Author: matthewephotography@yahoo.com
Comics retailer and critic Brian Hibbs reports that despite producing a “much better comic”, DC Publishing’s DC/Marvel Batman/Deadpool #1 sales were disappointing compared to Marvel’s earlier one-shot version of Deadpool/Batman. In a social media post, Hibs shared raw numbers and anecdotal experiences that seem to suggest that some of the hype surrounding the crossover may have cooled in the weeks between comics. Mr. Hibbs is a longtime columnist for Comic Book Resources, The Beat, and elsewhere, and owns Comix Experience in San Francisco, California. He said he ordered 120 copies of Marvel/DC’s Deadpool/Batman in September and they were all sold…
To kick off the new year, Oni Press is releasing the complete version of The Truth, a romantic comedy road trip saga written by Iolanda Zanfardino and illustrated by Elisa Romboli. Ahead of the book’s release in January, The Beat offers an exclusive sneak peek at one of the scenes. A Thing Called Truth follows a dedicated scientist, Dr. Magdalene Trauma, and a willing nomad, Dorian Wildfang, on a mission to travel across Europe. Their journey proves that opposites attract as unexpected romantic feelings spark between them. This new volume includes all 10 chapters of the comic, and for the…
This week’s rundown begins with Doctor Strange #1, which strands the good doctor on Asgard. Additionally, we cover “Hulk Smashes Everything #1” and begin the final dispatch with “The Age of Revelation.” Read what our team thinks about this week’s book. Doctor Strange #1 Screenplay: Derek LandryArtist: Ivan Fiorelli Colorist: Dono Sanchez AlmaraAuthor: Cory Petit of VC Marvel’s current era of “big” status quo changes feels like a combination of the past decade’s gruesome, gritty makeovers and lame new costumes rolled into one. The characters are given a new “direction,” but that direction is abandoned after a year at most.…
France Prize Information has announced the 10 finalists. The award, which has been running since 1994, offers a fascinating glimpse into documentary, non-fiction and news-based fiction comics published in France. The winners will be announced on January 18, 2026, as determined by a jury of nine journalists from the France Info newsroom and Editor-in-Chief Richard Place. The award is sponsored by the 24-hour news station France Info. Before the winners are chosen, they will be given a special spot on France Info’s TV and radio channels to explore the theme of each book. Previous winners include Joe Sacco (Palestine, 1999;…
When I was a kid, our version of “war on cards” (to borrow Postmark Games’ tagline) was war. For those who haven’t had the fun (and I use that term loosely), both players flip over the top cards of their decks at the same time, and the top card steals the bottom card. Repeated nausea. 52 Duels clearly isn’t. Instead, the good folks at Postmark Games (Matthew Dunstan and Rory Muldoon) took the basic idea from their successful Trump-driven solo dungeon crawler (52 Realms: Adventures) and created a head-to-head dueling game with real decision-making and clever mechanics. And it all…
This week: All Fight Month begins with DC’s first KO tie-breaking one-shot, Superman vs. Captain Atom #1! Note: The following review may contain spoilers. If you want a quick, spoiler-free buy/pass recommendation for the comic in question, check out the final verdict at the bottom of the article. DC KO: Superman vs. Captain Atom #1 Screenplay: Joshua WilliamsonArtist: Sean IsaacseColorist: Trish Mulvihill (P. 1-16, 20-26) and Hi-Fi (P. 17-19, 27-30)Author: Dave SharpCover Artist: Jorge Corona & Sarah Stern We’re now two months into the publisher’s latest big crossover, DC KO, and after a lot of table setting and a mad…
In this week’s Wednesday Comics Reviews, the team reviews a pair of Christmas horror anthologies with Dread the Halls and Startling Tales of Santa Claus, as well as new Criminal and new Briar! Plus, Ensign’s Log and The Prog Report! Dread the Halls 2025 #1 Writers: Jordan Hart & Chris RyallArtists: Luana Vecchio, Lee Ferguson, Keithan Jones, Walter Pax, and Fabio VerasLetterer: Jordan HartPublisher: Image Comics – Syzygy Publishing Review by Javier Perez Here we are again, the third installment of Dread The Halls. Let me be the broken clock that is right once a year and tell you to pick up this book. Like…
Oni Press released the latest installment of its “Quick & Easy Guides” series on Tuesday. This time we’re focusing on how to form and maintain healthy relationships. Written and illustrated by cartoonist Mariah Rose Marie, A Quick & Easy Guide to Healthy Relationships takes place in a fictional multicultural neighborhood called Sun Heights. However, it deals with real-life issues and provides tips to overcome all kinds of difficult situations. Today, The Beat is offering an exclusive preview of the book, featuring advice on how to deal with difficult times in friendships. See below. In announcing the book earlier this year,…
Two influential creators team up across time and space! Artist Tetsuo Hara, best known for his monumental Fist of the North Star, adapted the historical novel written by Keiichiro Ryu with Mio Aso. 1. Kodansha will publish a hardcover English version of the book in December, and The Beat has an exclusive preview today. The series is based on the real life of Sengoku period military commander Maeda Masumi, also known as Keiji Nada. The film is also about the famous kabukimono, a gang formed by samurai who ignored the formal dress codes of the time and adopted non-traditional clothing…
Yankee & Caramelized Writer/Artist: Chiuko UmeshibuPublisher: Yen Press (print and digital editions)Translation: Emma SchumacherLettering: Olivia OsantsPublication date: October 28, 2025Rating: MatureGenre: Manga (Japan), Boy’s Love, LGBTQ+, Romance Yankee & Carameliser ended its run in 2023, so it’s not a completely new series, but it’s Chiuko Umeshibu’s first work licensed for English by Yen Press. This review details specific events in the story. If you haven’t read it yet and want to read it blind, I recommend visiting after you’ve finished reading it. Next, let’s dig into this heartwarming boy’s love manga! If I were friends with Akito, I’d probably be…