Comic Corner Review Roundup – Best Comics From October 7

It’s that wonderful time of the week once again, when you head out to your favorite comic shop and discuss the biggest and most shocking events that happened to hit your pull list. We are talking about new comic book day, of course, and this week is stacked with anticipated launches and unexpected reunions. So whether you’re a fan of DC, Marvel, or Something Is Killing the Children, we’ve got you covered in the Comic Corner Review roundup, so let’s get things started in the Absolute Universe with Absolute Superman #24.

‘Absolute Superman’ #24 Review

Absolute Superman #24 is part three of the Get Brainiac arc, and as the name implies, finding Brainiac remains the main goal. That said, Brainiac and Superman aren’t the main characters of this particular story. Instead, the supporting cast of Superman’s world get their time in the spotlight, and what’s perhaps most impressive is that even with that focal shift, the book doesn’t miss a beat.

The issue bounces between John Henry Irons’ internal commentary and his conversations with Superman as they begin a new partnership. While much of the issue is from Irons’ point of view, Jason Aaron utilizes that perspective to explore new layers of Superman’s personality. In the past, Superman more often than not controlled the change in his demeanor when shifting from Superman to Clark Kent, but here it’s more of simply being comfortable in one’s skin when doing what comes naturally. Superman has no problem battling a radioactive monster or speaking from the heart to someone he trusts, but ask him to have a social interaction with someone he doesn’t know, and it could very well be a bumpy ride.

Speaking of radioactive monsters, this issue is truly a showcase for Juan Ferreyra, who delivers eye-popping versions of several notable villains. That’s especially true of the more monstrous villains, and the colors are electric throughout. Meanwhile, Becca Carey’s lettering makes the action pop, especially when it involves Irons and his ever-evolving armor. It’s also worth mentioning that Si has never been more adorable, and if we don’t get a Si plushie at some point, I’m going to be inconsolable.

This is more about building out the world of Superman than moving the main Superman and Brainiac story forward, so it can feel a bit like running in place. That said, we still get forward movement on the characters themselves, and the threads explored and the new creations will likely play a key role down the line. Absolute Superman has made that sort of development and world-building one of its trademarks, and that isn’t likely to change anytime soon.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Published By: DC Comics
Written By: Jason Aaron
Art and Colors By: Juan Ferreyra
Letters By: Becca Carey

‘Midnight Spider-Man’ #1 Review

Launching the Midnight franchise with a Spider-Man book makes all the sense in the world, but I’d be lying if I said that Midnight Spider-Man #1 was the book I expected. It’s easily the most brutal comic of the three Midnight launches, though it’s also the closest to the character’s original origin story, albeit with a few key differences.

Phillip Kennedy Johnson wastes no time in setting the tone with a gut punch, and that punch is given the impact of a freight train thanks to the brilliant but unsettling art and colors from Scietronc and Neeraj Menon. Somehow that’s only the precursor to even more disturbing elements later, but the book’s heart is woven into the moments between those brutal scenarios: Peter and Ben’s relationship.

We’ve seen that dynamic before, but never quite like this. Midnight Spider-Man presents a version of Peter and Ben that feels more like two adults talking about making it through the day than a typical parent-and-child relationship. The way Peter and Ben talk about finances and life isn’t the sort of exchange we’ve had the chance to really see in action between them, and that’s especially true as things get more complicated in Peter’s work life. This was easily the strongest element of the issue, and I would have loved to see even more.

Now, moving back to the more unsettling elements, this issue has a lot of them, and if you also happen to…let’s say not love spiders, well, you’re in the trenches with me then. Scietronc and Menon will have your jaw on the floor with some of these panels, but there’s also a heartbreaking factor that Johnson conveys in each of these sequences that just makes them linger in your brain.

I’m incredibly curious to see where issue #2 goes after the pieces set in place with issue #1, and while it wasn’t what I expected, I simply have to know what’s going to happen next.

Rating: 4 out of 5

Published By: Marvel Comics
Written By: Phillip Kennedy Johnson
Art By: Scietronc
Colors By: Neeraj Menon
Letters By: VC’s Joe Caramagna

‘Midnight X-Men’ #1 Review

Marvel’s Midnight line truly came out swinging, but Midnight X-Men #1 is easily my favorite series in the line, and this week’s Comic Corner Review Roundup. It takes several concepts we’ve seen in X-Men stories before and weaves them together while also pushing those concepts into new territory, and all with that trademark X-Men flair.

Midnight X-Men‘s central premise is refreshingly straightforward. An ongoing battle rages between Vampires and mutants turned into vampires, known as Empyres, and a host of other people and factions caught in the middle. Jonathan Hickman lays the foundation for this new status quo from several key points of view, and if you’re looking for some classic X-Men action, you won’t be disappointed.

Matteo Della Fonte’s artwork is stunning, and Arthur Hesli’s colors set the tone of this world and the variety of characters that call it home brilliantly. The issue offers only two brief glimpses of what led to this new status quo, but each moment paints an unforgettable picture of what happened, and leaves you wanting more. The battles we see in the present are as thrilling as they are brutal, and on a side note, these might just be the most disturbing Reavers we’ve seen to date, and Cory Petit’s lettering takes them to an 11.

Another X-Men specialty is family conflict, and there’s plenty of it. Whether it’s the line between mutant and empyre or the clash of two belief systems during an incredibly volatile time, it has as much intrigue in the quiet conversations as in the action-packed throwdowns. Midnight X-Men is everything I hoped Midnight would be, and consider me all in.

Rating: 5 out of 5

Published By: Marvel Comics
Written By: Jonathan Hickman
Art By: Matteo Della Fonte
Colors By: Arthur Hesli
Letters By: VC’s Cory Petit

‘Something Is Killing the Children’ #50 Review

It’s rare to say that a 50th issue is the perfect hopping on point, but if I were describing Something Is Killing the Children #50, that’s exactly what I’d say. Somehow the team of James Tynion IV, Werther Dell’Edera, Miquel Muerto, and Andworld Design have crafted a 50th issue that not only rewards longtime fans but also pushes the story in engaging directions. At the same time, the issue also lets new or lapsed fans jump right in and see where the adventure takes them, and that’s quite an incredible feat.

The 50th issue, titled Past Is Prologue, mostly serves as a reset for Erica Slaughter after she reunites with someone very important in her past. Tynion does such a wonderful job of establishing the time gap since they’ve last spoken while also conveying how important they once were to each other and how that impact has managed to carry all these years. Most of that’s done through simple conversation while going through a backpack, but before you know it, you feel as if you have a handle on their dynamic and how they see the person who links them together.

At the same time, big changes on the macro level directly impact the story moving forward and Erica’s next moves. Those big moves also allow the book to play out several scenes that help catch people up if they’re unclear about Erica’s role in all this and The Order’s mission overall, so while you won’t get a complete rundown of the story so far by any means, it does get you up to speed enough to continue from here if you so choose or perhaps compel you to check out the rest of the story.

Dell’Edera and Miquel Muerto are a machine at this point in terms of conveying so much about a relationship and scenario through eye movements and expressions. That said, this conversation refreshingly takes a lighter turn than many past scenarios. Erica doesn’t get all that much encouragement along her journey, so it was a welcome change of pace. Andworld Design’s lettering is excellent as well, and it will always be impressive how easily they pull you into a scene, whether it be through the beep of a motion detector or the pfff of a dart.

As for where we are going next, that is perhaps the most exciting part. Something is Killing the Children never shies away from taking a moment before hitting a full-on sprint towards the next big arc, and that next sprint seems to have arrived at the perfect time. It really feels like this series just gets better with time.

Rating: 5 out of 5

Published By: BOOM! Studios
Written By: James Tynion IV
Illustrated By: Werther Dell’Edera
Colored By: Miquel Muerto
Lettered By: Andworld Design

‘The Demon’ #1 Review

James Harren and the character known as Etrigan the Demon seem like a match made in heaven, and now that The Demon #1 has finally arrived, that theory proves to be pretty on point. You can’t turn away from this wonderfully chaotic world of demons, fairies, and magic, but the series’ potential is even greater when you consider that the book’s namesake remains sidelined for the majority of his debut.

Harren’s catalog makes him a brilliant fit for Etrigan’s volatile world, though in The Demon #1 we mostly see that world through the eyes of Jason Blood. To be clear, that’s not a bad thing, as watching Blood navigate the hidden world of demons with his own almost kooky magical methods is both thrilling and unexpectedly comedic. Etrigan is mostly relegated to Blood’s internal thoughts, but their exchanges are no less compelling.

The various demons and creatures populating the world right under humanity’s noses are both wildly creative and rather unsettling at times, which is a credit to Harren’s art and Dave Stewart’s fantastic coloring. There can be a lot going on in each panel, but the vibrant coloring allows the core elements to pop and helps keep you focused on what’s most important in any given scene. Also, I’m just going to say we need more Gnomes in things, because Gnomes rule.

The issue’s pace suffers when the attention shifts to Morgaine Le Fey and her allies. While there are some stellar exchanges here, this aspect of the story just isn’t as compelling as Jason and Etrigan’s ongoing dynamic. Thankfully, the issue brings it back into the spotlight before the end, laying the groundwork for even more interesting scenarios moving forward.

Rating: 4 out of 5

Published By: DC Comics
Story and Art By: James Harren
Colors By: Dave Stewart
Letters By: Clayton Cowles

For more comic book coverage, subscribe to the Agents of Fandom YouTube channel! Make sure to follow the Agents of Fandom socials for the latest entertainment news and reviews.