IDW - COMICSXF https://comicsxf.com The comics criticism you crave Wed, 20 May 2026 00:56:56 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.0 https://i0.wp.com/comicsxf.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/cropped-orange-favicon-2.jpg?fit=32%2C32&ssl=1 IDW - COMICSXF https://comicsxf.com 32 32 107498702 Weep not for the victim in IDW’s Seven Wives #1 https://comicsxf.com/2026/05/20/weep-not-for-the-victim-in-idws-seven-wives-1/ Wed, 20 May 2026 16:00:00 +0000 https://comicsxf.com/?p=56829 Seven wives. Forty-nine stab wounds. One divine prophet, found dead in his own church. We reviewed IDW's Seven Wives #1.

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]]> 56829 Put Your Makeup on, Fix Your Hair up Pretty as the Turtles Meet Street Fighter in Atlantic City https://comicsxf.com/2023/06/13/put-your-makeup-on-fix-your-hair-up-pretty-as-the-turtles-meet-street-fighter-in-atlantic-city/ Tue, 13 Jun 2023 16:00:00 +0000 https://www.comicsxf.com/?p=45698 What follows is not a critique of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles vs. Street Fighter #1, an IDW comic by writer Paul Allor, artist Ariel Medel, colorist Sarah Myer and letterer Ed Dukeshire. At its core it is a silly comic about a group of turtles fighting a group of colorfully costumed humans created in the...

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]]> 45698 Star Trek: Lower Decks #1 Captures the Feel of the Show https://comicsxf.com/2022/09/29/star-trek-lower-decks-1/ Thu, 29 Sep 2022 16:00:00 +0000 https://www.comicsxf.com/?p=43175 While the USS Cerritos prepares to make second contact with an advanced civilization, Ensigns Mariner, Boimler and Tendi visit the holodeck for some R&R and nothing could possibly go wrong. Or could it? Star Trek: Lower Decks #1 is written by Ryan North, with art by Chris Fenoglio and letters and design by Johanna Nattalie....

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]]> 43175 IDW’s Originals Line Starts off Hot with Dark Spaces: Wildfire #1 https://comicsxf.com/2022/07/25/idws-originals-line-starts-off-hot-with-dark-spaces-wildfire-1/ Mon, 25 Jul 2022 15:00:00 +0000 https://www.comicsxf.com/?p=42213 Six weeks into the slow burn of the historic Arroyo Fire, a crew of women from an inmate firefighting program are risking everything on the frontlines when their newest recruit, a white-collar convict with a deep network of shady dealers, discovers they’re mere miles from her crooked former associate’s mansion. When she proposes a plan...

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]]> 42213 Get Ready for an Xtra Large Review of TMNT #127, #128 and their 2022 Annual. https://comicsxf.com/2022/05/09/get-ready-for-an-xtra-large-review-of-tmnt-127-128-and-their-2022-annual/ Mon, 09 May 2022 15:00:00 +0000 https://www.comicsxf.com/?p=40581 It’s been a while since the Turtles had a mad scientist villain to go up against, but Dr. Jasper Barlow is more than making up for lost time. Beware the horrors that lie in store for those of you who dare to read Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #127, written by Sophie Campbell, drawn by Pablo...

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]]> 40581 Godzilla vs. Power Rangers Is a Match Made in Japan https://comicsxf.com/2022/04/05/godzilla-vs-power-rangers-is-a-match-made-in-japan/ Tue, 05 Apr 2022 14:00:00 +0000 https://www.comicsxf.com/?p=39752 When Rita Repulsa uses an ancient artifact to transport herself to a universe without Power Rangers, she finds herself on a world with aliens, kaiju … and Godzilla. Hoping to annihilate this new foe, Rita hurls her own terrible creatures into battle. But she never expects that the Rangers have followed her to this alternate...

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]]> 39752 Art Imitates Art in IDW’s GI Joe: Saturday Morning Adventures https://comicsxf.com/2022/02/21/art-imitates-art-in-idws-gi-joe-saturday-morning-adventures/ Mon, 21 Feb 2022 15:00:00 +0000 https://www.comicsxf.com/?p=38050 When Cobra Commander gets his hands on a genie, it’s up to GI Joe to save the day when his B.A.T.-shit crazy wishes come true in GI Joe: Saturday Morning Adventures #1, written by Erik Burnham, drawn by Dan Schoening, colored by Luis Antonio Delgado and lettered by Neil Uyetake for IDW. Adapting stories and...

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]]> 38050 Ninjas and Frogs Square Off In TMNT #126 https://comicsxf.com/2022/02/16/ninjas-and-frogs-square-off-in-tmnt-126/ Wed, 16 Feb 2022 16:00:00 +0000 https://www.comicsxf.com/?p=37967 The Splinter Clan’s home base and dojo has been burned down by a new and dangerous gang in Mutant Town—the Punk Frogs. The Frogs aren’t one for peaceable solutions, and are more than a match for the Turtles in a fight, putting the Splinter Clan in a bind until they can give the Frogs what...

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]]> 37967 Usagi Yojimbo #24 Is a Great Jumping-on Point, Even at the End of an Arc https://comicsxf.com/2021/11/26/usagi-yojimbo-24-is-a-great-jumping-on-point-even-at-the-end-of-an-arc/ Fri, 26 Nov 2021 15:00:00 +0000 https://www.comicsxf.com/?p=35446 Kiyoko has been kidnapped and is being held for ransom by the local mob. Boss Hasegawa wants the ledger of bribes Kitsune had stolen, but how can they buy Kiyoko’s freedom when that book had been stolen from the thief? Usagi, Yukichi and Kitsune try to bluff their way with Boss Hasegawa, but their scheme...

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]]> 35446 The Turmoil of Mutant Town Continues in TMNT #121 https://comicsxf.com/2021/10/04/the-turmoil-of-mutant-town-continues-in-tmnt-121/ Mon, 04 Oct 2021 14:00:00 +0000 https://www.comicsxf.com/?p=34281 Old Hob created Mutant Town – much against the will of its residents. Separated its citizens from their families, possibly for the rest of their lives, and policed all who fell beneath his purview, and after a rally turn riot, the old feline fascist has finally been taken down. The question now is: what next?...

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]]> 34281 The Student Becomes the Master in Usagi Yojimbo #22 https://comicsxf.com/2021/09/16/the-student-becomes-the-master-in-usagi-yojimbo-22/ Thu, 16 Sep 2021 17:00:00 +0000 https://www.comicsxf.com/?p=33798 Usagi and Yukichi have left Lord Hikiji’s province, so their troubles are behind them … or so they thought! They meet up with Kitsune, the street performer/thief, who brings her own troubles. Kitsune has stolen a ledger recording bribes by a gang leader to local politicians. Usagi wants to turn it over to the area...

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]]> 33798 Lines Get Crossed in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #120 https://comicsxf.com/2021/08/26/lines-get-crossed-in-teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles-120/ Thu, 26 Aug 2021 17:00:00 +0000 https://www.comicsxf.com/?p=33080 Hob’s Mutanimal Enforcers are on the run. After an attempted assassination at a rally leads to rioting, the Splinter Clan and their allies storm Hob’s stronghold – and we find out for the first time just how in over his head Hob really is. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #120 is written by Sophie Campbell, drawn...

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]]> 33080 The Game Between Gods Is Laid Bare in TMNT Annual https://comicsxf.com/2021/07/28/the-game-between-gods-is-laid-bare-in-tmnt-annual/ Wed, 28 Jul 2021 18:30:00 +0000 https://www.comicsxf.com/?p=31980 There have always been gods, and they have always played their game using mortal lives as chess pieces, and the world of IDW’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is no different. The Pantheon has been in the thin places of the world for the longest time, making their mysterious moves according to rules unknown. The Game...

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]]> 31980 Elections Are Attempted in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #119 https://comicsxf.com/2021/07/14/elections-are-attempted-in-teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles-119/ Wed, 14 Jul 2021 19:00:00 +0000 https://www.comicsxf.com/?p=30915 April O’Neil is on the run, as confined to Mutant Town as the rest of its residents. She’s just in time for the fireworks, though, as a rally to depose Old Hob and hold free and fair elections is being held. With the future of Mutant Town at stake, you can bet there are going...

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]]> 30915 Comics’ Best Bunny Has a Nice Time in Chibi Usagi: Attack of the Heebie Chibis https://comicsxf.com/2021/06/29/comics-best-bunny-has-a-nice-time-in-chibi-usagi-attack-of-the-heebie-chibis/ Tue, 29 Jun 2021 15:00:00 +0000 https://www.comicsxf.com/?p=30226 Stan Sakai’s beloved rabbit samurai has won countless fans over his 35-year history, thanks to a clever blend of thrilling action, heartwarming characters and realistic portrayal of Japanese culture. Chibi Usagi brings these fun and thoughtful stories to middle grade readers as an original graphic novel packed with adorable art and captivating energy by Julie...

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]]> 30226 There’s Something Sinister in the Sewers in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #118 https://comicsxf.com/2021/06/23/theres-something-sinister-in-the-sewers-in-teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles-118/ Wed, 23 Jun 2021 18:00:00 +0000 https://www.comicsxf.com/?p=29887 The time-travelling turtle Lita may have returned to her time, having set the Splinter Clan on a better path, but she’s not the only one with a vested interest in their future. Oroku Saki, the Shredder, continues to watch over them from afar, looking out for them with simple acts of kindness, all from the...

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]]> 29887 Youth Stands Next To Experience in Usagi Yojimbo #20 https://comicsxf.com/2021/06/16/youth-stands-next-to-experience-in-usagi-yojimbo-20/ Wed, 16 Jun 2021 19:00:00 +0000 https://www.comicsxf.com/?p=29650 When you are on issue number 258 of a nearly perfect series, how do you keep readers surprised? Stan Sakai has tried numerous approaches since relaunching Usagi Yojimbo at IDW. For some tales, like “Homecoming” he tried to tap into emotional beats that had long been left dormant, reminding readers of some of the earliest...

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]]> 29650 Musical Melee in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #117 https://comicsxf.com/2021/06/09/musical-melee-in-teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles-117/ Wed, 09 Jun 2021 16:00:00 +0000 https://www.comicsxf.com/?p=29188 Jennika’s brought her band together, and it’s time to battle it out, heavy metal style, to see Bebop and Rocksteady leave Mutant Town for good in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #117. However, that’s not the only thing on the Splinter Clan’s plate, as they’ve still got a time-traveling turtle they need to return to the...

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]]> 29188 Jennika Gets @&$% Metal in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #116 https://comicsxf.com/2021/04/21/jennika-gets-metal-in-teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles-116/ Wed, 21 Apr 2021 20:00:00 +0000 https://www.comicsxf.com/?p=25506 After a time-travelling turtle from the future brings dire warnings of a dark timeline should Jennika not pursue her passions, Jennika challenges Bebop and Rocksteady to a Battle of the Bands. With the weight of a dark future pressing in on her, Jennika’s got a lot riding on this battle — but first, she needs...

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]]> 25506 Another Week, Another Round of Extolling the Simple Genius of Usagi Yojimbo https://comicsxf.com/2021/04/21/another-week-another-round-of-extolling-the-simple-genius-of-usagi-yojimbo/ Wed, 21 Apr 2021 17:00:00 +0000 https://www.comicsxf.com/?p=25372 What do you say after nearly 40 years? What more can I say about Stan Sakai’s life’s work that hasn’t been said better by others over and over again? I want to be a cynic. If you have read how I cover other books, I tend to be aggressive, nearly bloodthirsty, going after flaws that...

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]]> 25372 Let’s Talk About Stan Sakai’s Paneling in Usagi Yojimbo #18 https://comicsxf.com/2021/04/14/lets-talk-about-stan-sakais-paneling-in-usagi-yojimbo-18/ Wed, 14 Apr 2021 17:00:00 +0000 https://www.comicsxf.com/?p=25108 The Tengu War comes to its conclusion as Usagi, Sojobo, Lady Nozomi and the whole Tengu clan fight to retain their honor in Stan Sakai and Hi-Fi Design’s Usagi Yojimbo #18. After binge-reading the previous 255 issues of Usagi Yojimbo over the past few months, I think what strikes me the most about Sakai’s work...

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]]> 25108 Advance Review: Two Goth Tastes Taste Goth Together in Locke & Key/Sandman #1 https://comicsxf.com/2021/04/13/two-goth-tastes-taste-goth-together-in-locke-key-sandman-1/ Tue, 13 Apr 2021 14:00:00 +0000 https://www.comicsxf.com/?p=24831 The year is 1927, and two houses across the Atlantic are about to collide. At Keyhouse in Lovecraft, Massachusetts, Locke family patriarch Chamberlain is dying and regrets the loss of his son to Hell. On Fawney Rig in Sussex, England, Roderick Burgess holds court over his debauched followers and keeps the King of Dreams in...

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]]> 24831 Autobots and Retcons: Rewriting Marvel Transformers History with ‘Secrets & Lies’ https://comicsxf.com/2021/03/03/autobots-and-retcons-rewriting-marvel-transformers-history-with-secrets-lies/ Wed, 03 Mar 2021 18:00:00 +0000 https://www.comicsxf.com/?p=22103 Transformers ’84: Secrets & Lies Writer: Simon Furman, Artist: Guido Guidi, Colorist: John-Paul Bove, Letterers: Jake M. Wood and Tom B. Long, Publisher: IDW  The Quote Unquote “Marvel Continuity” of Transformers vaguely resembles an Inception-like flow chart. There is the 80-issue run of the Transformers series, minis like G.I.Joe vs. Transformers and Headmasters, filler stories...

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]]> 22103 Usagi Yojimbo #17 Should Make You Jealous of Stan Sakai https://comicsxf.com/2021/02/24/usagi-yojimbo-17-should-make-you-jealous-of-stan-sakai/ Wed, 24 Feb 2021 21:00:00 +0000 https://www.comicsxf.com/?p=21479 If I were a comics creator, I would hate Stan Sakai. The man has been drawing a funny animal comic for nearly 40 years now and hasn’t lost a step. He’s been coursing a path for the rabbit ronin Miyamoto Usagi for decades, and continues to execute some of the most exciting cartoons in the...

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]]> 21479 Transformers: Beast Wars Comic Fails to Be More Than Meets the Eye https://comicsxf.com/2021/02/03/transformers-beast-wars-comic-fails-to-be-more-than-meets-the-eye/ Wed, 03 Feb 2021 18:00:00 +0000 https://www.comicsxf.com/?p=14227 Even when I was a kid, something about Transformers: Beast Wars felt different. Maybe it was the early and ugly CGI, but I like to think that even back then, I noticed the writing. Now, I’m not going to get up here and make some claim about it being an underappreciated masterpiece, but as a...

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