercase letters inhabit white dialogue balloons and narrative boxes. Words swell for louder voices, while gunfire, revving engines, and deadly weapons hurtle toward their targets. The Son of Zoro provides youthful commentary in a strip lining the bottom of each page in Part 1. Then, doodles occasionally lurk along the bottom in Part 2 as the story travels on the road to its destination. Thanks to Titan Comics for providing a review copy.

 

 

Cover C: Jamie Hewlett (Virgin Cardstock)

 

 

Final Thoughts

While a young art student seeks inspiration from classic literature, Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsberg seek new experiences in the American Southwest. Tank Girl and Booga seem to epitomize the radical change the travelers seek. Yet as Jack ascends into a wondrous new land, where everything seems possible, he wonders if his new friends have embraced the ideals of the Beat Generation in Tank Girl: Blue Helmet #1.

 

Rating 9.5/10

 

For more from Martin and Hewlett, see Tank Girl: Summer Love Sensation #1 Review. 

Batman: Bad Seeds: Gotham Central #1 Review

 

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

Writer: Christopher Cantwell

Artist & Cover Artist: Jacob Phillips

Letterer: Becca Carey

Variant Cover Artists: Martin Simmonds; Mike Perkins & Mike Spicer; Dustin Nguyen

Editors: Arianna Turturro & Rob Levin

Publisher: DC Comics

Price: $4.99 US/Variant $5.99 US (Card Stock)/Variant $7.99 US (Foil)

Release Date: September 9, 2026

 

Officer Espinoza's former partner knows she rides with Jim Gordon. So, when the Security Guard at Gotham Arboretum can't get anyone from the Gotham City Police Department to investigate a dead body, he calls her. Police Commissioner Vandal Savage may have declared war on the Bat-Family. He may have thrown Barbara Gordon in Supermax. Still, Jim Gordon intends to safeguard his city, even as aggressive plant growth attacks Gotham.

 

Can "Ezzy" and Gordon reach the murder scene? And can they investigate a murder while a billion years of evolution occur during a single night? Let's leap into Batman: Bad Seeds: Gotham Central #1, and see!

 

Story

When Officer Gordon calls in his decision, Vandal Savage tells him that he’s violating orders. Gordon insists that the police are duty-bound to determine whether people or plants killed someone. Still, the aggressive plant growth surrounding Gotham Arboretum gives Gordon pause. But Ezzy, driven by her friendship with former GCPD officer Griffin, doesn’t hesitate when she sees upraised concrete and trees blocking the Arboretum gates.

 

When Griffin shows Gordon and Ezzy the body, the officers assess the crime scene. But when Gordon calls to request a forensic pathologist, the airwaves fill with Bat-Family sightings. Undeterred, Jim Gordon fights for what he needs to pursue a murderer in Batman: Bad Seeds: Gotham Central #1.

 

While Gordon and Ezzy conduct an unsanctioned homicide investigation, Anarky decides to profit from all the chaos. After his actions sparked a crime war, Batman had to protect him from TORUS soldiers. Anarky still smarts from being used to help one crime family gain an advantage over another. He also dislikes how TORUS is repressing the smaller gangs and making everyday criminals targets of their wrath. So, after fleecing a member of the public, Anarky targets the people putting a stranglehold on crime.

 

Christopher Cantwell's story highlights the corruption within the police force. It also shows Vandal Savage's determination to protect the people who put him in office while eliminating anyone who opposes him. Still, as rampant plant life overtakes Gotham, good people rally together to protect the public amid a natural disaster. Jim Gordon may now be a uniformed officer. Yet he rises to lead others amid an extra-natural disaster, while other people in the Bat-Family's orbit prove far less noble in Batman: Bad Seeds: Gotham Central #1.

 

Art

As Ezzy manhandles the steering wheel of the brick-like squad car through plant-infested streets, Jim Gordon notices what might be a member of the Parliament of Trees in his side mirror. When roots push through the pavement before the Arboretum gates, Ezzy presses the accelerator, and the patrol car sails across a splash page. After the car stops, Ezzy lingers beside Griffin while Gordon gets his first look at the body. But as Jim Gordon pulls on his gloves, Ezzy leaps beside her new partner to assist the investigation in Batman: Bad Seeds: Gotham Central #1.

 

As Jacob Phillips adorns his detailed art with a limited palette, the patrol car’s red emergency lights and yellow headlights compete with the green night. Yellow dots in the air evoke the airborne toxins and pathogens Batman mentioned in his call to the Bat-Family. Yet, they also recall the butterflies that Killer Croc freed after escaping Dr Zeller's treatments in Arkham Towers. Anarky covers his motorcycle helmet with a mask and a hood while displaying his symbol on his jacket and trousers. Red and blue clash in his crusade for small-time criminals. Red also represents the anger of those Dr Zeller tries to cure. Yet, blue battles red amid yellow and green as Jim Gordon tries to save everyone he can.

 

Becca Carey fills white dialogue balloons with black uppercase letters, and denotes locations with white letters in black boxes. Words grow bold for intonation, swell for raised voices, and shrink for lowered voices. Red letters link Anarky and his opponents. Sound effects heighten the seemingly intelligent plant growth, a brutal battle, and machines struggling against nature amid dwindling power supplies. Yet, a metallic rattle confirms Gordon’s suspicions, making a night of madness even more dangerous. Thanks to DC Comics for sharing this story with us.

 

Final Thoughts

When the Gotham City Police Department faced a situation they couldn't handle, they lit up the night with a plea for help. But as plants overtake Gotham, the power goes out, and lawlessness takes over, TUCO squads scour the city for any member of the Bat-Family. Lacking support from his superiors, Officer Jim Gordon relies on younger police officers and anyone willing to help him protect the public while pursuing a psychopath in Batman: Bad Seeds: Gotham Central #1.

 

Rating 9/10

 

To look inside see Batman:Bad Seeds: Gotham Central #1 Preview.

 

For more on the Bad Seeds Crossover 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 

 

  

The Forever Home #1 Review

 

The Forever Home #1 Review

Writer: Christian Ward

Artist: Sami Kivelä

Colorist: Jason Wordie

Letterer: Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou

Cover Artists: Christian Ward, Frany, Sami Kivelä, David Rubín & Miguel Mercado

Publisher: Oni Press

Price: $4.99 US

Release Date: September 9, 2026

 

Sarah and Tommy love their parents. But they want to play and explore the world around them. While their mother sympathizes with their struggles, their father seems less approachable. Then one day, Henry shares his concerns with them. Their father wants to protect them from a world that threatens them in innumerable ways.

 

Will Sarah and Tommy abide by their father's wishes? And how long can they stay cooped up inside, when there is a world outside to explore? Let’s leap into The Forever Home #1 and see!

 

Story

Henry enjoys the comfort and refinement of home. Yet Tommy wants to run and play, and Henry’s smart house isn't set up for that. When Tommy asks why he can't go outside, his father decides he's old enough. He activates a wall of viewscreen windows that reveal the devastated world outside. Everyone else may have died. Still, a plant arising from barren ground suggests that the Earth will recover.

 

The Forever Home #1 begins in the future, with Henry seemingly experiencing his final moments. Then, Henry explains the world to his son in the past. When the issue arrives in the present, Tommy and his sister have grown. Sarah is no longer a child bored by her father's condemnation of the world. The teenager looks after Tommy, who enjoys doing art. Yet the world has changed greatly in the six years they have been locked inside. What was once a desert has become a jungle. And creatures climb through trees to study the seemingly impregnable home.

 

As the camera switches between Henry and Tommy, Christian Ward’s story addresses the clash inherent in generational change. Henry has fashioned an ideal life for his family. He wants them to embrace his values and takes drastic steps to protect them. Tommy and Sarah may challenge his authority in small ways. Yet, neither attempts to usurp his authority. Still, a time will come when Henry and Tommy's paths will diverge. Then, each must choose how to navigate the chasm that divides them in The Forever Home #1.

 

Art

Henry, dressed in a suit and sporting a trimmed goatee, sits at a dining table heaped with appetizing food and sips tea from fine bone China. After pouring the tea, Cecil rolls away. As the robot departs, his wife and daughter arrive. Sarah toys with her bacon, eggs, and potatoes. Elizabeth helps their young son sit in an upholstered chair. A puppy sleeps in a basket at Henry's feet.

 

While Sami Kivelä works across pages to reveal the grandeur awaiting the family outside and how their house sustains them, smaller panels provide close-ups and dramatic reactions in The Forever Home #1. Jason Wordie adorns the home in browns with accent colors, while brightly colored paintings hang on the walls. Against the unchanging 1970s interior design, the view outside the diamond-shaped wall of windows grows increasingly green. A limited palette enhances the foliage as it surrounds the A-frame house. Black silhouettes against red hint at more dramatic changes than Henry is prepared to accept.

 

Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou places black uppercase letters in dialogue balloons and narrative boxes. Small, lowercase letters indicate lowered voices and may appear in backgrounds outside balloons. Words grow bold for intonation and swell for raised voices, while cloud-like balloons signify distress. Like his metal housing, Cecil speaks using green dialogue. The house addresses its father, Henry, in rectangular balloons. Sound effects accompany the Golden Labrador's actions as it grows up to be a family friend and proves just as curious as Tommy. Thanks to Oni Press and Superfan Promotions for providing a review copy.

 

Final Thoughts

As in Robert Charles Wilson’s Hugo Award-winning novel Spin, Humans live behind a protective barrier. It keeps them safe from the world outside. Yet, it restricts their movements and inhibits growth. As mythology replaces the facts they cannot learn while trapped inside, Henry fights to keep his family safe and secure in The Forever Home #1.

 

Rating 9.8/10

 

For more cover art, see The Forever Home #1 Cover Preview. 

 

For more from Christian Ward, see Event Horizon: Dark Descent #1 Review. 

 

For more from Sami Kivelä, see Doctor Who: The Prison Paradox TP Review.