Comic Reviews • Variant Covers • Collecting • Gaming
Welcome to Sirryche.com
This site is where I share reviews, collecting finds, variant covers, trading cards, gaming, and other collectibles that catch my interest.
For comics, hobby items, and related collectibles, visit Razmataz Comics & Hobbies.
For trading cards and collectible card products, visit Razmataz Cards & Collectibles.
I also use this site to spotlight interesting items from my own collection, review products, and share things I think other collectors might enjoy.
Felicia Hardy launches her first ongoing solo series in Black Cat #1, featuring the Mike Mayhew Exclusive Virgin Art Variant.
This Black Cat #1 comic review looks at the 2019 Marvel launch that gave Felicia Hardy her first ongoing solo series.
Jed MacKay writes the issue, with Travel Foreman handling the main story artwork.
Black Cat has spent years stealing from some of the most dangerous people in the Marvel Universe.
Now those choices are catching up with her.
The police want Felicia.
The New York Thieves Guild wants her.
And Odessa Drake intends to make sure Black Cat understands exactly who controls the criminal world of New York.
This copy features the Mike Mayhew Exclusive Virgin Art Variant, cataloged by ComicBase as Variant V53. The virgin presentation removes the normal logo and trade dress so Mayhew’s artwork dominates the entire cover.
Marvel launched Black Cat #1 on June 5, 2019 as the beginning of Felicia Hardy’s first ongoing solo title. The exact UPC for this edition identifies it as the Mike Mayhew Exclusive Virgin Art version.
Mike Mayhew gives Felicia Hardy the entire cover.
Without a title logo or standard trade dress competing for attention, the image works more like a character portrait than a normal monthly comic cover.
Felicia Hardy is very good at stealing things.
That has never been the problem.
The problem is what happens afterward.
Black Cat #1 begins with Felicia operating exactly where she is most comfortable.
She is planning jobs.
She is breaking into places she should not be.
She is taking things that belong to other people.
Then the consequences arrive.
The New York Thieves Guild does not appreciate independent thieves operating without permission.
Felicia has ignored their rules.
Now Odessa Drake wants payment.
That gives the first issue a strong central conflict.
Felicia is not trying to save the world.
She is trying to survive a criminal system that believes she belongs under its control.
That is a much better fit for Black Cat than turning her into a conventional superhero.
She has always worked best somewhere between hero and criminal.
Jed MacKay understands that.
Black Cat has spent much of her history connected to Spider-Man.
That relationship will always be part of the character.
This series gives Felicia something more important.
Her own story.
She does not need Peter Parker to create the conflict.
The police are chasing her because of her own actions.
The Thieves Guild is targeting her because of her own decisions.
Her reputation belongs to her.
That immediately makes the book feel different from a Spider-Man supporting-character spinoff.
Felicia is the center of the story.
Her skills matter.
Her mistakes matter.
Her past matters.
That is exactly what a solo Black Cat series needs.
The Thieves Guild gives Felicia a problem she cannot solve simply by being the best thief in the room.
The Guild represents structure.
Felicia represents independence.
She steals because she wants to.
She chooses her own targets.
She follows her own rules.
Odessa Drake sees things differently.
A thief operating in New York is operating inside Guild territory.
That means Felicia’s success becomes an insult.
The better Black Cat becomes, the bigger the problem gets.
This creates a natural conflict because neither side wants the same thing.
Felicia wants freedom.
The Guild wants control.
Travel Foreman handles the artwork for the main story.
That gives the book the speed and movement a Black Cat comic needs.
Felicia should never look heavy or slow.
She climbs.
She jumps.
She breaks into impossible locations.
Her fighting style depends as much on agility and timing as strength.
The artwork allows her to move through environments instead of simply standing in them.
That matters in a comic built around theft.
A heist story needs locations that feel like puzzles.
Doors, windows, security systems, rooftops and guarded rooms all become part of the action.
Felicia’s ability to move through those spaces helps define who she is.
The Mike Mayhew Exclusive Virgin Art Variant takes a very different approach from the standard Black Cat #1 cover.
Mayhew removes everything that is not essential.
There is no large Black Cat logo across the top.
There is no normal trade dress competing with the artwork.
Felicia is the cover.
That works especially well with Black Cat because the character already has such a recognizable visual identity.
White hair.
Black costume.
Black mask.
Fur trim.
A strong Black Cat image does not need a title to explain who the character is.
The virgin presentation takes advantage of that.
It gives collectors the artwork without interruption.
For buyers who collect cover art as much as the comic itself, that matters.
Mike Mayhew has produced numerous character-focused comic covers, and his style works particularly well with Black Cat.
Felicia is a character who depends heavily on attitude.
She has to look confident.
She has to look dangerous.
She also has to look like she knows something everyone else does not.
Mayhew’s cover leans into that personality.
The result feels more like a finished art print than a standard issue sitting on a newsstand.
That is one reason virgin variants can appeal to cover collectors.
The comic itself has not changed.
The presentation has.
This edition allows the artwork to become the collectible feature.
Black Cat #1 received a large number of variant covers.
Grand Comics Database catalogs more than forty alternate versions of the first issue, including regular variants, retailer exclusives, virgin covers and convention editions. The Mike Mayhew Exclusive and Mike Mayhew Exclusive Virgin Art versions are cataloged separately, with the virgin carrying UPC 75960609420200146.
That matters when evaluating the book as a collectible.
The word “variant” alone does not make a comic rare.
Collectors need to know exactly which version they are buying.
For this copy, the important identifiers are:
Mike Mayhew. Virgin Art. UPC 75960609420200146. ComicBase V53.
Those details separate it from the Mayhew trade-dress version and from the many other Black Cat #1 covers.
Black Cat #1 has several things working in its favor as a collectible.
It is issue #1.
It launched Felicia Hardy’s first ongoing solo series.
It features one of Marvel’s most recognizable Spider-Man-related characters.
It also has an enormous variant-cover lineup, which created a collecting market around specific artists and versions.
The Mike Mayhew Virgin Art edition appeals primarily to collectors who want this particular cover rather than buyers simply looking for the cheapest reading copy.
That distinction is important.
A standard Black Cat #1 and a retailer-exclusive virgin variant contain the same story.
They are not the same collectible.
Collectors interested in Mike Mayhew, Felicia Hardy or virgin covers may specifically seek this version.
At the same time, the large number of Black Cat #1 variants means buyers should focus on exact edition identification rather than assuming every exclusive is automatically scarce.
The historical importance of Black Cat #1 comes from more than the number on the cover.
Marvel promoted the 2019 series as Black Cat’s first-ever ongoing solo series.
That gives the issue a legitimate place in Felicia Hardy’s publishing history.
Black Cat had existed for decades before 2019.
She had appeared in Spider-Man comics.
She had appeared in limited series and team-ups.
But this series finally allowed her to carry an ongoing title under her own name.
That makes issue #1 a natural book for Black Cat collectors even before variant covers enter the discussion.
Black Cat #1 succeeds because it understands what makes Felicia Hardy interesting.
She is not simply a Spider-Man supporting character.
She is not a traditional superhero.
She is a thief who wants to control her own life.
Jed MacKay builds the opening issue around that independence and immediately gives Felicia an enemy that wants to take it away.
The Thieves Guild and Odessa Drake create a conflict that fits Black Cat naturally.
Travel Foreman gives the main story the movement and energy a heist comic needs.
The Mike Mayhew Exclusive Virgin Art Variant adds a separate collector appeal.
The lack of trade dress lets Mayhew’s artwork stand on its own, while the exact UPC and ComicBase V53 designation help distinguish this copy from the large number of other Black Cat #1 variants.
For collectors interested in Felicia Hardy, Mike Mayhew or exclusive virgin covers, this is one of the more distinctive editions of Black Cat’s first ongoing-series debut.
Recommended for Black Cat fans, Felicia Hardy collectors, Mike Mayhew collectors, virgin-cover collectors, Spider-Man readers and collectors interested in key first issues from Marvel characters.
Black Cat #1 V53 Mike Mayhew Exclusive Virgin Art Variant is available from Razmataz Comics & Hobbies at razmatazcomics.com while supplies last.
Harley returns to Gotham seeking redemption in Harley Quinn #1, featuring the Shannon Maer Comic Mint Exclusive light virgin cover.
This Harley Quinn #1 comic review looks at the 2021 relaunch that sent Harley Quinn back to Gotham City with a new purpose.
Stephanie Phillips writes the series. Riley Rossmo handles the interior artwork, with colors by Ivan Plascencia.
Harley has spent years creating chaos.
Now she wants to fix some of the damage.
That turns out to be much harder than simply deciding to become a better person.
This copy features the Shannon Maer Comic Mint Exclusive Light Virgin Variant. Maer removes the normal trade dress and gives Harley the entire cover, creating a clean character-focused presentation designed specifically for collectors.
DC launched this Harley Quinn series with Harley returning to Gotham after the events of Joker War and trying to make up for the damage connected to her past.
MyComicShop identifies this edition as the Comic Mint exclusive light virgin cover by Shannon Maer.
Shannon Maer’s light virgin cover strips away the normal logos and trade dress, leaving Harley herself as the focus.
That clean presentation gives the artwork more room to breathe and makes the image feel more like a character portrait than a standard monthly comic cover.
Harley Quinn #1 begins with a problem that cannot be solved with a giant mallet.
Harley wants redemption.
After Joker War leaves Gotham badly damaged, she returns to the city determined to make up for some of the choices she made in the past.
That sounds simple.
It is not.
Gotham remembers Harley.
So do the people she hurt.
Stephanie Phillips builds the first issue around that tension.
Harley may sincerely want to change, but deciding to become better does not erase what came before.
That gives the story more weight than another simple Harley-versus-villain adventure.
Harley has to deal with consequences.
She also has to decide what redemption actually means.
It is one thing to announce that you have changed.
It is another thing to convince everyone else.
DC specifically positioned this relaunch around Harley returning to Gotham, taking responsibility for her past, and trying to help repair a city still recovering from Joker War.
One of the early confrontations involves Killer Croc.
That is important because Harley cannot simply walk into Gotham and expect everyone to believe she has changed.
Croc has his own history with violence.
Even so, Harley still has to face the fact that her actions affected other people.
That gives their confrontation more meaning than an ordinary superhero fight.
The issue uses humor and action, but the underlying idea remains serious.
Harley wants forgiveness.
Forgiveness is not automatic.
That theme gives Phillips plenty of room to explore Harley as something more complicated than the unpredictable comic-relief character she was sometimes treated as in earlier stories.
Riley Rossmo handles the interior artwork.
Rossmo’s exaggerated style fits Harley extremely well.
Harley Quinn should never feel visually restrained.
Her movement is chaotic.
Her expressions change quickly.
Her personality fills a room before she even starts talking.
Rossmo leans into that energy.
Bodies stretch.
Expressions become extreme.
Action scenes feel loose rather than mechanical.
That gives the book personality.
It also separates this Harley Quinn series from the darker and more traditionally rendered Batman titles surrounding it.
Gotham may still be Gotham.
Harley sees it differently.
The artwork reflects that.
This version of Harley sits between two identities.
She is not the same person who once followed the Joker around Gotham.
She is also not suddenly a spotless hero.
That middle ground is much more interesting.
Harley still has violent instincts.
She still makes questionable decisions.
She still enjoys chaos.
But she is beginning to understand that her choices have consequences.
That does not automatically make her part of the Bat-Family.
DC itself emphasized that Harley was moving in a more accountable direction while still remaining fiercely independent.
That distinction matters.
Harley does not need to become Batman.
She does not need to become a conventional superhero.
She simply needs to decide what kind of person she wants to be when the Joker is no longer controlling the direction of her life.
The post-Joker War setting gives Harley’s redemption story a useful backdrop.
Gotham is damaged.
People are angry.
Trust is difficult to find.
That makes the city a good place to test whether Harley truly intends to change.
If she only wanted an easy fresh start, she could leave.
Instead, she comes back.
That decision forces her to face the people and places connected to her past.
It also keeps her tied to Batman’s world without making Batman the central character in her own book.
Harley gets to operate inside Gotham while still carrying her own story.
The Shannon Maer Comic Mint Light Virgin Variant gives this edition a very different collecting identity from the standard retail covers.
This is not simply another open-order cover sitting beside Cover A on the shelf.
It was produced as a Comic Mint exclusive.
MyComicShop catalogs multiple Comic Mint Shannon Maer versions, including standard, minimal trade dress, dark virgin, and light virgin editions. The light virgin version is specifically identified as its own exclusive edition.
That matters for collectors because the cover was created for a specific retailer rather than the normal direct-market lineup.
The virgin presentation also removes the title logo and other cover elements.
That leaves the artwork unobstructed.
For a collector who buys comics primarily for cover art, that can make the virgin version considerably more appealing.
Shannon Maer has built a following around highly finished character-focused cover artwork.
That approach works particularly well with Harley Quinn.
Harley is already visually recognizable without a logo.
Her costume, makeup, expression, and attitude immediately identify the character.
The light virgin version benefits from that recognition.
There is no need for a giant HARLEY QUINN title across the artwork.
The character sells the image herself.
That is exactly what a strong virgin variant should accomplish.
The absence of trade dress should make the artwork feel more complete rather than unfinished.
This cover succeeds at that.
Harley Quinn #1 launched a new ongoing series in 2021.
DC released the regular Riley Rossmo cover, a Derrick Chew card-stock variant, a Yoshitaka Amano team variant, a blank cover, and numerous retailer-exclusive versions.
The Shannon Maer Comic Mint editions sit outside the normal open-order lineup.
That gives them a separate collector audience.
MyComicShop currently identifies four Comic Mint Shannon Maer versions:
The light virgin edition is the version represented here.
This copy is also raw rather than graded.
For collectors, that means condition matters considerably.
A strong Near Mint Plus copy can appeal to buyers who want the book raw, while also leaving open the possibility of professional grading later.
The combination of Harley Quinn, issue #1, Shannon Maer artwork, virgin presentation, and Comic Mint exclusivity gives the book several different collecting angles.
It is not simply another copy of Harley Quinn #1.
Harley Quinn has grown far beyond her original role as a Batman villain.
She has become one of DC’s most recognizable characters.
That matters for variant collecting.
Characters with strong visual identities tend to attract collectors who may not follow every issue of the ongoing series.
Some buyers collect Harley Quinn.
Some collect Shannon Maer.
Some collect retailer exclusives.
Some collect virgin covers.
This book overlaps all four categories.
That does not guarantee a particular market price.
It does give the edition a broader collector base than a standard Cover A copy.
Harley Quinn #1 starts a new chapter by forcing Harley to confront something more difficult than another supervillain.
Her own past.
Stephanie Phillips gives Harley a reason to remain unpredictable while still allowing the character to grow.
Riley Rossmo’s energetic artwork fits that version of Harley perfectly.
The story has humor and action, but underneath both is a question about whether someone with Harley’s history can genuinely change.
The Shannon Maer Comic Mint Light Virgin Variant gives this edition additional collector appeal.
The clean virgin presentation allows Maer’s artwork to stand on its own, while the Comic Mint exclusivity separates it from the standard retail covers.
For Harley collectors, Shannon Maer fans, and collectors of exclusive virgin variants, this is a particularly attractive version of the 2021 Harley Quinn #1 relaunch.
Recommended for Harley Quinn fans, Shannon Maer collectors, Comic Mint collectors, virgin-cover collectors, Batman readers, and collectors looking for distinctive retailer-exclusive DC variants.
Harley Quinn #1 Shannon Maer Comic Mint Light Virgin Variant is available from Razmataz Comics & Hobbies at razmatazcomics.com while supplies last.
Mary Jane Watson launches Watson Productions in Friendly Neighborhood Mary Jane #1, featuring a Peach Momoko Momo-Tone variant cover.
This Friendly Neighborhood Mary Jane #1 comic review looks at Marvel’s new solo series built around Mary Jane Watson.
Ashley Allen writes the series, while Phil Noto handles the interior artwork.
Mary Jane has spent years as a model, actress, friend, partner, hero, and survivor.
Now she is adding another job to the list.
Producer.
This copy features the Cover G Peach Momoko Momo-Tone Variant. Momoko gives Mary Jane a softer and more personal presentation, with flowing red hair, muted colors, and a quiet pose that separates this cover from the louder superhero variants surrounding the launch.
Marvel introduces Mary Jane’s new role as producer at Watson Productions while Chameleon moves in to sabotage her plans.
Peach Momoko keeps the focus almost entirely on Mary Jane. Her flowing red hair and relaxed pose create a much quieter image than a typical superhero action cover.
The Momo-Tone style gives the image a softer texture, while the darker background keeps Mary Jane at the center of the composition.
Mary Jane Watson has always lived close to superheroes.
That does not mean her life has ever been simple.
She has dealt with danger, fame, relationships, villains, and the chaos that comes with being connected to Spider-Man’s world.
Friendly Neighborhood Mary Jane #1 gives her another chance to stand on her own.
This time, the story begins with Watson Productions.
Mary Jane is stepping into the role of producer.
That gives her something she can control.
At least, that is the plan.
Chameleon quickly threatens that stability.
His interest in sabotaging the production gives the first issue a direct conflict without reducing Mary Jane to someone waiting for Spider-Man to rescue her.
She has her own problem.
She has her own resources.
She also has something connected to Venom that may give her an unexpected advantage.
That creates a useful balance between Mary Jane’s civilian life and the superhero world surrounding her.
The series does not need to turn her into another traditional costumed hero.
Her strength comes from experience, intelligence, determination, and the strange situations she has already survived.
Phil Noto handles the interior artwork.
That is a strong fit for Mary Jane.
Noto is especially good at faces, expressions, clothing, and quieter character moments.
Those elements matter in a book centered on someone whose life exists between celebrity culture and superhero chaos.
Mary Jane needs to feel like a real person rather than simply another figure standing beside Spider-Man.
Noto’s style helps accomplish that.
The production setting should also give the book room to explore environments outside the usual rooftops and battle scenes.
Studios, sets, offices, and public appearances can all become part of the visual identity.
That helps Friendly Neighborhood Mary Jane separate itself from a standard Spider-Man title.
The Peach Momoko Momo-Tone Variant is the strongest reason to choose this particular edition.
Momoko does not surround Mary Jane with villains or explosions.
She lets the character carry the image.
Mary Jane stands in a simple pose while her red hair becomes the dominant visual element.
The shirt, dark jeans, pale background, and green leaves keep the palette restrained.
That restraint works.
Mary Jane does not need an action scene to be recognizable.
The red hair immediately identifies her.
Momoko then gives the image a softer emotional quality.
It feels more like a character portrait than a superhero poster.
That makes it especially appropriate for a series designed to give Mary Jane her own spotlight.
Mary Jane has existed in Spider-Man comics for decades, but her role has constantly changed.
She has been a model.
She has been an actress.
She has been Peter Parker’s partner and wife in different versions of Marvel continuity.
She has also developed an identity beyond those relationships.
Friendly Neighborhood Mary Jane builds directly on that idea.
Mary Jane is not simply reacting to Peter Parker’s life.
She is trying to build something herself.
Watson Productions gives her that opportunity.
The Chameleon threat immediately tests whether she can hold onto it.
That makes the conflict personal.
The villain is not just threatening New York.
He is threatening something Mary Jane created.
Chameleon is a particularly good villain for this kind of story.
His ability to change identities creates problems that do not require a massive battle.
A production company depends on people.
Actors.
Crew.
Executives.
Security.
Contacts.
Any one of those people could become a vulnerability when Chameleon is involved.
That gives the story room for paranoia and deception.
Mary Jane has spent enough time around superheroes to know that appearances can be dangerous.
The question is whether that experience will help her identify the threat before Chameleon destroys what she has built.
Friendly Neighborhood Mary Jane #1 launches a new Marvel series centered on one of Spider-Man’s most recognizable supporting characters.
Marvel released several covers for the first issue.
J. Scott Campbell created Cover A.
Russell Dauterman created Cover B.
Simone Di Meo supplied the 1:25 incentive.
Mr. Garcin created Cover D.
Bruce Timm created Cover E.
J. Scott Campbell also supplied the 1:100 virgin incentive.
Peach Momoko created the Cover G Momo-Tone Variant.
The Momoko edition is an open-order variant rather than a ratio incentive.
Collectors should not expect artificial scarcity.
Its appeal comes from the artist, the character, and the fact that this is issue #1.
Peach Momoko has a strong collector following.
Mary Jane also has a large audience beyond readers who collect every Spider-Man issue.
That gives this edition appeal to several groups at once.
Mary Jane collectors may want it.
Peach Momoko collectors may want it.
Spider-Man readers may want the launch issue.
Those factors make the Cover G variant one of the more visually distinctive regular covers for the book.
Friendly Neighborhood Mary Jane #1 gives Mary Jane Watson a new direction without disconnecting her from the world readers already know.
Ashley Allen places her in charge of Watson Productions and immediately introduces a threat capable of attacking both her career and her personal life.
Phil Noto’s artwork gives the series a character-focused visual foundation.
The Peach Momoko Momo-Tone Variant adds a quieter and more elegant cover option.
Rather than treating Mary Jane as another superhero action figure, Momoko presents her as the center of the story.
That makes the cover fit the concept extremely well.
Recommended for Mary Jane Watson fans, Spider-Man readers, Peach Momoko collectors, Marvel collectors, and readers interested in seeing Mary Jane take the lead in her own series.
Friendly Neighborhood Mary Jane #1 Peach Momoko Momo-Tone Variant is available from Razmataz Comics & Hobbies at razmatazcomics.com while supplies last.
Liliana Vess hunts Griselbrand on Innistrad in Magic: The Gathering Untold Stories Liliana #1, featuring the Sibylline Meynet Cover B.
This Magic: The Gathering Untold Stories Liliana #1 comic review looks at Dark Horse’s new four-part story centered on Liliana Vess.
Torunn Grønbekk writes the series. Nataliia Rerekina handles the interior artwork, with colors by Lauren Affe and lettering by Clayton Cowles.
Liliana became one of the multiverse’s most powerful necromancers through bargains with four demons.
Those bargains gave her tremendous power.
They also cost her freedom.
Now Liliana intends to take it back.
This copy features the Cover B Sibylline Meynet Variant. Meynet places Liliana beneath a huge moon while she calmly holds a skull in one hand. Purple magic surrounds her body as undead figures rise below.
Dark Horse confirms the creative team, $4.99 price, 32-page length, October 14 release, and four-issue format. Cover B is officially credited to Sibylline Meynet. Penguin Random House Comics Retail
Sibylline Meynet’s cover immediately identifies Liliana as a necromancer. She stands calmly beneath an enormous moon while holding a skull almost as if she is studying it.
The purple magic, distant castle, and undead figures create a gothic fantasy atmosphere without making Liliana appear threatened by any of it.
Liliana Vess has enormous power.
That power came with a price.
She bargained her soul to four demons: Kothophed, Razaketh, Belzenlok, and Griselbrand.
Eventually, Liliana decided she would no longer accept the terms of those bargains.
She began hunting the demons connected to her contracts.
That search brings her to Innistrad.
Liliana believes Griselbrand is there.
Unfortunately, Innistrad is already filled with corruption, supernatural violence, and creatures that would be dangerous to almost anyone else.
Liliana is not almost anyone else.
She walks directly into that world because freedom matters more to her than safety.
Torunn Grønbekk uses a straightforward motivation to drive the story.
Liliana wants control over her own future.
To get it, she must confront the beings who helped give her power in the first place.
Dark Horse presents the series as an untold story from Liliana’s past rather than a simple retelling of events longtime Magic players already know. Penguin Random House Comics Retail
That gives the comic two audiences.
Existing Magic fans get another piece of Liliana’s history.
New readers get a dark fantasy story about a powerful necromancer trying to escape the consequences of her own decisions.
Nataliia Rerekina handles the interior artwork.
Liliana’s story needs darkness without turning every page into the same visual tone.
Innistrad provides plenty of opportunities for gothic horror.
The world contains demons, undead creatures, vampires, corruption, and violence.
Liliana fits naturally into that environment.
She does not enter Innistrad as a frightened visitor.
Death is already part of her power.
That means the artwork can make Innistrad threatening while still showing that Liliana belongs in this kind of world.
The contrast is important.
The setting can be horrifying without making Liliana look helpless.
The Sibylline Meynet Cover B takes a cleaner and more stylized approach than the darker Abigail Larson Cover C.
Liliana dominates the image.
A massive pale moon sits directly behind her.
She holds a skull at eye level while purple magical energy circles around her other hand.
Below her, undead figures gather in front of a distant gothic structure.
The composition immediately communicates who Liliana is.
She controls death.
She does not fear it.
The skull is not presented as something gruesome.
Liliana holds it almost casually.
That gives the image confidence rather than horror.
Meynet also uses a restrained palette.
Purple identifies Liliana immediately.
The muted green background keeps the cover from becoming overly bright.
The pale moon creates a strong focal point behind her face and the skull.
It is a very different interpretation from Abigail Larson’s Cover C, but it suits the character equally well.
Liliana has always been defined by the relationship between power and consequence.
She wanted strength.
She received it.
Then she learned that power obtained through a bargain still belongs partly to whoever controls the bargain.
That gives this story its central conflict.
Liliana is powerful enough to challenge monsters that would terrify other characters.
Yet the real problem is personal.
She wants ownership of her own life.
That makes her motivation easy to understand even for readers unfamiliar with years of Magic: The Gathering lore.
Liliana made dangerous choices.
Now she intends to deal with the consequences herself.
Innistrad is an ideal world for a Liliana story.
The plane already combines fantasy and gothic horror.
Death is everywhere.
So are creatures that refuse to remain dead.
Liliana’s necromancy therefore feels like a natural part of the environment.
That creates an interesting reversal.
In many fantasy stories, a necromancer would be the frightening presence entering an ordinary world.
Here, Liliana enters a world that may be just as disturbing as she is.
Her hunt for Griselbrand gives the story direction while Innistrad supplies additional threats along the way.
The setting also allows Dark Horse to emphasize the darker side of Magic without losing the fantasy elements that define the game.
Magic: The Gathering: Untold Stories – Liliana #1 begins a four-issue Dark Horse miniseries. Penguin Random House Comics Retail
Dark Horse released three regular covers for issue #1.
Nataliia Rerekina created Cover A.
Sibylline Meynet created Cover B.
Abigail Larson created Cover C. Penguin Random House Comics Retail
All three regular covers carry the same original $4.99 price.
That means the Sibylline Meynet edition is an open-order variant rather than a ratio incentive.
Collectors should not buy it expecting artificial scarcity.
Its appeal comes from other factors.
It is issue #1.
It stars Liliana Vess.
It begins a short four-part series.
It also features a visually distinct cover by Sibylline Meynet.
Magic: The Gathering brings another collecting audience into the equation.
Comic collectors may want the series.
Magic players may want Liliana material even if they do not normally collect comics.
Cover-artist collectors may specifically want the Meynet edition.
That gives this issue several possible audiences beyond readers simply following the story.
Magic: The Gathering: Untold Stories – Liliana #1 begins with a strong character and an immediately understandable goal.
Liliana wants her freedom.
The demons connected to her past stand in the way.
Torunn Grønbekk uses that conflict to explore another part of Liliana’s history while Nataliia Rerekina brings the dark world of Innistrad to the page.
The Sibylline Meynet Cover B Variant gives this edition a different personality from the other regular covers.
Liliana standing beneath the moon with a skull in her hand captures the character without needing an elaborate action scene.
She looks calm.
She looks powerful.
Most importantly, she looks completely at home surrounded by death.
Recommended for Magic: The Gathering fans, Liliana Vess collectors, Sibylline Meynet collectors, dark fantasy readers, Innistrad fans, and anyone interested in exploring Magic lore through comics.
Magic: The Gathering: Untold Stories – Liliana #1 Sibylline Meynet Cover B Variant is available from Razmataz Comics & Hobbies at razmatazcomics.com while supplies last.
Starship Godzilla returns as war with the Xiliens escalates in Invasion X #1, featuring Gavin Fullerton’s dark Cover C variant.
This Starship Godzilla Invasion X #1 comic review looks at the beginning of IDW’s new five-issue continuation of the Starship Godzilla story.
Chris Gooch writes the series. Oliver Ono handles the interior artwork.
The crew of Starship Godzilla survived its first confrontation with the Xiliens.
That victory did not end the conflict.
It started a war.
Now the crew needs to improve its ship while bounty hunters close in and the Xiliens prepare a new cosmic kaiju weapon.
This copy features the Cover C Gavin Fullerton IDW Goes Dark Variant. Fullerton gives Godzilla a much darker presentation than the other regular covers. Godzilla appears almost completely in silhouette, framed by sharp green crystalline shapes against a nearly black background.
IDW confirms the $4.99 price, October 14 release, 36-page format, and five-issue series. This exact UPC is identified as the Gavin Fullerton IDW Goes Dark Variant. Penguin Random House Comics Retail Grand Comics Database
Gavin Fullerton strips away most of the detail normally associated with a Godzilla cover. The King of the Monsters becomes a dark shape surrounded by violent green forms.
Only the glowing red eyes immediately break through the darkness. The result gives the cover a threatening horror quality that fits the IDW Goes Dark theme extremely well.
The first Starship Godzilla adventure ended with the crew defeating the Xiliens.
Invasion X #1 immediately deals with the consequences.
Winning one battle did not remove the enemy.
Instead, it pushed the conflict into something larger.
The crew now has to prepare Starship Godzilla for another confrontation.
That means upgrades.
It also means surviving long enough to get them.
M Space Hunter Nebula Aliens are already pursuing the crew for a bounty.
Meanwhile, the Xiliens continue working on a new cosmic kaiju weapon.
That gives the opening issue several problems at once.
The heroes have damaged equipment.
They have enemies chasing them.
They know an even larger threat is being assembled somewhere else.
Chris Gooch does not have to spend much time creating a new premise.
The story already has momentum.
The first series established the players.
Invasion X can immediately make the situation worse.
Oliver Ono handles the interior artwork.
Starship Godzilla combines several visual ideas that could easily become overwhelming.
There are giant monsters.
There are spaceships.
There are alien civilizations.
There are strange weapons and enormous battles.
Instead of trying to make the concept restrained, the series embraces the scale.
That approach suits Godzilla.
The character has always worked best when the threat feels enormous.
Moving Godzilla into space simply removes another limit.
Cities are no longer the largest environments available.
Entire worlds can become part of the battlefield.
The Gavin Fullerton Cover C takes a completely different approach from the brighter Joëlle Jones Cover B.
Godzilla is almost hidden.
The body appears primarily as a black silhouette.
Bright green crystalline shapes explode around the figure while a pair of tiny red eyes look directly out from the darkness.
That restraint makes the image more threatening.
A detailed Godzilla image tells the viewer exactly what they are looking at.
Fullerton does the opposite.
He lets the familiar outline do the work.
The dorsal plates and shape of the head are enough to identify Godzilla.
Everything else disappears into shadow.
The green forms add another layer of uncertainty.
They could suggest energy, crystals, alien technology, or something more dangerous.
The cover does not explain them.
It simply makes Godzilla look trapped inside or emerging from something unnatural.
That makes it a particularly strong fit for the IDW Goes Dark branding.
Moving Godzilla away from Earth opens up the concept.
The character is no longer limited to cities, military forces, and familiar terrestrial opponents.
Space allows the creators to use alien species, enormous ships, unfamiliar technology, and threats that would be difficult to justify in a conventional Godzilla story.
The Xiliens fit naturally into that world.
They already have deep connections to the science-fiction side of Godzilla history.
The M Space Hunter Nebula Aliens add another recognizable element.
Those connections help Starship Godzilla feel experimental without becoming disconnected from the larger franchise.
Starship Godzilla: Invasion X is part of IDW’s Kai-Sei Era.
The larger concept allows creators to take familiar Godzilla elements and rebuild them in new settings.
Starship Godzilla may be one of the clearest examples.
The title alone tells readers this is not another conventional monster story.
Godzilla has become part of a cosmic adventure.
That approach creates room for old enemies and ideas to return in very different forms.
It also gives the comic its own identity instead of simply recreating something already seen in the films.
Starship Godzilla: Invasion X #1 begins a five-issue limited series. Penguin Random House Comics Retail
The first issue received several covers.
Oliver Ono created Cover A.
Joëlle Jones created Cover B.
Gavin Fullerton created the Cover C IDW Goes Dark Variant.
Louie Joyce created the movie-homage retailer incentive cover. Grand Comics Database
The Gavin Fullerton edition is an open-order variant rather than a ratio incentive.
Its appeal comes from the artwork rather than artificial scarcity.
The IDW Goes Dark design also gives it a visual identity that separates it from the brighter regular covers.
Collectors interested in Godzilla horror imagery may prefer this edition specifically because it avoids the colorful space-opera presentation used on some of the other covers.
It is also issue #1.
That gives the book additional appeal for collectors who prefer first issues and complete limited-series runs.
Starship Godzilla: Invasion X #1 wastes little time expanding the conflict.
The crew defeated the Xiliens once.
Now they have bounty hunters behind them, a damaged ship to improve, and another cosmic weapon waiting ahead.
Chris Gooch uses the first issue to push the existing story forward instead of resetting it.
Oliver Ono continues the visual world of Starship Godzilla while the cosmic setting gives the series room to make everything larger.
The Gavin Fullerton IDW Goes Dark Variant gives this edition its strongest individual identity.
The black Godzilla silhouette, glowing red eyes, sharp green forms, and nearly empty background turn the King of the Monsters into something ominous rather than heroic.
It is simple.
It is dark.
It works.
Recommended for Godzilla collectors, Kai-Sei Era readers, Gavin Fullerton collectors, IDW Goes Dark collectors, kaiju fans, and readers who enjoy the science-fiction side of the Godzilla universe.
Starship Godzilla: Invasion X #1 Gavin Fullerton IDW Goes Dark Variant is available from Razmataz Comics & Hobbies at razmatazcomics.com while supplies last.