If you're in search of an enthralling graphic novel that seamlessly blends mystery, romance, and the supernatural, look no further than Summer Shadows, published by Dark Horse Comics. The story revolves around Nick Landry, a young gay man from the UK, who embarks on a journey to the fictional Greek island of Avraxos in search of his ex-boyfriend, Anthony. Their unexpected breakup has left Nick in a whirlwind of emotions, unable to move on. Driven by a cryptic letter from Anthony, Nick is convinced that his ex is in dire trouble, setting the stage for a gripping adventure on the sun-drenched beaches of the Mediterranean. 

As the plot thickens, we meet Alekos Kourkoulos, a Greek coast guard officer with his own agenda—finding a missing vacationer. When their paths intersect, Nick and Alekos realize that both missing person cases are linked to a mysterious black yacht anchored offshore. Rumored to belong to someone with immense wealth, the yacht holds a status akin to diplomatic immunity, leaving Alekos's law enforcement contacts puzzled and unable to act. This twist of fate pulls Nick further into a web of intrigue and danger.

The island locals add another layer to the narrative, warning Nick to leave before it’s too late, hinting at an unnamed terror. Meanwhile, others seem to be in the thrall of the yacht's enigmatic owner, Hylas—a impossibly handsome and strangely charismatic figure. Hylas's minions procure young men for extravagant parties aboard the yacht, filled with drugs, alcohol, and hedonistic pleasures. Despite forming a physical relationship with Alekos, Nick remains emotionally tethered to Anthony. Things take a darker turn when Nick becomes convinced he spots Anthony at one of these infamous parties, adding urgency to his quest.

The story reaches its crescendo when Nick receives an invitation to Hylas's infamous "Festival of the Blood Moon" on a secluded, private island. Veronica, Hylas's personal assistant, reveals to Nick the unimaginable truth: they are vampires, Anthony is one of them, and the festival is a trap. Despite her allegiance to Hylas, Veronica shows compassion for Nick’s heartbreak, urging him to leave. Undeterred, Nick devises a plan with Alekos and supportive locals to escape the island with Anthony. The Festival of the Blood Moon turns into a nightmare, with human guests falling victim to the vampires. Thanks to Veronica's aid, Nick escapes, but not before a chilling confrontation with the undead Anthony. 

Summer Shadows is a well-crafted comic book series with rich characterizations and engaging dialogue that draw readers into its world. The interconnected subplots and backstories add depth and intrigue, while the readers' sympathy for Nick’s broken heart is palpable, even as they wish he’d see the truth sooner. Set against the enchanting backdrop of the Greek Isles, the novel weaves together the romance of ancient myth with the stark realities of the super-rich and powerful. Ricardo Cabral's pen and ink drawings, coupled with bold color schemes, provide a stylish aesthetic perfect for a vampire tale. While the book concludes with a satisfying ending, future encounters with Hylas and his coven are upcoming as Summer Shadows is part of an ongoing series.

RELATED FEATURES: LGBTQ Book Collection  |  Horror Book Collection  |  Supernatural Book Collection

If you're a fan of DC Comics and looking for a fresh take on some familiar faces, then check out the Red Hood: Outlaws graphic novels based on the popular WEBTOON series. The series throws you right into the thick of it with an unlikely trio: 
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• Jason Todd, Bruce Wayne / Batman's second Robin and now the gun-toting anti-hero Red Hood.
• Artemis of Bana-Mighdall, a powerful Amazonian and former Wonder Woman.
• And Bizarro, Superman's well-meaning but grammatically challenged genetic opposite. 
  
  

Rejected by the mainstream superhero community, these three have formed their own mercenary band, aptly named The Outlaws. Their latest gig? A shady gangster named Franco Bertinelli hires them to retrieve a mysterious idol he claims was stolen from his ancestors. The catch? It's hidden on a dinosaur-infested island, complete with a labyrinth of booby traps and a surprising number of zombies. 

As if that wasn't enough, The Outlaw’s heist catches the attention of none other than Martian Manhunter and the Justice League. Jason and his teammates soon discover that Bertinelli has played them, and the idol is actually of Martian origin. Outraged by their irresponsibility, Bruce Wayne gives the three an ultimatum: oversee the Justice League's orbiting space station, Watchtower, for one month without a single screw-up, or face the consequences as true criminals. Jason, driven by his lingering resentment and rivalry with his adoptive father, unilaterally agrees to Bruce's terms.

Red Hood: Outlaws Volume 1 is a surprisingly engaging read, largely thanks to author Patrick R. Young's ability to delve into the backstories of our three anti-heroes. He skillfully explores their shared sense of inadequacy when compared to their more famous Justice League counterparts – Jason forever in Batman's shadow, Artemis striving to live up to Wonder Woman, and Bizarro grappling with being the opposite of Superman. While Bizarro leans too heavily into the "dumb comic relief" archetype, the book truly shines with its snappy, engaging dialogue and a generous helping of humor. The artwork is another major highlight; it's vivid, beautifully rendered like expressive oil paintings that bring the chaotic action to life. Some purists might argue that this series offers a somewhat "watered-down" version of The Outlaws compared to previous iterations, but for new readers, it serves as an excellent entry point into the dynamic and often morally ambiguous world of these anti-heroes.

​All in all, Red Hood: Outlaws Volume 1 is a quick and enjoyable read, though perhaps not one that demands a lot of complex thought. There are two more books in this series, which I'm definitely looking forward to reviewing in the future! I'm particularly excited to see what else unfolds regarding that stolen idol and its connection to a lost Martian civilization. And on a personal note, I'm hoping for more interactions between Jason and Bruce, and the rest of the Bat-Family – especially Dick Grayson, Tim Drake, and Damian Wayne. There's also a fledgling romance between Jason and Artemis that’s still very much in its early stages. While it might not be the most profound comic you'll ever read, it's certainly a fun and fast-paced adventure that leaves you wanting more.

RELATED FEATURES: Red Hood Collection  |  Jason Todd's Empty Grave  |  Nightwing, Batman and Adoption Problems  |  Superman Collection

Ten years ago, the Marvel Cinematic Universe was still new. Interesting. Exciting. Tenuous.

By March 2015, the MCU holy trinity had been established consisting of Iron Man, Thor and Captain America. But within the mix of their stories , which spanned generations and galaxies, there were numerous supporting characters who were just as fascinating. One of the best was Peggy Carter, played by Hayley Atwell. 

Introduced in Captain America: The First Avenger (2011), Peggy was an agent for the top-secret Allied intelligence agency, the Strategic Scientific Reserve (SSR). She was central to Project Rebirth, an experiment to create American super soldiers which ultimately transformed Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) into Captain America. Not only did Peggy champion Steve for the experiment, she ultimately became his friend, his love interest and — through the intricacies of time travel and storytelling I won't recount here — his wife and mother of his children.  

But at first, it looked like Peggy's character was one and done. After all,  Steve is presumed lost and killed at the end of The First Avenger and Marvel fans presumed that was the last they'd see of Peggy, too. But fate intervened in 2013 with a short film called Marvel One-Shot: Agent Carter. The film was a glimpse into Peggy's life after the war as she wrestled with her grief and being a woman in the male dominated espionage game. The One-Shot became so popular that it was turned into a weekly television series called Agent Carter in 2015. 

Although the show was praised for its snappy dialogue and astute character development, it only lasted two seasons due to low ratings. One particularly baffling review called the show "fascinating but boring."  But really, I think Agent Carter was probably ahead of its time. Having a female-led period piece  that dealt with issues such as feminism, race, grief and sexism within the framework of Cold War espionage tinged with science fiction was probably pretty challenging for American audiences ten years ago. This is especially true when you consider that Peggy had no super powers whatsoever. Her strength came from intelligence, ingenuity and creativity. Hell, in one episode she took out a goon twice her size by weaponizing a stapler!

Sigh.

Regardless, Peggy Carter remains a fan favorite in the MCU and has even found new life as "Captain Carter" in some of the franchise's alternate universes. So, in honor of Peggy, Marvel's greatest non-super superhero, I'm presenting a collection of books, videos and collectables about her — or characters and stories similar to hers.

Stay calm and carry on!

OTHER REVIEWS IN THIS SERIES: Raven | Beast Boy | Beast Boy Loves Raven | Robin | Starfire

Starfire is the latest volume in the Teen Titans series by Kami Garcia and illustrated by Gabriel Picolo.

Kori is a college student studying astronomy. She lives in California with her older sister, Kira, younger brother and mother. The sisters are close — but also very different. While Kira is vivacious and outgoing, Kori is an introvert, a condition made worse by Ehlers–Danlos Syndrome ​(EDS), a painful connective tissue disorder that cause her joints to swell. 

Their mother is absent most of the time, preoccupied with her pending marriage to rich douchebag Lynch Fairweather, owner of Edge Pharmaceuticals. Kira is equally besotted by Lynch's nephew, Tate, and Kori doesn't like either one of them. Despite this, she allows Kira and Tate to talk her into participating in an Edge study about new treatments for EDS. While touring the Edge facility, Kori meets and befriends Victor Stone, a.k.a. Cyborg.  Victor also has misgivings about the Fairweathers and helps uncover that the Edge  EDS "study" is actually the an attempt to gauge the extent of Kira and Kori's superpowers at the behest of H.I.V.E.

Yes, this is the same H.I.V.E. from the previous books — the shadowy agency who employs Slade Wilson and imprisoned and tortured Rachel and Garfield in Beast Boy Loves Raven. 

​Kira refuses to listen to Kori's revelations, but Kori finds kindred spirits when the Titans (Dick, Damian, Max, Garfield and Raven) show up with news that Slade Wilson is hunting her.  After coming together, the new team decides it's time to take the fight to H.I.V.E. 
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One of the things I really appreciate about Kami Garcia's take on the Teen Titans is addressing superpowers as sometimes being medical or mental health challenges as well. This has been done a few times in the DC Universe, most notably with Tom King's Heroes in Crisis, which took a deep dive into how having the responsibility of superpowers can impact one's emotional well-being.

In Starfire, Kori's superpowers manifest originally as a disability. Yet she learns to see her challenges as part of her identity (in the same way Rachel did with her demonic pedigree, Logan did with his amino acid deficiency and Damien did with his abusive background and rage issues). Despite their varied backgrounds and problems, they manage to come together.

I don't know when the next volume comes out, but it looks like we'll actually see the Teen Titans as an organized super team!

RELATED: Comics Collections | Teen Titans Fans Collection | Damian Wayne Collection | Nightwing, Batman and Adoption Problem |  Nightwing Collection

The young prince Damian Wayne was raised to be the heir to the fearsome League of Assassins — to follow in the footsteps of his deadly mother, Talia, and the Demon's Head himself, his grandfather Ra's al Ghul.

But everything changed when his father, the Batman (Bruce Wayne), reclaimed him and brought him back to Gotham City.

The young prince Damian Wayne was raised to be the heir to the fearsome League of Assassins--to follow in the footsteps of his deadly mother, Talia, and the Demon's Head himself, his grandfather Ra's al Ghul. But everything changed when his father, the Batman, reclaimed him and brought him back to Gotham City.

As Robin, young Damian suddenly discovered he was merely one of a number of princes, preceded in the role by his brothers Richard Grayson (Nightwing), Jason Todd (Red Hood), and  Timothy Drake (Red Robin)... and Damian doesn't care to be merely anything.

But when his father is forced to leave the city on urgent business, and a rash of abductions is accompanied by whispers of a demon stalking Gotham's dark alleys, Damian will find himself battling alongside his adoptive brothers--and in the process, learning what the mantle of Robin really means!

​Visionary writer/artist Juni Ba makes his mark on the timeless story of Batman and Robin, synthesizing the characters' complex history into an accessible and heartrending fairy tale! Ba's lyrical text and highly stylized artwork may not be what a lot of DC Comics fans are used to, but trust me, it a wonderful diversion. 

If you're not familiar with Juni Ba's work, you can learn more about this award-winning writer and artist on his website or see his books below.  

RELATED FEATURES: Damian Wayne Collection  |  Batman Collection  |  Nightwing Collection  |  Tim Drake Collection  | Nightwing, Batman and Adoption Problems 

OTHER REVIEWS IN THIS SERIES: Raven | Beast Boy | Beast Boy Loves Raven | Robin | Starfire

Here we are... on the fourth book in the Kami Garcia / Gabriel Picolo Teen Titans series — ROBIN! This is one of my favorite books so far, but I fully admit that's because I'm a huge Damian Wayne and Dick Grayson fan and both characters figure prominently in this edition. 

If you have read any of the previous Batman / Damian Wayne literature, you know that the youngest Robin and the oldest Robin have had a checkered past. Understandably, when Damian was first introduced to Wayne Manor, he was shocked to find that Bruce already had a son "occupying" his place there. And that initial shock  gave way to a seething resentment. 

Nevermind that Bruce adopted Dick long before he even knew Damian existed. Nevermind that Bruce went out of his way to extract Damian from the League of Assassins, its leader (and Damian's grandfather) Ra's al Ghul, and give him a purpose beyond killing innocent people. Never mind that Dick, who is generous and empathetic by nature, went out of his way to welcome Damian into the family. Because Damian is overly confident, insecure and narcissistic in equal measure — taught from birth that attachment and reliance on other people are profound weaknesses.

In time, however, Dick's compassion wins over Damian and they become very close. (You can see a lot of this fomenting in Batman & Robin Vol. 1: Batman Reborn, when Bruce is out of action and Dick has to take up Batman's cowl with Damian as his sidekick.) 

​However, in Garcia's version Dick and Damian are very much at the beginning of their association, having only met each other a few months previously. When the youngest Wayne heads out on his own to assess Slade Wilson's motives and ends up saving Raven and Garfield from a H.I.V.E. laboratory (see Beast Boy Loves Raven), Dick decides to follow him using a tracker secretly hidden in Damian's clothing. Having his unwanted big brother show up uninvited only makes things worse — especially because Dick inadvertently keeps cramping Damian's style in front of his new friends and the girl he likes (Max). 

It's Max and the others who point out that Dick not only seems sincere about wanting to build a brotherly relationship with Damian, but has skills and experience that are genuinely useful to them as they try to stay ahead of Slade. This is something Dick demonstrates several times when he fixes their mistakes or covers their tracks. Ultimately however, Damian's not convinced until Dick narrowly bests him in a series of physical and mental competitions... and rather than gloating is gracious in victory.  

While it's safe to say that there will be more friction between Damian and Dick in the volumes ahead, Teen Titans: Robin brings the brothers together at the end. More importantly, it introduces Dick Grayson, the guy who actually FORMED the Teen Titans in the first place into the mix. 

​RELATED: Comics Collections | Teen Titans Fans Collection | Damian Wayne Collection | Nightwing, Batman and Adoption Problem

OTHER REVIEWS IN THIS SERIES: Raven | Beast Boy | Beast Boy Loves Raven | Robin | Starfire

​Beast Boy Loves Raven is the third installment in the reimagined and compelling Teen Titans series by Kami Garcia. While the first two books were, for lack of a better term, origin stories, #3 begins the formation of the Teen Titans team.

Raven and Beast Boy have stumbled upon each other in Nashville, Tennessee. Both have been lured there by a need to solve some persistent mysteries about their personal histories and burgeoning powers — and an ominous mercenary named Slade claims to have the answers they seek. 

Much of the book deals with the burgeoning relationship between Raven and Gar as they tour Nashville and anxiously wait for Slade to show. Over several days, their relationship slowly takes on a romantic component. This is not an easy development for either character. Raven was burned in Raven by a handsome basketball player named Tommy who turned out to be one of Slade's agents assigned to gather intelligence on her. Gar, on the other hand, is sweet but horribly awkward.  Plus, he doesn't want Raven to know he can unintentionally transform into a wild animal under certain circumstances. 

Two other characters of the future Titans team get play time in this edition. The first is Max, Raven's foster sister, who was introduced in book #1, and who has secretly followed her to Tennessee. The second is Damian Wayne, the fourth Robin and biological son of Bruce Wayne, a.k.a. Batman. Damian has also been enticed to Tennessee by Slade, but thanks to his natural paranoia he doesn't fall so easily for the man's line of attractive patter...

When Raven and Gar are abducted when they head off to meet Slade, Damian's suspicions are confirmed.  He and Max track the pair to a hidden laboratory in the woods where they are being tortured by a scientist named Adeline Kane. Kane is trying to provoke them to use their powers — and she apparently has designs on other young people with super powers.
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This sets up the next phase of the series... where we will undoubtedly begin to see these characters getting control of their powers and new team members being introduced.

​Teen Titans: Beast Boy Loves Raven is my favorite book in the series so far. Not just because Raven and Gar are awesome characters, but because we're beginning to see the team dynamic that Teen Titans' fans so know and love. I'm also looking forward the the next book, Robin. I'm a huge Damian Wayne fan and he promises to provide some chaos to the mix!

RELATED: Comics Collections | Teen Titans Fans Collection

OTHER REVIEWS IN THIS SERIES: Raven | Beast Boy | Beast Boy Loves Raven | Robin | Starfire

Beast Boy is the second installment in Kami Garcia's interlocking origin stories of the Teen Titans. If you're not a Titans aficionado, Beast Boy (a.k.a. Garfield "Gar" Logan) is one of the original Titan members. Gar contracted a rare illness called Sakutia as a child. His scientist parents cured him using an experimental serum extracted from a rare green monkey. The serum both saved Gar's life and gave him the ability to change into any animal form and create strong psychic bonds with animals of all kinds.

As the book opens, these facts are unknown to Gar. All he knows, as a semi-insecure teenage boy, is that his parents are making him take an amino acid supplement every day which he's convinced has kept him from growing taller or bulking up. (In reality, the supplement is suppressing his superpowers.) Despite a ravenous appetite and lots of working out, poor Gar can't put on any weight and his small size makes him feel unseen among his peers and invisible to the popular girl he adores. 

In desperation, Gar decides to stop taking the supplement... and weird things begin to happen. Not only does he begin growing physically, but his confidence and impulsiveness balloon out of proportion. When he rashly decides to accept a local restaurant's challenge to eat a Carolina Reaper chili pepper, the pepper strangely has no serious effect on him — similar to a tree shew who can eat the peppers freely. Later, he shows almost catlike reflexes during dodgeball. Finally, he decides to pull an Instagram stunt by breaking into a laboratory and photographing himself with a local sport team's mascot — a massive ball python. In the process, the snake seems to form an attachment to Gar who feels compelled to free it and the laboratory's other captive animals. 

With a little experimentation, Gar discovers that not only can he communicate with animals as he did with the python and the other lab animals — he can transform into them. His parents have hidden this from him all his life, but now that the, uh, cat's out of the bag, Gar wants answers. 

Yet the answers (or the promise of them) don't come from Gar's parents, but rather a mysterious stranger called Slade Wilson. (Wilson was also a player in Raven and his true purpose remains unknown but seems nefarious.)

As with Raven, author Kami Garcia and illustrator Gabriel Piccolo do an amazing job of capturing teenage angst — even when it arises from the discovery of superpowers. Gar is a delightful underdog (no pun intended), whose false bravado turns out not to be so false after all. By the end of the book, Gar departs his home to meet Slade Wilson in Nashville... and something tells me Raven will be nearby. 

RELATED: Comics Collections | Teen Titans Fans Collection

OTHER REVIEWS IN THIS SERIES: Raven | Beast Boy | Beast Boy Loves Raven | Robin | Starfire

With Teen Titans: Starfire now available, I thought I'd take a look at the entire series written by Kami Garcia and illustrated by Gabriel Picolo.  We'll start with book one, Teen Titans: Raven. 

As some background, the series is new look at DC's Teen Titans, a group of young superheroes, most of whom began their careers as the sidekicks of Justice League members. The comic book series premiered in 1964 and was led by Dick Grayson (Robin), Wally West (Kid Flash) and Garth (Aqualad). The group was formed partly because the Titans were frustrated about operating in the shadow of their older and more famous mentors. 

Garcia's take is one that provides a decidedly modern young adult aesthetic to the story. The synopsis reads:

When a tragic accident takes the life of seventeen-year-old Raven Roth's foster mom — and Raven's memory — she moves to New Orleans to recover and finish her senior year in high school.

Starting over isn't easy. Raven remembers everyday stuff like how to solve math equations and make pass, but she can't remember her favorite song or who she was before the accident. And when impossible things start happening, Raven begins to think it might even be better not to know who she was before.

But as she grows closer to her new friends, her foster sister, Max, and Tommy Torres, a guy who accepts her for who she is now, Raven has to decide if she's ready to face what's buried in her past... and the darkness building inside her. 

Having the story take place in New Orleans is a great choice, as the city's literally built on supernatural lore and Raven appears to have some latent supernatural powers. She has disturbing dreams about being overwhelmed by a large, raven-shaped shadow and menaced by a multi-eyed demon whose voice frequently invades her thoughts. Even more disconcerting, sometimes her thoughts, especially when she's angry or vengeful, appear to come true. On several occasions, she's unintentionally humiliated the school's resident "mean girl." Since she has no memory of her past, she has no context for these experiences... and they scare her. 

​Fortunately, her new foster mom and sister, Natalia and Max,  have some helpful abilities.  They have the  power to summon and manipulate spirits and Natalia uses these abilities to understand Raven's mysterious past,  Meanwhile, Max trains her on how to create a psychic shield so she's not constantly bombarded by the thoughts and feelings of others. This ability makes her reluctant to connect to others — even handsome Tommy Torres — who seems unusually interested in her. 

Garcia is great at infusing humor and authentic characters into her drama. The expressive artwork by Picolo, with a limited color palette emphasizing Raven's black-and-purple brand, is perfect. (The books get visually brighter in future editions, but the colors always reflect the mood and primary characters.)

All in all, Raven is a great first installment and reboot to the Teen Titans lore, setting the stage for a much longer and more complex story arc.

RELATED: Comics Collections | Teen Titans Fans Collection

As the year winds down, so does the comic book series I looked forward to the most in 2024 — Death in the Family: Robin Lives! The October edition concluded the four-part limited run.

The series is based on 1988's Batman: Death in the Family, in which fans made a seminal choice to kill off Jason Todd’s Robin. Robin Lives! is a reimagining of that storyline where we find out what would have happened if fans had voted to let Jason live. (See my previous entries on this series here  and here.)

​In Issue #3, Jason was transformed (thanks to some illicit pharmaceuticals) into The Joker's sidekick, Jokey, The Boy Lackey. As #4 opens, The Joker insists that Jokey beat a former psychiatrist to death. But Jason hesitates... he still has a moral compass, after all . He's subsequently discarded by The Joker — another humiliation on top of another humiliation. 

Pursuing the supervillain, Jason discovers that The Joker plans to poison Gotham with the same toxin he used on him. In order to stop the mass killing, Jason puts a bullet through the supervillain's skull. In doing so, he performs the one act Batman never could — ending The Joker for good.

​Bruce is initially appalled by the murder, but later he and Dick Grayson decide to cover it up. They decide that The Joker's death did indeed serve a greater good and would allow Jason to finally escape his tormentor. We see that this works. Jason goes onto college, earning advanced degrees in sociology, psychology and psychiatry. 

The narrator (Dr. Dev) tells us: "We were so proud of [Jason]. He'd faced so much, come so far — and we knew, beyond a doubt, that Jason Todd had a good, a valuable, life ahead of him. That like Bruce and Dick... he'd leave a positive imprint on this world."

​That's good new, right? Unfortunately, the story doesn't end there.

​In an M. Night Shyamalan-type twist, we witness Jason putting on clown makeup and changing his clothes... only to reveal himself as The Joker reborn.  As with most M. Night Shyamalan-type twists, this one was both ineffectual and irritating. It was also completely unneeded.  

Jason's story has already addressed — and continues to address —  his suffering at the hands of The Joker. If the idea behind Robin Lives! was to give Jason a different, less tragic ending, then maybe it was okay to let him recover and thrive?

​RELATED FEATURES: Jason Todd / Red Hood Fans  |  Batman Collection  |  Nightwing Collection  |  Jason Todd's Empty Grave