Geek Culture Reviews

For those of us who grew up in the 1990s, Spider-Man: The Animated Series was more than just another superhero cartoon. It was one of the boldest and most ambitious shows Marvel had ever put on TV. Across five seasons, it told sprawling stories about Peter Parker’s struggles, the rise of his villains, and even multiverse-level adventures that rivaled anything happening in the comics at the time. But the series ended in 1998 with one of the most infamous cliffhangers in superhero television history. Mary Jane Watson had vanished. Spider-Man was left searching for her across realities. And then… silence. For over 25 years, fans wondered if they’d ever get closure. While X-Men ‘97 did kind of reveal an ending to the saga, it was a fleeting moment that felt extremely anticlimactic. Now, Marvel has finally answered with Spider-Man ’94 #1, a brand-new comic that acts as a continuation of the animated show. Written by J.M. DeMatteis with art by Jim Towe, the series brings Peter Parker back to...

Alien vs. Avengers is one of those crossover comics that immediately makes you stop and do a double take. Marvel’s Earth’s Mightiest Heroes facing off against the acid-blooded monsters of the Alien franchise? On paper, it sounds like pure fan service, the kind of mash-up that lives on fan forums and “what if” conversations. But Marvel has made it real, collecting the full miniseries into one volume that delivers exactly what the title promises. It is loud, violent, pulpy, and surprisingly respectful to both sides of the crossover, even if it does not always avoid the pitfalls of pacing and repetition. For fans of Marvel crossover comics or readers curious about what happens when Xenomorphs invade the Marvel Universe, this book offers a fun, action-packed ride. The setup wastes no time. An extraterrestrial craft crashes on Earth, and with it comes a nightmare stowaway: the perfect predators, the Xenomorphs. The Avengers are dispatched to investigate, but the situation quickly spirals in...

What happens when the dream is over? That’s the haunting question at the heart of Avengers:  Twiligh t, Marvel’s latest dystopian saga, penned by the always-provocative Chip Zdarsky and gorgeously illustrated by Daniel Acuña . Set in a chilling future where the Avengers have been disbanded, disgraced, or simply disappeared, the six-issue series offers something rarely seen in Marvel canon: a funeral for superhero idealism, played with a mix of sorrow, fury, and uncomfortable introspection. It’s not the first time Marvel has asked what happens after the end. Old Man Loga n, Marvels , and Ruins have all dabbled in similar territory. But where those stories looked outward at the destruction of the world around the heroes, Avengers: Twiligh t turns inward. It’s about what happens when the world keeps going but leaves its champions behind. And more than anything, it’s about Steve Rogers an icon who wakes up not just in the wrong time, but in the wrong truth. This review contains light...

A Mission Through Time… As the penultimate chapter in what has become one of my favorite Marvel outings of recent years, Cable: Love & Chrome #4 isn’t just good—it’s devastatingly great. With David Pepose on writing duties and Mike Henderson delivering hard-hitting visuals, this issue stands as the most character-driven and heart-wrenching entry in the mini-series yet.  So grab them hankies, it’s time to get emotional!  Due to the storyline of this issue I will be attempting to refrain from any major spoilers. Please read with caution as some minor plot points may be spoilt . The fourth issue finds Cable grappling with a personal and tactical crisis. Avery Ryder—the fierce and determined leader of the Resistance and a key ally (and possible romantic interest)—has been infected with the Techno-Organic virus. This development pushes Cable into a desperate, time-bending mission to save her, forcing him to confront the paradoxes and pitfalls of changing fate. But while Cable...

The hunt for the Lumia Seal takes Magik and Cal deep into the heart of Tokyo. But who is watching from the shadows? And has Cal teamed up with Earth’s saviour or its prophesied destroyer?  Magik #1 set this standalone series off in spectacular fashion . A series of events has caused Ilya to be thrown into a grand mystery that started with a demon-killing a mutant. With investigating this death, Ilya is now part of a wider conspiracy that centres on the demonic entity Luminal and its attempt to invade Earth by destroying the five seals that are keeping it at bay. With one seal being destroyed at the end of the opening issue, Ilya has now teamed up with the mage - and seal protector - Cal to stop Lumia from wreaking havoc. Now the duo forms themselves deep in the underground of Tokyo, and well let’s just say their journey is about to get a lot tougher.  Needing time to figure out where the next seal is, Magik #2 opens to Ilya and Cal in a cat café weighing up their options. Ca...

Love and rebellion in a cyberpunk world…  Cable: Love and Chrome #1 did a fantastic job in throwing Nathaniel Summers into a future where the Techno-Organic Virus had won and subsequently taken over the world. Across the opening issue writer David Pepose introduced us to the status quo of this world as Nathaniel was introduced to the people of Salvation Bay, their leader - and potential love interest - Avery Ryder, and their enemy; the Prime Conclave. Much like the opening issue, Cable: Love and Chrome #2 continues its spectacular action-centric narrative as Cable battles across the time stream. However, it’s the budding romance between its two central characters that’s the more interesting aspect of this story. It’s been clear since the last issue that there are some romantic feelings between Cable and Avery. The duo enter combat like a fine-tuned machine, and they’re throwing flirtatious insults at each other like it’s a Valentines' Day lovers tiff. As such it’s no surprise th...

‘Magik #1’ takes a walk on the supernatural side as Illyana Rasputin sets off on her post-Krakoa adventure… Since the fall of the mutant island Krakoa it seems that Marvel Comics is going all out on giving us a new X-Men-related series each week. This week also seems to follow the trend as Magik #1 heads to comic book shelves. Normally I’m not that into reading about mutant kind, however since the launch of “From the Ashes” I have been drawn to the various series that fall under the umbrella narrative. Naturally, it was given that I’d dive straight into Magik #1.  This issue opens up in a small town in Alaska where the citizens are seemingly being dragged away into oblivion by a demonic force. This suburban horror is then cut to Magik as the mutant is suffering from a nightmare. While a simple scene in itself it does do a good job in briefing new readers on who Magik is while not bogging the issue down with needless exposition. Anyway, once this is over the rest of the X-Men attemp...

Due to my holiday break I’m a little late on this one, but Cable: Love & Chrome #1 is arguably my COTY (Comic Of The Year) for 2025. Why? Well read on… Much like other Marvel characters, Cable is one who’s gone through a multitude of changes since his debut. From team-ups and fallouts, Cable has seen his fair share of ups and downs. Now with David Pepose at the helm, Cable heads back to his roots - albeit with a bit of Mad Max thrown in.  Taking place after Krakoa’s fall (seriously Marvel are milking this new era), Cable finds himself in a place called Salvation Bay. It’s a place that the seasoned veteran hasn’t heard of before, and it’s a world whose salvations is soon thrown into his hands. With no choice but to accept an offer by the one person who saved his life, Nathan Summers is soon drawn back to doing what he does best - gratuitous violence.  For those who’ve read my previous reviews on David Pepose’s Punisher reboot will know that the writer isn’t a stranger for p...

There’s more tactical espionage action as Mystique discovers her Destiny…   The first issue of Declan Shalvey’s Mystique mini-series flew out of the starting blocks like a bullet from a gun. Not only did we see what Mystique has been up to post Krakoa, Shalvey added in an espionage angle as Nick Fury Jr is hot on her tail. With Destiny as the focus point of this second issue, it’s becoming clear as to Mystique’s motivation.  Eagle-eyed readers will already clock from the cover who Mystique is dealing with in this issue as she takes the fight to Avalanche. As former member of the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, Shalvey taps into this shared past to make their confrontation a personal one. As the duo battle in the snowy wilderness, there are plenty of cameos from other mutants as Mystique utilises everyone in her shape-shifting arsenal to tackle Avalanche. Her battle is also powered by her love for Destiny which is heightened further as Shalvey uses Destiny’s voice to show how dev...

Alison Blaire heads off to Tokyo for some much-needed R&R. However, trouble isn’t far behind… Last time out in Dazzler #2 we saw Alison head to the UK on the next leg of her worldwide tour. Booked to appear on a life television show, Alison found herself being controlled by a telepathic mutant, to then see her wreck uncontrolled havoc across the television studio. Her music is also being branded as “mutant-centric”.  Dazzler #3 starts by exploring the immediate aftermath of that disastrous television interview. Forced to make a public apology to her fans, Alison promises that this isn’t the end, and she takes the safety of all her fans very seriously. This then leads to the appearance of Lila Cheney as it’s revealed that the Dazzler and your team are hiding out within a penthouse uninvited. With security on their way, the group escapes back to their “tour bus” which happens to be one of the last surviving pieces of Krakoan technology.  With the threat of her tour being can...