MY WEEKS IN COMICS - - - from April 20 through April 29, 2026
#176 = NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH #1 0f 5 by Sarah Gailey and Haining (Boom Studios!, April 2026) This provides a slice-of-life contrasting two adjoining residential developments/communities that provide the setting for an unusual murder mystery. The “Community Bulletin” on the back cover serves as a proper synopsis of the first issue:
“The tunnel between our beautiful community of Willow Haven and the alleged terrorist group Open Arms Collective has been consistently found open over the past week, in direct violation of HOA guidelines.
The person responsible for the bloodstains is also responsible for cleaning them up! Appropriate fines will be levied if immediate action is not taken.
Please report any further violations to your HOA representative. Remember: Our Community is only as clean as we keep it!”
The Homeowner Association (HOA) in Willow Haven is presided over by the domineering Jill and appears to be a rather strict, conservative neighborhood with lots of rules. The membership/residents live for gossip and squabble over mundane issues as if they were more significant, important and deserving of debate.
The Open Arms Collective, whose property butts up against Willow Haven, is not so much a “terrorist group” but more of a commune where residents share and grow their own food as much as possible. It is more counter culture versus Willow Haven, but residents here also squabble over mundane issues as if they were more significant.
The conflict here arises when a resident from each community discovers the previously secretive tunnel between the two areas. Within that tunnel, they both happen to come across the gunshot body of Jill at the same time. Seems someone has been leading a double life.
I’m intrigued by these characters and would like to see where the creative team takes it from here. I’m anticipating a cool murder mystery along with some topical social commentary/satire. THREE AND ONE-HALF STARS.
#177-#183 = REDCOAT, VOLUME ONE: EINSTEIN & THE IMMORTAL trade paperback by Geoff Johns & Bryan Hitch (Image Comics/Ghost Machine, July 2025) Second Printing. Collects REDCOAT #1-7 plus material from GEIGER 80-PAGE GIANT #1.
Synopsis from the Goodreads website . . . . .
Redcoat mixes history and the unknown for a tantalizing start." —AIPT
Immortal. Mercenary. Kind of a tool. Meet Simon Pure, the newest UNNAMED hero, created by comic all-stars Geoff Johns and Bryan Hitch.
British redcoat and all-around rogue, Simon mysteriously became immortal in 1776 after a run-in with the clandestine cabal known as The Founding Fathers, which included George Washington, John Hancock, and many other prominent American Revolutionary War leaders.
Since that fateful day, Simon has led a life of adventure and avarice, rubbing elbows (and sometimes fists) with many of history’s most renowned figures including Benedict Arnold, Albert Einstein, Annie Oakley and many more. But what are the true origins and extents of Simon’s power and the mysterious cult behind them? And how has it secretly shaped America and the world? Simon’s on a quest to find out!
Collects issues #1-7.
I read this back in February, but picking it up again for preparation of discussion with the CBH Book Club gave me new appreciation for this material. A second reading allowed me to observe how solid and tight the story is and marvel once again at the great illustrations.
Time travel along with an alternative spin on historical fiction. A character who starts out as an unlikeable selfish rogue and ends up revealing that he does have principles, values friendship, and is willing to risk himself to protect those he cares about. The final issue where an aged and dying Albert Einstein has a beside conversation with Simon Pure about how far he’s come is very moving. FOUR STARS.
#184 = BATWOMAN #2 by Greg Rucka and DaNi (DC Comics, June 2026) NIce to see that DC still has a few $3.99 books in the hopper. I’m currently subscribed to this one, but because of the mystery inside #1 I couldn’t wait to read this issue.
After the debut issue, I wondered what it would take to spring Kate out from the spell of the clinic in Petalon, Greece, where she apparently went for mental rehab. I suspected that the clinic’s motives weren’t aboveboard - - and that suspicion is confirmed this issue: it’s a cult (Daughters of Lilith) with henchmen dressed as mask-wearing ancient Greek warriors.
Kate’s father, Jacob, is already suspicious and is currently holed up in Greece where he can keep an eye on Kate. He apparently has a tracking device on her, gets alarmed when it goes off and sets off on a motorbike to rescue her. No need, as Kate seems to have shaken off the mind fog and escapes, wearing her Batwoman costume as she violently confronts the pursuing warriors.
Before the issue ends, she breaks one of those unspoken rules of Bat-family members. New troubles ahead, I’m getting used to DaNi’s different art style and beginning to enjoy it. THREE AND ONE-HALF STARS.
#185 = DETECTIVE COMICS #1107 by Tom Taylor and Pete Woods “Flight, Part One” (DC Comics, May 2026) When a whistle-blower and other witnesses scheduled to testify in an investigation of Klep Corp suddenly begin to die from heart attacks, Bruce Wayne goes undercover to plant a tracking/monitoring device on a cop on the witness protection team.
His efforts are nearly spoiled by Green Arrow, who’s set up in Gotham along with Black Canary as Klep Corp has launched a takeover bid for Queen Industries.
This begins the first part of a team-up (“Gotham’s New Trinity”) with some engaging and amusing banter between Batman and Green Arrow, along with a boxing match where Dinah/Black Canary bests Bruce Wayne. Taylor’s script is good so far, and needs to be to hold my attention as the art by Woods is not exciting.
Before the issue ends, the team pays respect at the un-named grave of someone they all had connections to: Prion (who I do not recall reading about before). And, apparently others are interested as well. THREE AND ONE-QUARTER STARS.
#186 = KILROY IS HERE one-shot by Joe Pruett and Dalibor Talajic (Image Comics, April 2026) The promotional synopsis:
Throughout history, KILROY, a being of unknown origin and power, has been cursed to wander the Earth, avenging the innocent and protecting the weak, always leaving his trademark signature “Kilroy Was Here” to mark his presence. But what if his life has been a lie? The war to end all wars is imminent. Which side will he choose?
From Eisner Award winner JOE PRUETT (VIKING MOON, VOICES IN MY HEAD, X-Men) and legendary artist DALIBOR TALAJIC (Deadpool, THE KIDS, Hit-Monkey) comes this tale of timeless horror. What would you do if you could decide the fate of the world?
Joe Pruett returns to the first character he ever created (in the mid-to-late 1990’s) and updates him. The themes and dark character fit right into our current comic times.
Kilroy is a brooding stranger in a long coat and bears a curse - - he is drawn to human tragedy. But always as a witness - - too late to be a savior. He’s drawn to a new site of a grisly double murder and learns the scene is set up to point to him (his signature message “Kilroy Was Here” drawn in blood). Kilroy gets caught between two brothers, both angels although one seems to have fallen and pursues a different objective.
Kilroy choses a side, and gains new powers. Now he can make a difference, and not just a change in his signature (“Kilroy Is Here”). But, did he choose the right angel to associate with?
This is a one-shot to test the waters for more stories with this character. I’m reminded of John Constantine/Hellblazer but without the humor. I’d like to see more. Hope it catches on. FOUR STARS.
#187 = THE FURY OF FIRESTORM #1 by Jeff Lemire and Rafael De LaTorre (DC Comics, June 2026). Another $3.99 book (thanks!), and here’s the promotional synopsis:
The community of Bedford, Colorado, is a sleepy small town. The people say hello to their neighbors, attend town hall meetings, and root for the local high school football team on Friday nights. But this idyllic small town is thrown upside down when the Nuclear Man arrives and starts… experimenting. Firestorm has turned buildings to sand and people to glass with no remorse and no warning. But what exactly provoked Ronnie Raymond to commit this heinous act, and can anyone contain the fury that is Firestorm?
Lots of potential here in this darker-themed update on the character from the inventive Jeff Lemire. I haven’t read much of the original Firestorm, but I do remember it being a pretty standard superhero comic, except for the unusual premise of two characters inhabiting the same body. It was a nuclear power plant explosion that caught young lab assistant Ronnie Raymond and Professor Dr. Martin Stein in the crosshairs and combined their consciousness into the Firestorm Matrix, creating the hero Firestorm.
In this new version, Raymond and Stein no longer share. Stein is out, hiding away in a remote cabin. Raymond is still inside the Firestorm body, but the Matrix seems to be in control, acting like a god with no compunction about what he does, including wipe out towns and people.
Raymond’s girlfriend Firehawk is called in to assist the military in containing Firestorm, who doesn’t seem to acknowledge her and almost kills her.
Nice fluid art from De LaTorre. The storyline reminds me of very early Hulk tales. I’m interested to see where this goes. THREE AND ONE-HALF STARS.
