MY WEEKS IN COMICS - - - for the week ending SEPTEMBER 06, 2026
#319 - #321 = BATMAN: BAD SEEDS - SUNSET #1 written by Matt Fraction & G. Willow Wilson with art by Giuseppe Camuncoli (layouts) & Cliff Rathburn (finishes) (DC COMICS, October 2026)
#322 = POISON IVY #47 by G. Willow Wilson and Leandro Fernandez (DC COMICS, October 2026)
Good timing on these releases, as I was thinking I should read a Bat-family storyline just to get a feel for the current creative teams on story-telling. I approach cautiously, as I’ve been burned on cross-over sagas before with too many filler issues and too many dollars missing from my wallet. So far, I like what I’ve read and will pick up what I can (without pre-ordering) as this is set to run through October (10-weeks total) and 24 issues across various Bat-related titles. As soon as I feel it’s dragging on purpose or not holding my attention - - I’ll bail out.
The premise is intriguing. The Parliament of Trees is taking over Gotham (portrayed here as an isolated island like real-world Manhattan/NYC), engulfing everything in overgrown vegetation, vines, and hostile plant monsters while choking off the air space with carbon dioxide, etc. But they are not invading - - they were invited/permitted to occupy by Gotham mayor Pamela Isley.
Mayor Isley is formerly known as Poison Ivy, and she’s dealing with major protests from the citizens of Gotham for not living up to her campaign promises. There’s dissension and anxiety within her own staff. On top of that, current Gotham Police Force Commissioner Vandal Savage (another regular bad guy) wants to stage a coup with his T.U.C.O. task force (like I.C.E). And, the Parliament of Trees is pissed at Ivy for the murder of Bog Venus (I don’t know him or her).
So, Ivy’s way out of this jam is to gift Gotham to the Parliament, who she feels will keep Savage’s forces busy and allow her to escape the city, hopefully with her buddy/lover Harley Quinn. That’s a whole different sub-plot as Harley is also upset with Ivy.
The Bat-family goes into action as things are just beginning to heat up. The storyline will feature not just Batman, but also Robin/Damien Wayne, Batgirl/Cassandra Cain, The Signal/Duke Thomas, Nightwing/Dick Grayson, Officer First Class/James Gordon, Catwoman/Selina Kyle, Batwoman/Kate Kane, Tim Drake/former Robin, Batgirl/Stephanie Brown, and Anarky/Lonnie Machin. They all become acquainted with the threat in this extra-size first issue. Batman nearly gets drowned/asphyciated by a plant monster and receives some unexpected help.
The Poison Ivy issue, which I read after, is a Bad Seeds prelude which explains in more detail how and why Ivy came to her decision, and spotlights her failed relationship with Harley Quinn.
Overall, THREE AND ONE-HALF STARS. We shall see how far I go
#323 = CULT-DE-SAC #1 by Cullen Bunn and Fico Ossio (Ignition Press, August 2026) Funny - - this is the second comic centered around an HOA (Homeowner’s Association) that I’ve read this year. The other was NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH.
That was a murder mystery. CULT-DE-SAC looks like it will take a different approach. The debut issue reminds me of THE ASSOCIATION, the 2001 horror novel by Bentley Little. Both deal with over-bearing, disturbing, and demanding HOAs that really get under the skin of some new homeowners.
But, I can see that Cullen Bunn is taking this in an even more horrific, monstrous direction. Also, the art style of Fico Ossio is very expressive and appealing. A promising debut.
The Hanson family moves into a new neighborhood. No sooner does the moving van pull up to their new residence than there are quickly eyes on the property, from adult neighbors and kids. None are more intrusive than the president of the Home Owner’s Association, who promptly objects to their boat, the length of their lawn, and refers them to a Bible-sized book of “covenants” - - the bylaws and regulations of the development. Food delivery into their community is also prohibited.
Things escalate as the Hanson meet some more neighbors and learn that children are not supposed to play on their front lawns, and should be home-schooled rather than attend public school.
Meanwhile, many of their new neighbors seem to be participating in a nightly ritual in the woods, offering their services to an unknown entity, “Mahlvorek”. THREE AND THREE-QUARTER STARS.
#324 = BATMAN #13 by Matt Fraction and Matteo Scalera (DC Comics, November 2026) “Siege Tactics”. Week 2, Part 1 of the Bad Seeds 10-week event.
In a back-page interview with writers Matt Fraction and G. Willow Wilson it is revealed that the entire Bad Seeds storyline takes place during a single long night (with the clock ticking down to the conclusion, of course). That seems to promise that things will not only happen rapidly but at a faster pace.
That is exactly what occurs this issue, although the story doesn’t really move too far along. Maybe because the main action probably only took 10 minutes at best. As Batman explains to a resident he rescues from a suffocating overgrown plant - - “Short version, best I understand. . . Bad plants coming to kill us . . . It’s doing something to the air . . . Breathe through this. I have two. . . . Now leave the building and get to the harbor.”
Batman decides he’d better go and get the cops. He heads to the GCPD HQ in Oldtown, asks to see Police Commissioner Vandal Savage and learns he’s above the top floor on the roof area. However, the HQ is loaded with Savage’s special forces who don’t want to allow him to get near their boss.
Batman fights his way upwards through floor after floor of special forces. That is the bulk of this issue. Thankfully, it’s a showcase for the art and Scalera puts on a good show.
The issue ends on three short words by Vandal Savage when a battered Batman finally meets up with him: “You’re under arrest.”
While I liked this issue, I was hoping for a little more drama or storyline to go along with the good action. THREE AND ONE-HALF STARS - most of that deserved by the art and colors.
#325 = BATGIRL #23 by Tate Brombal and Takeshi Miyazawa (DC Comics, November 2026) “The Soil, Part 1 of 2”. Week 2, Part 2 of the Bad Seeds crossover event. The storyline here is engaging (even though it is a continued story), and contains more depth than BATMAN #13, the last entry in the Bad Seeds saga.
However, I believe the creators missed an opportunity here. One of the stated objectives is to bring new readers into the Bat-family of books. Considering that many may be reading a Batgirl book for the first time, the backstory is completely lacking.
Batgirl doesn’t have many lines, and her name is never mentioned. There are two different versions of Batgirl to be featured in Bad Seeds. I only know this one is Cassandra Cain because I matched up her image to the line-up shown in BATMAN: BAD SEEDS #1.
She’s super skinny and looks frail, with some stitching across the front of her head cowl. The story takes place around 6:45 p.m., so this is after the Parliament of Trees began their incursion into Gotham.
The story takes place within a Bao restaurant where Batgirl is having dinner with two alleged super-hero friends (at least we learn their names). They look more like cosplayers, and I’m not sure what their relationship to Batgirl is beyond apparent friendship.
A giant tree/plant creature erupts from within the floor and attacks. While everyone is distracted a young girl dining with her family in attracted to a flowering plant, eats some petals, and is poisoned. The group decide she needs transport to a hospital asap, and Batgirl takes the lead. I suspect the next issue will be the story of her travel across a devastated, plant infested Gotham.
I’m still following this storyline, but with trepidation. Not sure this is going to keep engaging me, but I’ll be back for Week 3. THREE AND ONE-QUARTER STARS.
#326 = IMAGE FIRSTS: I HATE FAIRYLAND #1 written and illustrated by Skottie Young (Image Comics, May 2022) I’ve heard a lot about this title. This gave me an opportunity to sample it at a low-risk purchase price ($1). Not ready to order any of the trade paperback collections just yet, but I really liked what was here.
A whimsical, funny, sarcastic story that often breaks the 4th Wall, all drawn in a detailed and cartoony way that reminds me of the style of the RICK & MORTY visuals.
A young girl named Gertrude made a regrettable wish that transported her to a magical world - - Fairyland. She wanted to go back home immediately and learned that she needed to find the key that unlocks the door back to her world. A talking fly became her companion and gave her the map to all the known lands.
Twenty-seven years later she it still searching. An older woman now, but still in the body of a young girl, pissed off, mean and stubborn, cursing and wrecking her way across the landscape.
While some of the names and situations and innuendos made me laugh, I’m not sure I would want to read a bunch of this. But, I’m still considering. THREE AND ONE-HALF STARS.
#327 - #328 = LOVE STORIES TO DIE FOR one-shot (Image Comics, September 2013) This is a flip-book with a single story on each side. I picked this out of a bargain bin because I was attracted to the amazing art within. The stories are good, too.
“Bloodlust: Deceiver of the Gods” by Dirk Manning with art by Rich Bonk is a tale of some barbarians in Friesland, Germany, circa 946 A.D. They come across a monastery and barter food and board for an assist at wiping the Devil’s army from the face of the Earth.
Easier said that done, and bloody battles ensue until the barbarians realize they have been duped. Don’t ask me what the “love” connection is here. Maybe it’s just the title they chose for the book. People do die, though.
“Symptom of the Universe” by Dirk Manning and Owen Geni is the story of an alien infestation aboard a space vessel. The armored warrior Frank is trapped outside of the locked compartments (on purpose) and has to fend off the aliens alone.
On the safe side of the doors are his wife Allison and co-pilot Eric - who is in love with Allison and she with him. A bad deal for Frank anyway you look at it. FOUR STARS.
#329 = SLEEP #1 written and illustrated by Zander Cannon (Image Comics, May 2025) Kind of an oddball comic, which Cannon is known for. Done in black and white with gray tones and selective use of red coloring (not just blood, but also sound effects and the glasses that main character Jonathan wears, the border around lettering, and small uses here and there).
It’s a slice-of-life in a small town. Jonathan works in a coffee shop, has a girlfriend (Tabitha) he keeps forgetting appointments/dates with, and is excited with the return of an old friend and musician (Dylan) to town.
Onee evening Jonathan sleeps through a late night disruption and wakes to find his front door open and his cat missing. Seems that a wolf or creature is trashing things in town. The disturbances seem to coincide with the return to town of Dylan (hmmm?)
Another clue or a red herring appears on the back cover illustration. The captions say: “When he falls asleep . . . our nightmares begin.”
I picked this up near the original release date and waited too long to get to reading it. Seems like my indecision saved me the bother. Ho hum. THREE STARS.
#330 - #335 = PHENOMENA - Book One, The Golden City Of Eyes by Brian Michael Bendis and Andre lima Araujo (Abrams ComicArts, 2022) Hardcover, 140 pages.
Synopsis on the Goodreads website . . . . .
“Everyone tells you . . . you’re going to see something you’ve never seen before. That’s what everyone said. Who doesn’t want to see something they’ve never seen?”
Phenomena is the story of a young boy named Boldon and his warrior friend Spike—survivors of a phenomena that took over Earth years ago. Not an apocalypse . . . something far more interesting. We follow Boldon and Spike as they are forced to team up with another lost orphan of the world, Matilde. The trio of heroes go on a globetrotting adventure that takes them to a magical, mysterious place called the Golden City of Eyes.
As they quest across this epically crazy new world looking for answers and purpose, they face off against dark forces big and small, changing the world better along the way. In each book in the series, our heroes travel to different parts of the magical world of Phenomena by various modes of transportation, each more and more fantastical than the mode that preceded it. Each journey is personal, and every chapter takes the trio toward a different, visually iconic destination, and each location, character, and chapter reveals clues to the shape of the world and how they got there—and, ultimately, their purpose.
With Phenomena , Brian Michael Bendis and André Lima Araújo deliver a universe chock full of unforgettable characters, full-tilt action, and stunning imagination and world-building that is perfect for fans of The Last Airbender .
My FOUR_STAR Review . . . . .
A good quest novel suitable for middle grade readers and up. An oldster like me also enjoyed it.
That well-done synopsis does all the heavy lifting for me, so I don't need to spend paragraphs here describing the novel and what it is about.
Bendis imagines it; and Araujo visualizes it . . . and then some. The most exciting and memorable thing about this novel for me is the amazing art - - a very detailed landscape full of wonder that reminds me of the best work of Moebius and Windsor McKay. If this was done in color instead of black and white and gray tones - - it would be mind-blowing.
