THE FALL OF ULTRAMAN #1 hits your local comic book store on February 11th, but thanks to Marvel Comics, Monkeys Fighting Robots has an exclusive five-page preview for you!
About the issue: Together, they’ve crossed dimensions, unfurled conspiracies, tangled with giant Kaiju, and saved civilizations. But now, Ultraman and his team are given an unexpected glimpse at the path ahead – and that path leads unavoidably to the loss of our world’s greatest hero! What cosmic threat will be Ultraman’s undoing? Will the United Science Patrol be redeemed? And will Earth finally be lost to the sinister machinations that have been plaguing it for decades? It’s time to find out! What started with the RISE OF ULTRAMAN has all been leading to this – at long last, witness the end of the saga: THE FALL OF ULTRAMAN!
The issue is by writers Mat Groom & Kyle Higginns, and artist Davide Tinto, with colors by Rachelle Rosenberg, and letters by Ariana Maher. The main cover is by Netho Diaz, Jay Leisten and Fer Sifuentes-Sujo.
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SPIDER-MAN NOIR #5 hits your local comic book store on February 11th, but thanks to Marvel Comics, Monkeys Fighting Robots has an exclusive four-page preview for you!
About the issue: THE DARK MIRROR IS SHATTERED!
Peter Parker declared he would be Spider-Man no more! But then who is running around in his suit, doling out lethal justice?! It’s all connected as Erik Larsen and Andrea Broccardo tie up their epic shadow-soaked saga!
The issue is by writer Erik Larsen and artist Andrea Broccardo, with colors by Rachelle Rosenberg, and letters by Joe Sabinno. The main cover is by Simone Di Meo.
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The acclaimed creators behind Lost Fantasy and Indigo Children launch a hyperviolent fever dream about revenge with iconic covers by Jae Lee
Curt Pires, the comics trailblazer behind Galactic, Lost Fantasy, and countless other celebrarted works has announced the Kickstarter campaign for The Objectivist, a 140-page original graphic novel with art from acclaimed artists Alex Diotto (Lost Fantasy, Indigo Children) and Luca Casalanguida (Lost Fantasy), colors from Mark Dale, and lettering from Micah Myers.The project features haunting covers by Eisner Award-winning artist Jae Lee. With a campaign set to launch on March 17, 2026, this boundary-breaking graphic novel deconstructs superhero adoration, vigilantism, and the terrifying rise of subjective truth.
The Objectivist follows an isolated vigilante whose grip on sanity unravels as he mounts a one-man war against corruption. His journey quickly spirals into moral freefall when the foundations of truth that have fueled his blood-splattered crusade begin to crumble. The resulting narrative sucker punch weaves thematic and visual threads ranging from The Question, Sin City, and Batman: Year One to Steve Ditko’s Mr. A.
“This is a comic that had to be made without compromise. No committees, no corporate filtering,” explains co-creator and writer Curt Pires. “This is both an embrace of the shadow-drenched noir I was raised on and an autopsy of the social conclusions those books subtly endorsed. Something this unsanitized could only happen on Kickstarter.”
Fans can sign up for The Objectivist’s mailing list to receive updates when the project will launch. The graphic novel will be released in a physical hardcover as well as digitally on the digital comics and manga hub, Neon Ichiban, with detailed reward tiers to be announced closer to the Kickstarter launch.
ALL-NEW SPIDER-GWEN: THE GHOST-SPIDER #7 hits your local comic book store on February 4th, but thanks to Marvel Comics, Monkeys Fighting Robots has an exclusive four-page preview for you!
About the issue: UNFRIENDLY COMPETITION?
Gwen’s new band competes in a Battle of the Bands! But things get more dangerous than they bargained for when someone unexpected takes the stage by storm. Will Gwen and her band survive?!
The issue is by writer Stephanie Phillips and artist Paolo Villanelli, with colors by Matt Milla, and letters by Ariana Maher. The main cover is by David Marquez and Federico Blee.
Check out our ALL-NEW SPIDER-GWEN: THE GHOST-SPIDER #7 preview below:
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GODZILLA: INFINITY ROAR #1 hits your local comic book store on February 4th, but thanks to Marvel Comics, Monkeys Fighting Robots has an exclusive four-page preview for you!
About the issue: EARTH’S MIGHTIEST HEROES UNLEASH THE GALAXY’S DEADLIEST THREAT AS GODZILLA RAMPAGES ACROSS THE COSMOS!
The combined forces of Earth’s mightiest heroes managed to spare Earth by exiling Godzilla off into space…but in doing so may have just heralded the end of the larger galaxy! As Knull, the god of the symbiotes fans the flames of Godzilla’s anger, a new campaign for galactic conquest begins with the King of the Monsters and the King in Black at the helm! Will the cosmos be able to band together to stop the two juggernauts, or will a new era of death and destruction descend upon the cosmos? One things for sure, from the Galactic Empire of Wakanda, Shi’ar Empires, Kree-Skrull space and beyond, no planet will be safe as Godzilla destroys the Marvel galaxy!
The issue is by writer Gerry Duggan and artists Javier Garrón & Ig Guara, with colors by Jesus Aburtov, and letters by Travis Lanham. The main cover is by Ken Lashley and Juan Fernandez.
Check out our GODZILLA: INFINITY ROAR #1 preview below:
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Comics industry legend Stephen R. Bissette, the artist behind Alan Moore’s landmark run on Swamp Thing, and co-creator of John Constantine, brings a long lost comic series back from the prehistoric era.
Tyrant is a 4-issue mini-series created by Bisette and originally released back in the min 1990’s. The series follows a tyrannosaurus rex as it fights to survive in the Cretaceous period. Now, he is re-releasing the series as a hardcover edition with a ton of extra material.
This Kickstarter edition will consist of two versions:
Stephen R. Bissette’s TYRANT: The Original Art Edition—an oversized hardcover with 100-plus pages
Stephen R. Bissette’s TYRANT: The Complete Edition—hardcover with a slipcase and over 200-plus pages
These hardcovers will also include all of the backmatter from the original 4-issue run as well as additional illustrations from Rick Veitch, Jim Rugg (also designing the book), paleontologist Dr. Michael Ryan and tons of art that has never been collected.
Be sure to head over to the Kickstarter page to be ready when this project launches next month!
Absolute Batman #16 is the first issue in the series to feature another character from the wider Absolute Universe. This team takes a crack at Absolute Wonder Woman, with Scott Snyder and Nick Dragotta co-writing, and the latter continuing on the art for the series. Frank Martin colors the issue with letterer Clayton Cowles returning as well. The team wonderfully adapts Diana’s world in their own fashion, cleverly integrating Bruce into it while progressing his own story. It’s a tough and unlikely crossover, but one that this team really nails.
The issue starts with Bruce returning to work in the aftermath of Bane’s attack on the city. His boss, Mr. Fox, recommends that he takes the weekend to have fun and live a little. After that, Bruce visits his transformed friends in the hospital. Oz and Harvey want nothing to do with him. He leaves and suits up, drifting away on his motorcycle. He uses the amulet Wonder Woman had given him in the last issue of her book to summon her, and asks her to help him find a way to reverse what Bane had done to his friends.
Bruce Wayne returns to work.
WRITING
Snyder and Dragotta are both credited as writers on this one. Seeing Dragotta get more involved is really interesting, especially regarding this issue. It’s the second part of the Absolute Universe’s first crossover, and the two writers tie it up really nicely. They play around with Bruce and Diana’s dynamic here, and it’s very fun. They don’t have the pressure of introducing the two to each other, so they really just work to further their relationship. The characters just try to understand each other and their worlds better. Snyder and Dragotta write Diana trying to understand Bruce’s more “normal” life, while they have Bruce reaching out and opening his mind, desperate, for something that might his friends. There’s this special moment where the two encounter a cyclops. Bruce immediately assumes the creature will try to kill him. Diana says he won’t, and is confused at Bruce for even thinking he would. It encapsulates the two characters and their relationship perfectly. She’s always at the ready, and his heart is open.
The two put together a really powerful chunk where Bruce has a dream of his father. He’s a child in the Batman cowl and his father is with him. They both stand on this big origami structure. His father tells him to build Gotham up carefully. This is really an issue focused on Bruce’s path forward, and that’s given to him both by Diana and his father. Snyder and Dragotta create an emotional story of understanding and rebuilding, and they really stick the landing on it.
Bruce visits his friends in the hospital.
ART
Dragotta enters a new realm here as he accompanies Bruce and Diana into the underworld. He takes a break from his usual gorgeous cityscapes to visualize a beautiful but barren hell. His backgrounds are really special here. There are giant skulls and ribcages decorating the ground with scattered Greek architecture following Batman and Wonder Woman on their journey. Dragotta really excels with his character design here. In the aforementioned page with the cyclops, Dragotta makes him look large and intimidating with a giant club in his hands. When he turns his face to face us though, he looks kind and curious. It’s some of the best stuff of the issue. We follow Bruce’s perspective of Diana’s world, and we see the Cyclops as horrifying and menacing at first. But when we really look at it, like Bruce does, we see that there’s not really a big difference.
Bruce’s friends tell him to leave.
COLORS
Martin makes the passage of time in the underworld his focus in this one. His colors on the sky and how he makes it shift from night to day and vice versa are captivating and integral to keeping up with Batman and Wonder Woman’s journey here. A gorgeous looking moment to point out is one at night where Bruce and Diana are sitting by the campfire, discussing the plan for the next day. The blue night sky is cut off by the red and orange flame of their fire, illuminating and shadowing each of their faces. It sets the tone of the scene perfectly, Martin once again impressively and captivatingly displaying his understanding of the scene given to him.
Bruce rides his motorcycle.
LETTERS
Later in the issue, Batman and Wonder Woman go up against a centaur named Akrolis. When he appears, rather than giving him the normal text that Bruce and Diana usually have, Cowles gives him these rigid and Greek-esque style letters to really show his position in the underworld. It’s an interesting creative choice that pays off because it instantly makes him more menacing. He’s in his own realm fighting against the children of two worlds, and it makes it all the more intimidating for them. It’s a pretty cool split in the issue, and Cowles really nails the vibe of that confrontation through that.
CONCLUSION
Absolute Batman #16 is a story of understanding coming together in the face of overwhelming odds. Bruce is lost, and Diana does what she does and tries to assist him as best she can through that. While Bruce isn’t on anyone’s good side right now, this issue shows you that there’s hope despite that. Snyder, Dragotta, Martin, and Cowles give us a look at what it takes to rebuild what you feel is broken, and how to nurture yourself and the world around you back to the best versions of each.
From renowned concept artist Ben Mauro and publisher Read Only Memory comes Huxley and the recently released Huxley: The Oracle. These two stunning hardcovers are the first two releases in Mauro’s expanding science fiction universe, taking place in a used future after a great war against machines has taken place.
I recently got to sit down with Mauro to talk about his creative approach and his influences in taking this creative journey.
MFR: It’s plainly obvious that Huxley has been a project long in the making. Where exactly did this universe begin, and how have you changed your approach to its creation as time has passed?
MAURO: HUXLEY began with the original drawing of the yellow robot ‘Huxley’ back in 2014 or so, and slowly grew from there over the years. It started as that original drawing, and it got me thinking about who that character was, what world he lived in, what his story was, and who else would be with him in that world. A lot of this early writing and development happened with the intent of working on it full-time, but it turned out to be harder than I thought; another job always came up and delayed things. So I just decided to start on it and do both at the same time, finding an hour here, a few minutes there to chip away slowly on pages, and before long, I had 5 pages done, then 15, and so on. Some of the original style and drawings date back to college, and one of the small robots walking around in the original graphic novel was from around 2008. The style was there early on, but it didn’t come together until later when I drew Huxley. Early on, it was very design-driven, trying to see how all the characters would look and make sure it all felt cohesive. As the universe matured, I became more intentional about story arcs, character motivations, and long-term continuity. Now that I am diving into prequels and have more of a team with me, things have changed a lot. Planning the next few books for the first trilogy of stories and getting them out the door in the next few years takes up a lot of my time
right now.
MFR: The original Huxley story lives as a comic book-style graphic novel, while The Oracle is more of an illustrated story. What made you decide on the change in format?
MAURO: The format change was intentional, driven by the story’s needs and a desire to reach different audiences as the IP expands. The original HUXLEY graphic novel is much more of an Euro-style graphic novel, mixed with Japanese manga, in a way, something for fans of Metabarons, Heavy Metal, Moebius, Ghost in the Shell, Akira, and others.
The new prequel, HUXLEY: The Oracle, is much more of a serious war story set years before the original graphic novel, focusing on the character Max, earlier in his life as he joins the army. I wanted to dive deeper into the Ronin soldier culture, how humanity is born, trained, and lives in the backdrop of this machine empire led by the Oracles at the height of their power in the future. The artwork for this is much more like film or game production illustrations, and the new format is more in the vein of an illustrated story book, similar to ‘Simon Stalenhag’ style format. This book acts almost like ‘DUNE Part 1’. The next book will be sort of like ‘DUNE Part 2’ and conclude the larger narrative that began in Oracle. We just handed off the draft of this book to the publisher over Christmas, excited to see that one out the door. It’s going to be a pretty epic conclusion and connect to the start of the original graphic novel in a cool way.
MFR: It’s fitting that publisher Read Only Memory is best known for their large hardcover books breaking down technology in an artistic manner, as it seems to suit Huxley perfectly. How did your relationship with ROM develop, and how have they contributed to the vision you have for Huxley?
MAURO: My relationship with Read-Only Memory developed very organically. I was searching for the
right publisher for quite some time, talking to many companies and exploring even self-
publishing/manufacturing at one point. I had a friend, Liam Wong, whose amazing photography books ‘AFTER DARK’ (among others) were published by them, and I was really impressed by the quality and the distribution reach they had. I would see his book everywhere, and he helped connect me with their team. They understood HUXLEY immediately, not just as a story but its worldbuilding and long-term scope, which I was creating. Their background in creating books that treat technology, games, and culture with respect and depth aligned perfectly with what I wanted HUXLEY to be.
ROM and Thames & Hudson have been instrumental in raising the project’s standards,
especially in terms of physical quality, presentation, and distribution, ensuring that books reach bookstores worldwide. They treat the books as something special and important. That mindset has influenced how I think about HUXLEY overall, as something meant to last, to be revisited, and to feel substantial in your hands that you will hopefully enjoy for many years to come on your shelves and in your book collections.
MFR: For those who don’t know, you’ve worked on films such as Neil Blomkamp’s Elysium and Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit trilogy, as well as on video game franchises like Call of Duty and Halo. Were there any lessons or ideas you gained from working on these other projects and how have they contributed to your approach to Huxley?
MAURO: I think it helped me understand the scale and scope of something like a AAA movie or game and just how long it takes. When you are starting out, it can be a little hard to understand, but after going through a movie like ELYSIUM from start to finish over nearly 4 years, it really helped me pace myself, understand the different phases of production, and just have a lot of patience to complete something. How to take an idea from a couple of words on a page, to a script, to ground up worldbuilding for a completely new IP, illustrate all the story moments, have everything get built practically to go on set, vfx production, and see the final film in the theatre…
it’s quite an experience.
With HUXLEY, I apply the same discipline to my own world and story. After spending years
working on other people’s films and adapting other works, when it came time to adapt my story for trailers and cinematic content, it was much more straightforward. On a deeper level, I think all those early experiences just gave me the confidence to do this for myself. I really wanted to see how the best people in the world made films, games, and told stories before I felt comfortable doing it for myself.
MFR: What are some of the biggest influences that have contributed to your work on Huxley?
MAURO: HUXLEY is influenced by a mix of classic science fiction, history, and real-world technological advancements. There is a lot of influence from Euro artists and graphic novelists like Moebius, Juan Giménez, and Japanese manga and anime artists like Katsuhiro Otomo, Masamune Shiro, and Hayao Miyazaki, mixed together with American action and sci-fi films. Writers and filmmakers like James Cameron were early inspirations, especially in how they treat worldbuilding as something lived-in rather than explained. Aside from that, a huge influence on Huxley is my life experiences, going into the characters and stories. There’s a lot of myself in the different characters, good and bad. A lot of the moments in the books are drawn from my life experiences, where possible, to tell a more personal story.
MFR: Huxley is clearly an ongoing project spanning multiple mediums, now including a traditional graphic novel, an illustrated book, and even short (and incredibly well-animated) videos. Do you plan on returning to the print medium with this universe next, or are you looking at other storytelling mediums for your next chapter?
MAURO: Print will always be a core pillar of HUXLEY. There are stories that simply work best on the page, and the physical books are an important part of the universe’s identity as it shows up in bookstores worldwide. The next book in the series will conclude the larger Oracle story and was handed off to the publisher over the holidays. I am excited to see when that heads out into the world. The next book is the final story in the first HUXLEY trilogy, another prequel set even earlier, when Max and some of the other Ronin are teenagers. More of a YA-type story that I think people will enjoy, helping show humanity’s full life cycle in this universe: how they are born into the world, the trials and hardships they must go through to survive, before they are able to join the army and become Ronin in Machine City. I am still figuring out whether this last story will follow a similar narrative format to Oracle or something new.
The short animated pieces have been a great way to prove out how the IP looks in film and
game form, and to show how it can be adapted, which has been very cool to see audiences’
responses to over the years. I am very interested in continuing to expand HUXLEY across other media and franchise pillars. I am also interested in a more traditional novel for sci-fi fans who prefer classic storytelling, along with a new storyline that fits more with a traditional Japanese Manga series format.
From the creators of the Materials universe writer Doug Wagner and Daniel Hillyard comes yest another entry in their world of quirky serial killers, but this time with a twist in Narco #1. Featuring Dave Stewart on colors and lettering from Ed Dukeshire, this opening issue offers a unique take on Wagner and Hillyard’s usual murderous fare – but sparing none of the gruesome charm we’re used to from their work. With a fun yet intense script and vivid visual work, Narco is another must-read for fans of the Materials universe and of the slasher genre as a whole.
“Marcus Wesphal blacks out from the slightest surge of excitement—a narcoleptic curse that’s kept him quiet, calm, and locked away at home. But when he witnesses the girl next door’s murder and collapses, he wakes to find himself the prime suspect. Now Marcus has one chance to clear his name: outrun his failing body, reconstruct the moments he lost, and hunt a killer before he blacks out again… possibly for good.”
Writing & Plot
Doug Wagner has a gift for crafting darkly comedic and weirdly fun scripts for the Materials universe, and he continues that trend with his writing on Narco #1. However, unlike most of the other Materials stories – consisting of Plastic and its prequel Plastic: Death & Dolls, Vinyl, Plush, and I Was A Fashion School Serial Killer – Narco’s protagonist is not a serial killer. Rather, he just hosts a blog harassing conspiracy theorists who obsess over serial killers. He also, in a great choice of character hook, tends to pass out when he gets overly excited. That latter detail is the narrative beat that really makes this comic pop, as it adds both a unique character ripple to Marcus and it racks the tension up to eleven. Wagner’s core character writing here is tight and naturalistic, with solid dialogue and overhead narration that never feels too heavy. This is a breezy script where the tense moments hit especially hard considering how casual the rest of the book feels. The final pages of the book have a perfect slasher movie-feel to them, with one of the best cliffhangers in an opening I’ve read in some time. Wagner has penned one of his most memorable issues with this opening chapter of Narco.
Art Direction
The most alluring aspect of the Materials universe outside of the delightful darkness of the storytelling has always been Danial Hillyard’s phenomenal visual work. This trend continues in the pages of Narco #1. Hillyard’s character animation is some of the best in the business. Every person in every panel feels so alive and is given so much personality through facial detail and body language, which can make whatever happens to them that much more tragic – or hilarious. Hillyard’s sequential direction is just as solid, as his choices in panels and how to frame each moment makes each scene in this book memorable. Each tiny detail is captured and feels important, and every interaction feels genuine and special – which again, can make the serial killer elements feel that much more urgent. Dave Stewart’s color art work’s perfectly for the comic, with his sort of flat palette bathing every panel is a sense of inescapable eeriness. The darkness of a park plate at night and the unsettling glow of apartment lighting make up much of this comic, making the reading experience feel that much more like a horror film. The lettering from Ed Dukeshire is dynamic and fits in with the book’s art direction well, especially his blood-curdling SFX work. Due to the relative calm (yet tense) tone of most of the comic, Dukeshire’s blood-red SFX letters work almost like a jump scare. Overall, Narco is another visually excellent addition to the Materials universe.
Verdict
Narco #1 is another great chapter in the Materials universe and to slasher comics as a whole. Doug Wagner’s script is a blast to read, offering a unique take on his own usual brand of comedic horror with stellar character work and one hell of a cliffhanger. The visual work from Daniel Hillyard and Dave Stewart is brilliantly detailed and animated, making for a reading experience that nails the feel of this comic and the Materials comics as a whole. Be sure to preorder this opening chapter before FOC on February 9th, then get ready for when it hits shelves on March 4th!
PUNISHER: RED BAND #5 hits your local comic book store on January 28th, but thanks to Marvel Comics, Monkeys Fighting Robots has an exclusive three-page preview for you!
About the issue: Frank Castle’s return to the Marvel Universe is cemented at last, as virtuosos of violence BENJAMIN PERCY and JULIUS OHTA’s symphony of slaughter reaches its killer crescendo!
HOW WAS FRANK PLUCKED FROM WEIRDWORLD?! WHY?! AND WHAT TWISTS AND TURNS ARE YET TO COME IN THIS SENSES-SHATTERING STORY?!
The issue is by writer Benjamin Percy and artist Julius Ohta, with colors by Yen Nitro, and letters by Cory Petit. The main cover is by Marco Checchetto and Matthew Wilson.
Check out our PUNISHER: RED BAND #5 preview below:
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