Review – Absolute Superman #8: Showdown in Smallville
Absolute Superman #8 cover, via DC Comics
Ray: For the last few issues, we've been teased about what happened in Smallville. One emotional issue showed us the few weeks Kal-El spent in the small town, being found by Jonathan and Martha Kent when he was a teenager. You could see that they would have shown him the same love they did if they found him as a baby – but then Lazarus Corp came, hunting him, and Kal was forced to flee. And all these years later, that's still the only place he ever felt safe. But this isn't the Smallville he left. The town has been fully taken over by the shadowy corporation, turning the farmers into modern serfs. Jonathan Kent is long gone, and Martha Kent languishes in a memory care center. Kal tries to visit, but she doesn't recognize him. And so he prowls the streets of Smallville – along with Lois Lane, and Omega Man Jimmy Olsen. Put to the test. Via DC Comics.
The three main players have been in opposition from the start, with Lois not sure she can fully turn her back on her father's army yet and Jimmy not trusting anyone associated with them. And Superman, of course, stuck in the middle. But now, the Peacemakers are about to enter the fray, led by the mad and cybernetically-enhanced Agent Smith, turned into a raging monster. The action in this issue is intense, but as usual with the Absolute Universe, there's a great emotional underpinning to every issue. And then there's the main villain, Ra's Al Ghul. Whether he's the true big bad of this series or Brainiac is, it's hard to tell. But after last issue's spotlight for Brainiac, what we see of Ra's here is no less terrifying. Here more a mad warlord than the utopian we often see him as, he's further gone – and plays a key role in introducing Kryptonite to the world of Superman, raising the stakes even higher.
To find reviews of all the DC issues, visit DC This Week.
GeekDad received this comic for review purposes. Liked it? Take a second to support GeekDad and GeekMom on Patreon!
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Geek Dad
13-06-2025
- Geek Dad
State of the Game: ‘Marvel: Crisis Protocol'
I've made no bones about the fact that I'm a big Marvel fan. From growing up with Marvel Comics in the 80's, to enjoying the X-Men Animated series in the 90's, to the MCU, you can always 'Make Mine Marvel.' So it's no surprise that one of my earliest reviews at GeekDad was my review of the then-new Marvel: Crisis Protocol miniatures skirmish game from Atomic Mass Games. Fellow contributor Robin Brooks also chronicled his first game with MCP here on GeekDad in 2022. Since that first review, Atomic Mass Games has been going strong with releases for Marvel: Crisis Protocol . Thanks to our friends at Atomic Mass Games, I recently received a few of the newer kits to share with our readers. What Is Marvel: Crisis Protocol ? Marvel: Crisis Protocol is a miniatures skirmish game for 2 players, ages 14 and up, and takes about 90-120 minutes to play. The easiest way to get into the game is with the current starter box, Marvel: Crisis Protocol – Earth's Mightiest CORE Set. This box retails for $119.99, and is available on Amazon or at various games stores. It basically is a completely reworked version of the original core box, containing new miniatures and terrain, and different versions of the same characters from the core set. If you still want the original core set, that is still available and retails for $99.99. As with the Earth's Mightiest CORE Set, the original core set is available on Amazon and at your local games stores. Even though both core sets contain rulebooks, the rules are also available online, and are periodically updated when changes are made to the game. Everything Atomic Mass Games sent over. Image by Paul Benson. Catching Up With Marvel: Crisis Protocol Atomic Mass Games sent over a variety of character packs to take a look at, as well as a piece of terrain. I assembled all of the kits, though didn't have time to paint them (AMG also sent along a big box of Star Wars: Shatterpoint squad packs, which I'll be covering in future articles). The Inhuman Royal Court box. Image by Paul Benson. Inhuman Royal Court Character Pack While most Character Packs in Marvel: Crisis Protocol tend to contain one or two characters, as the game has matured, some older characters are getting repackaged into larger boxes containing 4 characters of the same affiliation. In this case, these 4 figures are all part of the Inhumans affiliation. (Characters that share an affiliation will often get bonus abilities when they team up together). Here's a look at everything inside the box: Everything in the Inhumans Royal Court box. Image by Paul Benson. Here's a look at the 'healthy' side of the Stat Cards. As you can see, Maximus has a leadership ability, 'Call Me Maximus the Magnificent', which can only be used if other characters in his squad share his affiliation. As all of the characters in this box have the 'Inhumans' affiliation, he's good to go! A look at the Inhumans' various stats and abilities. Image by Paul Benson. Like all MCP Stat cards, when a character takes a certain amount of damage, they become injured and you flip their card to the 'injured' side. The characters then become stronger, but if they take too much damage, they'll be knocked out and removed from the game. The 'injured' side of the Inhumans stat cards. Image by Paul Benson. The Character Pack also comes with 6 Team Tactics cards, which are one-shot abilities chosen when you build your roster for a game. There are 4 affiliated cards, and 2 unaffiliated. The included Team Tactics cards. Image by Paul Benson. Here are the assembled miniatures, as well as painted versions courtesy of Atomic Mass Games: This slideshow requires JavaScript. The Inhuman Royal Court Character Pack retails for $49.99, and is available on Amazon or from your favorite games store. The Immortal Hulk Character Pack Yes, Marvel: Crisis Protocol already had a Hulk, but the Immortal Hulk is meaner, and greener. The Immortal Hulk box. Image by Paul Benson. Here's everything that comes in the Character Pack: Immortal Hulk box contents. Image by Paul Benson. The Immortal Hulk is not simply a new sculpt for the Hulk, but he actually has different abilities and stats. Here is the original Hulk's Stat card: The OG Hulk from 2019. Image by Atomic Mass Games. And here is the Immortal Hulk's card: Immortal Hulk smash! Image by Atomic Mass Games. As you can see, there are many differences between the two characters. For your games, you could choose to have both Hulks in your 10-character roster, but when you build your squad, you can only use one of them. The Immortal Hulk Character Pack also comes with 2 Team Tactics cards, both unaffiliated: Immortal Hulk's Team Tactics cards. Image by Paul Benson. Here's the completed miniature: The assembled Immortal Hulk. Image by Paul Benson. And here's what he might look like painted up: A professionally painted Immortal Hulk. Image by Atomic Mass Games. The Immortal Hulk Character Pack retails for $39.99, and is available on Amazon or at your favorite games store. Mephisto Character Pack One of Marvel's more powerful villains is the demonic Mephisto. The Mephisto Character Pack. Image by Paul Benson. Here's everything that comes in the box: Mephisto Character Pack contents. Image by Paul Benson. Like many of the newer releases, Mephisto comes with Stat cards and Team Tactics cards in multiple languages. This simplifies production as Atomic Mass Games can use just one sku for multiple countries. Mi nombre es Mefisto. Image by Paul Benson. Mephisto comes with 4 unaffiliated Team Tactics cards: Mephisto's Team Tactics cards. Image by Paul Benson. Here's a look at the assembled miniature: Mephisto, assembled. Image by Paul Benson. And here's what a professionally painted version looks like: Painted Mephisto. Image by Atomic Mass Games. The Mephisto Character Pack retails for $34.99, and is available on Amazon or at your favorite games store. Gwenom & Scarlet Spider Character Pack This character pack has 2 members of the Web Warriors affiliation, the Venom symbiote infused Gwenom, and the Peter Parker clone Scarlet Spider. The Gwenom & Scarlet Spider box. Image by Paul Benson. Here's everything that comes in the box: Contents of the Gwenom box. Image by Paul Benson. Here are the Stat cards: Scarlet Spider and Gwenom Stat cards. Image by Paul Benson. And here are the Team Tactics cards. There are two affiliated cards, and one unaffiliated. The 3 Team Tactics cards included with Gwenom & Scarlet Spider. Image by Paul Benson. Here are the assembled miniatures, as well as a look at Atomic Mass Games' painted versions: This slideshow requires JavaScript. The Gwenom & Scarlet Spider Character Pack retails for $39.99, and is available on Amazon or at your favorite games store. Tomb of Dracula Terrain Pack Finally, Atomic Mass Games sent me a beautiful terrain piece. Terrain in any miniatures game is important, but in Marvel: Crisis Protocol, it is doubly so as characters can interact with buildings in various ways, including, if they're strong enough, tossing them at other characters! The large box for the Tomb of Dracula. Image by Paul Benson. As this is a terrain piece, the box consists primarily of sprues: All the parts needed to assemble the Tomb of Dracula. Image by Paul Benson. The one other addition to the box is two One-Shot cards. These can be used optionally in a game to add flavor to the match. The Tomb of Dracula One-Shot cards. Image by Paul Benson. Here's a look at some of the assembly of the Tomb of Dracula: This slideshow requires JavaScript. And here is the completed model: The assembled Tomb of Dracula. Image by Paul Benson. And of course, so you can see what it can look like painted, here's a professionally painted Tomb: A painted Tomb of Dracula. Image by Atomic Mass Games. The Tomb of Dracula Terrain Pack retails for $119.99, and is available on Amazon or from your favorite games store. Marvel: Crisis Protocol – State of the Game A picture is worth a thousand words, and I think you can tell from the photos in this article just how detailed and dynamic the miniatures and terrain are. While the models looked great in the original core box, the sculptors have definitely stepped up their game since then. This is especially evident when you compare the sculpts from the newer Earth's Mightiest CORE set to the original core set, as both sets have different versions of the same characters. Assembly of the models is quite easy, with minimal mold line cleanup, and no fussy little bits to fumble with as with the original Baron Zemo model. Just looking at the models makes me want to get a game together, and examining each character's abilities definitely makes the gamer in me want to take them for a test drive. Part of the fun of a game like this is in building your roster, and figuring out which characters will work best with each other. And can we talk about the Tomb of Dracula? That terrain piece is stunning. My only regret is that Atomic Mass Games didn't send along the Monsters Unleashed Character Pack to go with it, but they had a very good reason: that item is so popular right now, that it's currently sold out! The Monsters Unleashed Character Pack figures. Image by Atomic Mass Games. Overall, I think things are very bright for Marvel: Crisis Protocol moving forward. There's still a deep well of untapped characters from Marvel Comics, and Atomic Mass Games has a planned a steady release of them. At this year's Adepticon convention, they announced several products that extend well into 2026, including some new Starter Packs that will each have an entire 10-character affiliation roster included right in one box. In the immediate future, I'm really looking forward to dynamic releases like the Phoenix & Phoenix Unleashed Character Pack. If you've never played Marvel: Crisis Protocol, or used to play and put it on hold, this is a great time to get into the game. For more information on Marvel: Crisis Protocol, visit the Atomic Mass Games website. Click here to see all our tabletop game reviews. To subscribe to GeekDad's tabletop gaming coverage, please copy this link and add it to your RSS reader. Disclosure: GeekDad received a copy of this game for review purposes. Liked it? Take a second to support GeekDad and GeekMom on Patreon!
Geek Dad
11-06-2025
- Geek Dad
Review – Batman and Robin #22: Sympathy for the Demon
Batman and Robin #22 cover, via DC Comics. Ray: The mystery of Memento has been lurking around the fringes of this title since the first issue of this run, but we might finally know the identity of the killer – Atticus Blye, the elderly mentor of Bruce and Detective Lautrec back in France. He was accused of the killings back then and died in prison – so how is he still standing in front of Damian Wayne, dead-eyed as he keeps the boy locked up? It's been clear since the start that the villain was not a natural serial killer, but this issue reveals fully that he is in fact a supernatural being. Batman and Lautrec investigate the killer's history – and discover that there were other killers carried out by completely different people, each claiming that a supernatural force made them do it and targeted those they love until they cooperated. And when dealing with the supernatural, Batman is forced to bring in an unlikely ally – Jason Blood. Dead and buried. Via DC Comics. It's always fun when Batman is forced to deal with magic, because he's perpetually annoyed by it. But there's something deeper going on here – a threat that Batman truly doesn't understand, with his son's life at stake. Etrigan, summoned through Jason Blood, lets us in on a truly eerie tale of occultist brothers well over a century ago who tapped into something they shouldn't have and may have unleashed an ancient evil. But this issue also introduces some other interesting elements – including the return of the Gotham City Irregulars, a band of young delinquents who were cut a break by Batman years ago and help him out on occasion now. Their investigation takes them into the strangest parts of Gotham left behind by No Man's Land, right into a deadly encounter. This series has a great central mystery, and a lot of intriguing subplots that are likely leading to a powerful conclusion only months from now. To find reviews of all the DC issues, visit DC This Week. GeekDad received this comic for review purposes. Liked it? Take a second to support GeekDad and GeekMom on Patreon!
Geek Dad
11-06-2025
- Geek Dad
Review – Absolute Batman #9: Terror in Ark M
Absolute Batman #9 cover, via DC Comics. Ray: It never fails to amaze me just how impressive the Absolute books are, packing a level of tension very rarely seen in mainstream comics. That continues this issue, with a brilliant segment where two Emirs, the leaders of Bialya and Khandaq, put aside their long-standing enmity and cut a peace deal that will change the world – only to open the door and discover an absolutely horrific Bane waiting for them, ensuring that the peace deal fails and one not only keeps the status quo, but escalates it because it'll benefit his masters. Bane's always been a massive threat to Batman, but it's been a very long time since he had this level of menace. And back in Gotham, Bruce is focused on a much more pressing issue – his friend Waylon Jones has gone missing, with the man seemingly disappearing off the face of the world. And all indications are that he's been taken deep below – to the mysterious facility known as Ark M. The fixer. Via DC Comics. Bruce now has a much bigger support network, including Alfred and Bruce's old friends like Ozzy, Eddie, and Harvey. Their first planning mission doesn't particularly go well, but Bruce gets what he needs to set out. Similar to Superman and the Kents in Absolute Superman, there are hints of the relationship Bruce and Alfred could have had in another world, but a distance between them. Scott Snyder's worldbuilding is incredibly strong, but it wouldn't be what it is without the stunning artwork of Nick Dragotta. His Bane design is horrific, and the depiction of what the real Ark M looks like is incredibly menacing. It all comes together into one of the best Bat-books I've read in a long time – maybe since Scott Snyder's last run on this title. There are so many other great beats, including Martha Wayne and the former Mayor Gordon, and a flashback to Bruce's relationship with Selina. I'm hoping Snyder has a very long time planned on this title. To find reviews of all the DC issues, visit DC This Week. GeekDad received this comic for review purposes. Liked it? Take a second to support GeekDad and GeekMom on Patreon!
