The days when I’ll have time to read comics are coming up, but it won’t be this coming week…
Best Comic of My Week:
The Sacrificers #21 – I’ve been looking forward to the end of this thoughtful and dark series by Rick Remender and Max Fiumara (as well as André Lima Araújo), and this did not disappoint. This series, like many of Remender’s, was excessively bleak, but he gave this an ending that was lighter than I’d expected, showing that the trauma and pain of one generation doesn’t always transfer into the next. Remender wrote a series that says a lot about hero worship and the types of people who are put in power, as well as the danger of promising people too much. Fiumara’s art is the best I’ve ever seen from him, and I like how he made the anthropomorphic characters so relatable and understandable. This was an excellent series from one of my favourite comics writers.
Quick Takes:
Dust To Dust #8 – JG Jones and Phil Bram’s gothic Depression dustbowl series comes to a surprising ending, with the identity of the masked killer revealed, as well as some unexpected things about some of the book’s cast. I’ve really liked this series, but do feel like the end was rushed a little bit, despite it wrapping up all of its plotlines (I have my theory about the bones discovered back in the first issue, but it’s not explicitly confirmed here). I did find that Jones’s storytelling could be a little stiff in places, but his art is gorgeous, and I love that he and Bram decided to tell this kind of story, in sepia tone, in 2026. It was a bold choice, and I’m happy I got to read it. I would definitely pick up whatever they decide to do together next.
Skinbreaker #8 – I loved this series from Robert Kirkman and David Finch. It’s an exciting fantasy adventure that is really about the conflict between tradition and modernization. When the intelligent creatures the village has been hunting for generations attack them in a coordinated way, the former chieftain returns to help his people, who have been rejecting the advances he’s made. Kirkman has a clear message with this series, but let’s be real, the biggest draw is Finch’s art, which is so detailed and fantastic. This was a cool project.
Uncanny X-Men #27 – 30 – I think reading Gail Simone’s X-Men in batches is the way to go, as each individual issue often seems a bit slight. The first three of these issues deal with the strange switch that seems to have happened between the Outliers and the original New Mutants as well as addressing the ongoing situation at Graymalkin, where Ellis has imprisoned mutants. We learn who the mysterious Inmate X is, and see what happens when the prison fails. The fourth issue here starts a new storyline that is equally balanced between some strange alien sightings and a school dance. I like the way Simone tries to explore the lives of these characters in ordinary ways, but the notion of Logan chaperoning a high school dance is ridiculous. The art in these issues, mostly by Luciano Vecchio, but also by Rôge Antonio, is nice but maybe a little too house style for me. There are aspects of this run that I don’t like, but generally, I think she and her collaborators are doing a fine job. I’m not sure I can buy Monet being with Quicksilver though…
Warbird #0 – I’ve hated on Bad Idea’s other preview/zero issue comics for not containing stand-alone stories, but this one does exactly that, introducing us to the character of Cole Norton, a master thief who can manage any kind of vehicle. We also meet his handler/associate. In this short story, Cole is on a billionaire’s yacht, attempting to repossess/steal a custom motorcycle, while a speedboat races to help him exfiltrate. It’s exciting, and gives us a good sense of what the Warbird series will feel like. Writer Robert Venditti keeps things moving, while artist Derek Kolstad does an incredible job of managing the pacing. His art makes me think of Bà and Moon, with a touch of Javier Rodriguez. It’s got me looking forward to the first issue, which should be out real soon.
Wolverine: Weapons of Armageddon #3 & 4 – Chip Zdarsky uses this series very well in terms of setting up the Avengers: Armageddon event, as Logan, David Colton, and a new mutant whose been abused by a supersoldier program converge, along with Nuke and some new-generation super soldiers, in a big fight. I like how Zdarsky has woven Colton into the Marvel story, while shifting the universe’s history forward (9/11 happened around the same time Cap was found in ice). This is a well written story. The art, by Luca Maresca, is a little too current Marvel house style for my liking, and could use more individuality. This has me excited to catch up to the point where the Armageddon storyline gets underway.
The Week in Music:
Earl Sweatshirt, MIKE, & Surf Gang – Pompeii // Utility – Two of the best rappers in the indie world, MIKE and Earl Sweatshirt, collaborated with the producers Surf Gang for this double album. Pompeii is MIKE’s album, while Utility is Earl’s. Each appears on the other’s album, as do a handful of artists associated with MIKE’s 10K label, or their general milieu. It’s a bit jarring to hear these rappers, who usually flow over soulful, sample-based beats, do their thing over Surf Gang’s more glitchy drill beats. It works well, but often feels like it shouldn’t. The best tracks are the ones that feature both rappers, and I’m left wondering imagining a fuller collaboration between the two of them. Still, this is an impressive double album.
