I’ve previously talked about how charming Andi Watson’s Glister is, but that was when you had to import the stories from the UK. Now Dark Horse has brought out a single-volume edition with all four of the stories and plenty of extras. (You can see some of them in this PDF Watson posted, ending up with encouragement for young readers to create their own stories.) Glister is an energetic, intelligent young woman who lives in a fairytale-like world. Her home, […]

Stan Sakai’s samurai rabbit has been a part of comics for over 30 years, longer than a number of readers have been alive. It’s easy to take it for granted as a result, but every time I read an issue, I’m impressed by the clarity of the stories, the insight into the characters, and the accomplishment of the artistic storytelling. The most recent three issues, all stand-alone stories, cover a range of emotions, too, demonstrating the wide scope of what […]

The crime caper/road trip/family of witches story wraps up successfully. The three young women confront their burglar (who’s also a manipulative, jealous ex-boyfriend), but first, there’s time for a magical fashion change, because even when you’re fighting for justice, you should feel good about how you look. We find out who’s behind the plot to steal their artifacts. We knew the ex was trying to gain his own power — and how timely is a plot about a pouty white […]

As the witches’ road trip continues, this issue is great for fans of the “monster boyfriend” theme. The women’s next stopping point turns out to be an abandoned-looking house in the wilds of Maryland, where Megan Levens gets a chance to draw an attractive young beast man. Kate Leth’s story is fun and flirty, but there’s an undertone of ethical consideration, as Jolene enters someone else’s home and Andy’s tempted by stealing from a recipient of stolen goods. The monster, […]

Spell on Wheels is one of those genius concepts that seems so obvious when you see it but it took the creative imagination of its writer, Kate Leth, to bring it about. Here it is: Three witches are robbed, so they go on a road trip to recover their lost items, which have been sold online by a vengeful ex. Jolene is a technopath. Claire is psychic and reads tarot cards. Andy handles spells and potions. They’re a terrific trio, […]

Writer Christos Gage has done it again with this new run. He does an amazing job of making these well-known characters and their challenges relevant to today’s concerns. Instead of having them refight old battles, he’s putting them in involving situations that the reader can find scary in deep, substantial, mature ways. In the previous issue, a dragon attacked San Francisco, causing terrible destruction and loss of life. This issue explores the government response — which includes forced registration for […]

We’re firmly into the mystery here in Resident Alien: The Man With No Name #2 (of 4), but it’s the subtleties of the character interaction that I enjoy most about the series. A downtown building has burned, and the firefighters discover that the ruined warehouse was probably a meth lab. As the investigation continues, we get some crisp scenes between the authorities and some of the sketchier inhabitants of the area, doling out bits of information and characterization. Peter Hogan […]

Dark Horse has sent out advance review copies of Resident Alien: The Man With No Name #1, which will be on sale in comic shops on September 14. It’s the fourth installment of the series written by Peter Hogan and illustrated by Steve Parkhouse, and I quite enjoy it. The concept is simple, but full of charm. “Harry” is actually a stranded telepathic alien, but he’s settled in as a retired country doctor. However, odd things keep happening in Patience, […]