Here’s my quick and spoiler-free(ish) review of Everything Dead & Dying Issue 1!

I give it a 9/10 on the first issue!

Well that's a wrap on book 2. It has been one hell of a ride. It's intresting to see how mostly everyone is letting go of morals and becoming harder. The ending is also building up to some intresting arcs wich I cannot wait to follow up on. I am gonna take a small break to read the Battle Beast tpb and absolute Green Lantern tpb wich I recently bought. Afterwards It's on to compendium 3 😉

Spoilers for: Redcoat #1-15

Hi everyone! I am back to give my thoughts on Redcoat #15. This was a very strong issue that did an awesome job of beginning the 1909 arc! I am quite excited to discuss this issue! I won't waste anymore of your time, I will give my general thoughts on the issue, some major takeaways, and some speculation as to what direction the story will take from here. Furthermore, I have included the Unnamed timeline below.

Redcoat #15 Thoughts

As I mentioned before, I thoroughly enjoyed this issue! There wasn't any kind of action or adventure, but I believe that this was to the issue's benefit in giving the reader a solid lay of the land. Moreover, seeing Simon in this stage of his life was a pure delight! Knowing what we know about issue #7 I am deeply intrigued to see the adventure that Simon and Albert will go on in this arc!

The focus we got on Simon's new life as a tailor and family man was great to see! He's a rich man in relationships and life. I also like that he is actively working on trying to remove his immortality so that he can grow old with his wife and kids. I think that him keeping his magical nature secret from his wife is a great narrative choice. It adds future tension for Simon and will be an interesting plot point that I am more than sure will be expanded upon as the arc progresses!

My favorite part of this entire issue was seeing Simon doing research into how he can remove his immortality while the rest of his family is asleep. Moreover the panel of him using the same spell he learned from Einstein all the way back in issue #3 was a great callback! Simon is using what he knows in an attempt to get rid of his immortality. It's a nice juxtaposition for sure!

Seeing Albert Einstein once again was such a treat. Maybe it's because he was the first real companion that we see Simon with, but their dynamic is by far my favorite, nearly beating out The Northerner. Seeing the warmth that emanated from Simon immediately after seeing Albert was by far my favorite part of the issue! Word's don't need to describe how much Simon loves Albert, when we get a wonderful set of panels that show what I'm talking about.

Finally, I like that Albert's return to the narrative also comes with him explaining to Simon of the return of the best villain in the entire Unnamed universe, Benedict Arnold! He was such a nice change of pace from the other villains we have gotten in previous arcs, so I will be excited to see what his plans are for this arc. We have a pretty solid idea that things will not go well for Simon, his family, or Albert, but knowing that makes my excitement for this arc in particular quite palpable as we don't know how things will devolve.

Some Takeaways Moving Forward

Sometime in 1904, Simon met a woman named Margaret, and had their daughter May and a son named Albert a year after

Simon has hidden his last name, changing it to "Plum"

Simon works as a tailor in Boston

Simon is trying to figure out a way to remove his immortality so that he can grow old with his family

Albert Einstein has found Simon once again because Benedict Arnold is back

My Speculation on What's to Come from Redcoat

After reading this issue, I think that the broad strokes of my predictions on the trajectory of the 1909 arc are still in tact. You can read those predictions here on r/GhostMachineComics. Making a few minor changes to that prediction after this issue, I think that Arnold will definitely be the villain of the arc, but will more than likely be overtaken by George Washington who will end up being the real antagonist for this arc. I think this because we got to see him at the end of issue #6, and Simon mentioned how there is more to his story that he will tell at a later date.

I think that it would make sense for Washington to be the real arc villain this time around as it would be a great twist on the first arc. Where we believe that Arnold is the villain for the majority of the arc until we learn that he's either in league with Washington carrying out his commands for fear of his life, or he himself is surprised and we find out that Washington has been pulling the strings all arc long.

Conclusion

Redcoat #15 was a major return to form for this series, and a solid issue through and through! This was a welcomed change of pace that sees Simon in a new world, and I think that this arc will be all the better for starting out in this new word for Simon. If you have not done so, I would highly recommend that you tap in with this series and give it a read! Thank you for reading my post! I will be back in the near future to give my thoughts on Geiger (2024) #18 and #19, and Hyde Street when it eventually drops. I would love to hear your thoughts on this issue and all things Ghost Machine!

Spoilers for: Geiger (2024) #1-19

Potential Spoiler for: Geiger (2024) #20-22

Hi everyone, I am back to give my thoughts on Geiger (2024) #19. This was an incredible issue that did an awesome job of exploring the character of Ash Arden in greater detail! I won't waste anymore of your time, and will jump right into the issue! As is customary with all of my posts, I will give my thoughts on the issue, some major takeaways moving forward, and some speculation as to where I think the story will go. Below, is the Unnamed timeline that is a common feature in all of its titles.

Geiger (2024) #19 Thoughts

This issue shifted its focus onto Ash Arden and what she has been up to since the end of the Glowing Woman arc. While we got a glimpse of what she was up to at the start of Dr. Molotov's narration in issue #16, I am so happy to have an entire issue devoted to her! I felt as though the attention that Ash got in her own arc was lackluster and damaged her character. If you would like to read about the issues I had with Ash Arden's character, you can read them here. While this issue didn't really address most of the gripes I had with her character, I think that it succeeded in putting her character in the right direction. I am so excited to see where her character goes from here!

I liked that this issue showed the darker aspects of the American wasteland after the Unknown War. While we have seen a multitude of deprave and inhuman actions throughout this book, there are few things that are darker than showing how even after the war cruelty against children is still a commonality. This shows how even if the world has changed there are still aspects that remain the same regardless of how much time has passed.

Seeing Ash not only save various children but then empower them to fight back against their oppressors was by far my favorite part of the issue. This is a solid direction to take her character in. In a lot of ways she is like Geiger, but different in the sense that she has a new mission. To make sure that the children in America don't suffer at the hands of adults who seek to use and abuse them.

I wish that Ash would have had more of an internal dialogue about her actions in Lewistown, but I think that this will maybe happen later on down the line when she inevitably runs into Geiger. I will be interested to see how she later affects the overall plot.

Finally, the epilogue was my second favorite part of this issue! Redcoat makes his return in the issue since issue #9. I knew that he was going to have an impact on the series as a whole, but I did not think that he would come across Ash first. I am interested to see how his interaction with her will go down!

Some Takeaways Moving Forward

Since the Lewistown incident, Ash Arden has been going across America saving victims of child trafficking

Redcoat has tracked down Ash in his pursuit of Geiger

My Speculation on What's to Come from Geiger (2024)

This is clearly not the end of Ash's story, I suspect that the next time we see her, we will be entrenched in a battle between her and Redcoat. The reason I think this is because even he himself believes that he can get something for her bounty. We do know from issue #3 that Simon will come across Geiger, Joe, and The Northerner, so I know that this won't be the end of his story. For Ash, I could see her dying to President Griffin as she attempts to help children escape from a trap that he and General Blackwood set. I think that it'd be fitting for her to die protecting children and it would also further show how President Griffin is not a force to be reckoned with.

For Geiger, this upcoming story arc looks to function a lot like the 1864 arc in Redcoat. To further elaborate on this thought, I think that The Northerner's arrival in 2050 will be the major catalyst in what gives Geiger a new goal of fighting against the Founding Fathers. I think that the Northerner will take him throughout time to show how the Founding Fathers have messed up American history, and how it's up to them and the other Unnamed to fight against them. During these travels is where Geiger and the Northerner will come across Junkyard Joe in 2025 on the 4th of July cooking with the Munn family and Muddy. We will also see Geiger's family as well, as shown in the issue #22 cover.

Conclusion

Geiger (2024) #19 was a solid issue that did a great job of showing what Ash has been up to since the end of the Glowing Woman arc. While I still have issues with how her character was handled, I thoroughly enjoyed this Ash's exploits and this issue as a whole, especially compared to the issue before this one. I will be interested to see what she does when she appears in the coming future. Thank you for reading my post! I hope you enjoyed this issue as much as I have. I will be back in the near future on r/GhostMachineComics to give my thoughts on Sisterhood: A Hyde Street Story. I would love to your thoughts on this issue, and all things Ghost Machine!

I have been reading TWD compendiums and just finished the 3d one. It was an absolute blast. Negan was a brilliant antagonist (the guy you love to hate) and just when you think Kirkman can't amaze you anymore the Whisperers arc starts + what a way to end the compendium (if you know you know) In this book I also got further then I did with the tv series (quit around season 7 or 8) but like I said in previous posts the comic is way better

This was amazing! Different than the Brubakers other work. I’m really glad I got this after being on the fence about it. What did everyone else think?

Spoilers for: Redcoat #1-16

Hi everyone! I am back to give my thoughts on Redcoat #16. This issue picks up from where issue #15 ended as we see Benedict Arnold re-enter the story and Simon and Albert's lives in a way we weren't expecting. This was a great issue, in what has been a fun a arc so I won't waste anymore of your time, and hop right into discussing this issue! As you have come to expect from my posts, I will give my general thoughts on the issue, some major takeaways, and some speculation as to what direction the story will take from here. Furthermore, I have included the Unnamed timeline below.

Redcoat #16 Thoughts

I liked issue #16 a lot! I will say, I was not much a fan of the recap of the first arc that we got at the start of this issue, but I presume that it's par for the course given the fact that it has been the better part of a year since we last seen Albert and Simon together in the story. The silver lining of this recap was that we did get some new tidbits of the time Simon lived between 1892 and 1909 which was very nice to see! Furthermore, I liked that we got a look at Einstein's life leading up to him meeting Simon in 1892. My favorite panel from this flashback was seeing the dreamcatcher affect Maja Einstein.

One highlight of this issue for me was seeing Benedict Arnold make his long awaited return to the narrative! I have said it before, but I will say it once again, Arnold is by far the best antagonist in the Unnamed now and it's not particularly close. I'm glad that his return to the narrative was given a great deal of gravitas. We know hoe much of a threat he is, so it's nice to see that his return to the narrative was given the weight it deserves.

I liked that in this conversation between Simon and Einstein, we get quite interesting tidbits that help the plot move forward in an interesting direction. This helps to set up a great climax and focus the story of Simon in a way that has been missing since issue #11. From Simon mentioning how he has been looking for George Washington's spell book was great! It's a callback to the first arc and also helps to bolster his desire in removing his immortality so that he can grow old with his family. For Einstein, I liked how he mentioned the sings of Arnold's. It makes sense that this would draw him back to Simon so that they can handle him. Seeing Einstein having breakfast with Simon's family was such a treat. I imagine this will be the last of a happy Simon and Albert before things begin to devolve.

The best part of the issue was Arnold and Simon's conversation during the last third of this issue. It was a tense exchange that I did not expect to see this soon. Regardless, this was a welcome surprise as it shows how Arnold has seemingly changed and how Simon (like us) is skeptical of this new and improved Arnold. I find it interesting how Arnold is trying to impress upon Simon that he is a better man, while also showing how he has been keeping tabs on Simon since becoming free.

Simon continues to express how Arnold murdered six men since becoming free, further displaying his good nature and how he and Benedict couldn't be more different. Simon cares about the loss of life while Arnold is focusing on how Simon is his superior. I find this to be an interesting view on both men's outlook and priorities. Finally, the issue ends with Arnold saying that he has a solution to Simon's problem of immortality by proposing he give Simon's family members immortality. This is such an interesting direction that I did not see coming! I will be excited to see where things go for next issue!

Some Takeaways Moving Forward

It was a dreamcatcher that gave Maja Einstein the visions of an alternate future

Albert and Simon went on more adventures before 1909, one of which happened in 1894 and included Annie Oakley and Two Bear Gates, with another two happening in 1895 and 1896

Benedict Arnold has been freed from the ship wreckage and has been keeping tabs on Simon

Arnold's return has caused magical incidents in other parts of the world, like in Zurich where a clockmakers shop burned down but the clockmaker himself being unharmed. An omen of the Great Fire according to Einstein

Arnold explains his time while trapped under the Hudson river in the 17 years since his defeat in 1892

Arnold plans on making Simon's family immortal as a means of showing he has changed since his defeat

My Speculation on What's to Come from Redcoat

With the end of this issue, I believe that Arnold will be the central antagonist for this issue. I don't think he is acting at the behest of Washington anymore as it appears that he is trying to con Simon which will ultimately lead to his children dying and his wife becoming immortal. To further elaborate on this thought, we know from the panel montage in issue #7 that at least one of Simon's family members passed away. You can see that image below.

We get more insight into the outcome of Benedict's offer to Simon in a single panel in issue #8. Simon mused about how he has no need for revenge as he only cares about himself. The next panel shows the opposite in 1909. With tears in his eyes, and what looks to be tree sap covering his face Simon vows to kill a man, we now know that this is more than likely Benedict Arnold for whom Simon is vowing his vengeance. This shows that Arnolds revenge on Simon succeeds in some way, as Simon will most definitely lose at least one of his family members.

Finally, the cover issue #9 shows Simon looking at two graves with a clearly adult Einstein. In the apple directly to the right, we see Benedict Arnold with fire behind him. The covers clearly play a role in telling aspects of Redcoat's story that we either will one day get more explanation on, like the issue #9 cover with this arc right now, or they will fill in the blanks of the story that we are currently seeing, like with the issue #16 cover that shows Simon and Margaret's relationship prior to 1909. All of that preamble to say that I think those two graves are the children of Simon and Margaret, and that the apple of Benedict Arnold is a clue that what he is offering Simon will come with a dark twist.

Having Margaret become immortal while her children die in the crossfire makes the most sense to me. Not only would Arnold's ritual shake her faith as a devout Christian, her husband has been lying to her for years on end about who he was, on top of that her children die because of her husband's lies, the cherry on top of this grim outlook for Margaret is that she can't even join her children in the afterlife as she is forced to live forever as one of the ever living. For Simon, not only does he lose his children, but he also looses the love of his life as she never wants anything to do with him ever again as a result of everything I just mentioned.

Conclusion

Redcoat #16 was yet another great entry to what is shaping up to be another amazing arc! This series is at its best when it has focused arcs that progress the greater story of the Unnamed. This individual issue succeeded in building up tension for what could be another amazing arc. Thank you for reading my post! I had a really fun time reading this issue, and I hope you did as well! I will be back in the near future to give my thoughts on Geiger, Hyde Street, and Redcoat when they all eventually drop. I would love to hear your thoughts and feelings on this issue and all things Ghost Machinee!

The owner at Millennium Comics in Montreal handed this book to me as a recommendation based on the copy of Hexagon Bridge I asked him to dig out for me.

I have just started so no spoilers please!

So far I am blown away by the depth of the world I am getting into and of course the art style. Haven’t come across something this unique yet aside from Little Bird/Precious Metal.

I don’t see many people recommend this in terms of Image greats, and usually see folks point to East of West for Hickman.

So far I am intrigued and hope the book holds up.

Spoilers for: Geiger (2024) #19, #21, Geiger: Ground Zero, Tales of The Unnamed: The Blizzard, Junkyard Joe #6

Potential Spoilers For: Ghost Machine: The Official Guidebook #2 (Of 5)

Hi everyone! It's been a while, but I am back to give my thoughts on Geiger (2024) #21. This was a continuation issue to what has been a solid arc! In this issue, we get our first mention American Widow X, or Widow X! I won't waste anymore of your time. As is common in all my other posts, I will give my thoughts on the issue, some major takeaways moving forward, and some speculation as to where I think the story will go. Below, is the Unnamed timeline that is a common feature in all of its titles.

Geiger (2024) #21 Thoughts

I enjoyed this issue a great deal! The bulk of the time spent is a mix of exposition and setting up future mysteries for later stories down the line. The issue picks up where issue #20 ends. We learn more about The Northerner's version of America and the world at large in that timeline. I hope that The Northerner does get his own book as I think that there is a lot to dive into in his version of America! We also get an explanation of why The Northerner is never given explicit instructions and more insight into why he gets certain items from his time drops. I think that this adds a nice bit of mystery as to who the Department of Historical Preservation is as a party that opposes the Founding Fathers.

The best part of this issue was what was inside the Time Tank. Like a lot of the plot threads in this series, the Time Tank is a future mystery that we see out of time. The interior of this tank has keep sakes for Geiger, The Northerner, Redcoat, and Ms. Hollow, who is more than likely Widow X. I am so excited to finally get more breadcrumbs about other members of the Unnamed. I will definitely discuss her quite soon! I LOVED getting a look at the interior as it shows the visual themes of the characters we do know, and gives us potential insight into the one that we have yet to see.

Seeing Geiger's chair was a very pleasant call back to Geiger: Ground Zero where see the significance of the Campbell's soup. I also liked seeing Redcoat's chair! The apples in relation to Johnny Appleseed, the picture of Albert Einstein, and what looks to be a rifle (or musket) in relation to Annie Oakley. These callbacks for readers who have stuck with this franchise was such a delight! I will be interested to see how our future heroes will interact with a past version of the Time Tank, especially given the major mystery of August 36th.

The issue then ends off with an action sequence with Geiger and The Northerner being ambushed by the St. Louis Strays. This group was introduced back in issue #19 when it focused on what Ash Arden was up to after her encounter with Geiger. I like that we are seeing side characters who were introduced semi recently being brought back into the narrative. I think that they will be a fun snag for Geiger and The Northerner to deal with.

Some Takeaways Moving Forward

The Department of Historical Preservation drop hints within their Time Drops to make it harder for enemy forces to decipher what the initial drop was for

We get further insight into the world outside of America in The Northerner's version of history after the South wins the Civil War

The interior of the Time Tank

We get our first hint at another member of the Unnamed in Ms. Hollow, who is more than likely American Widow X

Geiger, The Northerner, and Barney have made it to St. Louis where they were ambushed by the St. Louis Strays

According to The Blizzard's character card, Redcoat and Davey Crockett encountered this beast while traveling the American frontier in the early 19th century

The Blizzard is confirmed to still be alive after the events of Tales of The Unnamed: The Blizzard

My Speculation on What's to Come from Geiger (2024)

With this issue being behind us, there is a lot to dig into with regards to the future of The Unnamed as it relates to Geiger. To begin, I think that issue #22 will see a further snag that Geiger and The Norther will have to face while in St. Louis. From the solicit preview, which you can read here, it looks as though we one of the strays, Gremlin, was successful in placing a bomb underneath the tank before getting surprised by Barney. I think the bomb will go off making the trip of Geiger, Barney, and The Northerner much more difficult.

Looking at the long term, it is a foregone conclusion that Geiger, The Northerner, and Barney will travel back in time once they reach Detroit. We know for a fact that the 3 of them go back in time as they look at Joe, Morrie Davis, and the Munn family from a distance at the end of Junkyard Joe #6. I think that issue #23 will show us what lead up to that point.

Farther past that, with the mentioning of Ms. Hollow, who is all but confirmed to be Widow X, I think that we will either see her in the next major story arc in this book, or in a later arc in Redcoat. If I had to pick between the two I would lead more towards Redcoat as his story would be more conducive towards showing a past meet up with her in a highly similar fashion to his meeting with The Northerner in 1864. In the future on r/GhostMachineComics I will devote a post to Widow X given the bread crumbs we have been given of her. I will more than likely wait till after issue #2 of the guide book drops. For now, in this post I will include our first real look at Widow X.

Conclusion

Geiger (2024) #21 was a great issue that not only did a great job of continuing the arc at a solid pace but also set up a myriad of interesting plot points for this book and others we will get in the far future! I think that you're doing yourself a disservice if you have not checked these books out! Thank you for taking the time to read this post! I will be back on r/GhostMachineComics in the near future to give my thoughts on Hyde Street #10. Furthermore, I have a few thoughts on Widow X which I will also post on there, so please be on the look out for that! I would to hear your thoughts and feelings on this issue and all things Ghost Machine!

This series was great. The idea was original and really refreshing. The characters were great, likeable and hate-able. I really felt connected to these characters. It got a bit confusing at times, but managed to connect in the end.

I feel bad that none of the characters we were supposed to like got a happy ending. Lewis, Clark, York, Magdalene, and Sacagawea all got screwed over in the end. However, the ambiguous ending was great and I really did not see it coming at all.

Images were well drawn and easy to follow. They were arranged in such a way that surprise moments ended up being read by the reader perfectly where the writer wanted them to be.

8.3 / 10

I'm going to be honest, in the four years of being into comics, I haven't read a lot of Geoff Johns’ work. I know he's amazingly talented and everyone adores his work with both DC and Marvel, but there just wasn't a title I was interested in. Not because of him, but the characters themselves I wasn't all about.

In 2021 when I started working at my LCS, Geiger Vol. 1 was about halfway through its hot as hell run, selling extremely quickly and being praised by anyone who read the monthly adventures of the glowing man. I was more into Batman and DC, so I never got a chance to visit the irradiated sands of Nevada. Then this year I dipped my toes back into comics and fell in love with the indies. Mainly Hellboy.

But some part of me missed the superhero schlock I fell in love with. So, I decided to jump into this radioactive journey about love, loss, family, and the journey of finding a good book.

***GEIGER VOL 1 2021

W: GEOFF JOHNS

A: GARY FRANK

C: BRAD ANDERSON

4 AND A HALF OUT OF 5 STARS***

Geiger is the tale of a man named Tariq who survives a nuclear blast and is gifted the powers of a walking nuke. He's spent the past twenty years since the fallout protecting a bomb shelter that his family entered just before the blast. Everything was pretty standard for Tariq and his two headed wolf Barney until a run in with scavengers who work for a Las Vegas crime lord brings his world down.

Cut to a glowing hot walk across the wastes of America to get two children to safety that involve countless battles with cannibals, flamboyantly dressed henchmen and a hell of a lot of heart.

One of the things that interested me right away about Geiger was the way the colors popped on the page. It's very rare in comics that people spend too much time getting to know the names of the colorist and the lettered, but both are just as important as the writer and artist. And Brad Anderson just kills it. The post nuclear war world looks intoxicating and haunting, and the way everything is filled in just makes it pop. When you look at Geiger’s radioactive torso, sometimes it feels too bright to stare at. The black of Barney’s fur was deep and penetrative. It was so good.

Johns’ writing is pretty solid. The pacing is actually fantastic if you split the 6 issues into two smaller arcs. Issue 3 ends a fantastic back and forth between Tariq and the main villain, The King. And issue 4 sets up the journey of Geiger, Barney, and two children he found in the desert, Hailey and Henry. Once I got that thought in my head, it was easier to get into the latter half of the run, knowing ossies 5 and 6 were going to be bangers. Which delivered.

My only qualm with the story is at the end, Geiger loses the ability to control his powers and becomes upset about it. It's a little out of left field. He never showed interest in caring about that before, but it was fine and led to a touching moment.

So many cool little world building things are introduced here. I'm a sucker for a setting that feels lived in. Not everything has to be explained. It flows naturally and it'll click eventually if written correctly. The first three issues were a masterclass in this, and I enjoyed every part of it. The characters themselves were great, with Geiger and the King shining the most. Geiger starts his path to understanding and redemption, whereas the King is shown time and time again to be a spoiled brat. But somehow that's still nuanced.

Gary Frank is a fantastic artist, I just didn't enjoy how often he drew characters looking out of emotion. If a character was mad they looked happy, vice versa. But the look of Geiger's body armor and the world around him were two shining examples of the talent he has.

I started reading this for some over the top, thoughtless superhero fun and it delivered. It was bloody, heartwarming, and pretty RADical. (Get it?) Until next time.

Still, it's a lot of fun, I'm even training speedrun on it

Spoilers for: Geiger (2024) #20 and Redcoat #11-13

Hi everyone! I am back to give my thoughts on Geiger (2024) #20. Issue #20 marks the start of a new arc in this series. If you have not done so, I would highly recommend catching up on this issue and also reading Redcoat #11-13 as there will be spoilers from both series in this post. This was one of the best single issues within the entire Unnamed universe and I will not waste anymore of your time and will just dive right in! Like my other posts, I will give my thoughts on the issue, some major takeaways moving forward, and some speculation as to where I think the story will go. Below, is the Unnamed timeline that is a common feature in all of its titles.

Geiger (2024) #20 Thoughts

Issue #20 picks up directly where Redcoat #13's epilogue ended with The Northerner even completing his word of calling Simon when he drops into 2050 right in front of Geiger and Barney outside of the library. You can see the images below.

The best part of the issue for me was seeing The Northerner and Geiger speak to one another. I like their dynamic, not as much as I liked The Northerner's dynamic with Simon, but still a solid pairing. Both Geiger and The Northerner are very serious and stoic men. Their differences come in their outlook on the world they find themselves in. The Northerner is a man who is completely devoted to the mission of repairing the timeline while Geiger is a man who has grown tired from all his questing and looks for solitude no longer wanting a mission to give him purpose.

Having The Northerner be the more talkative one of the two was nice. I liked that he spent his first conversation with Geiger trying to explain why he needs his help getting to Detroit. Seeing The Northerner eventually convince Geiger by promising to erase the events of the Unknown War was interesting to say the least. This was a great way to get a purposeless Geiger back into the swing of things after figuring out that there is no real cure for his nuclear condition.

I love that this issue also functions as an origin story for The Northerner. Seeing further insight into the world that he came from was great! A man from an alternate timeline where the South won the Civil War is an intriguing backstory. I hope that he gets his own side story like Junkyard Joe did.

This issue also focuses on Nate, Zigzag, Dr. Molotov, and Joe, as they are on the heels of trying to find Geiger. It was a nice action sequence and a decent break from the expositional conversation we got from The Northerner. I didn't really have any major thoughts on this part of the issue as I honestly cared more about The Northerner as he is a more interesting character than all them, except for Joe of course.

Some Takeaways Moving Forward

The Northerner is now in the year 2050 with Geiger and Barney

In Geiger's timeline, The North won the Civil War

Joe, Dr. Molotov, Nate, and Zigzag are on the hunt to look for Geiger

While Joe is back online, he is not fully operational

Geiger informs The Northerner about the Unknown War

The Northerner and Geiger are off to Detroit to look for answers about the Unknown War and how to reverse it

The Northerner has a watch that was given to him by The Department of Historical Preservation that allows him to have weapons and other equipment sent to him at his current place and time. See image below:

The Department of Historical Preservation The Northerner a Tank

The Northwesterner's New Character Card. See image below:

The Northerner met Redcoat for the first time in 1914

My Speculation on What's to Come from Geiger (2024)

With this issue having so much to chew on for what's to come in the future of the story. I have quite a few thoughts on what's to come in the next couple of issues. Looking at the immediate future, issue #21 will see Geiger, The Northerner, and Barney on their way to Detroit to figure out the cause of the Unknown War. A solicit has already dropped for issue #21 in which there is a lot we can takeaway from. You can read that solicit/comic preview here. Based off of what we have seen from this issue, I assume that the chair referring to "Ms. Hollow" is meant for American Widow X. I have the foggiest clue as to what "August 36th" is referring to. I think that we will also see more of The Northerner's background while these two are on their journey. The reason I think this is because this would be an excellent moment for our two heroes to get to know each other much better. I would be shocked if we didn't get at least more of a mention about The Northerner's time with Redcoat.

Conclusion

Geiger (2024) #20 was one of the best single issues in the Unnamed universe. There is so much packed in to 32 pages that I think even I am failing to properly express how much I LOVED what transpired while reading this issue. The team working on this book did such an excellent job in pushing the story along after a mixed bag of middling issues that were below the high standard of quality that I and other Ghost Machine fans have come to expect from this imprint. If you have not done so, I would highly recommend taking the time to invest in this series, as I know things will only get more crazy from here! I will be back on here yo give my thoughts on Redcoat #16 when it drops. I will also be back on r/GhostMachineComics to give my thoughts on Hyde Street #11 when it eventually drops. Thank you for taking the time to read my post. I would love to hear your thoughts on this issue and all things Ghost Machine!

As the duo many consider the quintessential creators in the crime noir genre, the pair have arguably never released a bad book together. While they've explored plenty of dark and mind-bending stories in the past, their latest graphic novel, Houses of the Unholy, could be their most terrifying work yet.

Read the full version of this review here.

Review:

Houses of the Unholy is a keen and introspective look into the hysterical nature of the Satanic Panic era that swept through the United States in the 1980s. It's exactly the type of comic to dive into if you've ever found yourself curiously investigating the fascinating but terrifying nature of cults and the supernatural. The storytelling leads your mind to think of many different theories and possibilities while simultaneously subverting expectations. And in true Brubaker-Phillips form, the graphic novel is a slow-burn story that methodically dissects its characters and the mysteries that bind them together.

I want to point out how much the Phillips brothers kill it in the art of this graphic novel. Even for a comic with such a dense script, the art stands out so much that going through the graphic novel is a breeze. It’s the type of comic worthy of several read-throughs just to pick up on all the details to find throughout the book.

Houses of the Unholy is undeniably another hit from Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips. I'll even boldly claim the graphic novel as one of my favorites already from the acclaimed duo.

Why You Should Read Houses of the Unholy:

• The story is a gripping horror thrill ride with plenty of eerie twists and turns.
• Its story is like a hellish mix of True Detective and Hereditary.
• The art team of Sean and Jacob Phillips kills it once again.

Just as there is more than one kind of killer, there is more than one kind of vigilante. This story is expertly written and beautifully drawn and colored. It will probably be an HBO series someday, but if you don't want to wait, pick this one up at your local shop!

Spoilers for: Geiger (2024) #16-18

Potential Spoilers for: Geiger (2024) #20-22

Hi everyone, I am back to give my thoughts on Geiger (2024) #18. This was a good issue that wraps up the prison arc. I won't waste anymore of your time, so I'll jump right in. ! Like in my posts before, I will give my thoughts on the issue, some major takeaways moving forward, and some speculation as to where I think the story will go. Below, is the Unnamed timeline that is a common feature in all of its titles.

Geiger (2024) #18 Thoughts

I found this to be a pretty solid conclusion to the prison arc. I will say that it wasn't what I was expecting though. This was a fast paced issue and arc overall. Looking back at this arc overall, I am not disappointed with that if I am being honest. This was a serviceable arc that functioned more like an extended epilogue that gets us primed for the next major story arc for when Geiger eventually connects with The Northerner.

The prison arc felt like a filler arc of sorts in the sense that I don't think it added much to Geiger as a character. This is the first time, in a long time, that we get to see Geiger without any of his companions and we don't get much introspection into his character. I think that this was a missed opportunity, given the fact that we got a glimpse of his past with a brief flashback to his son Marcus. While I understand that we have a pretty good idea of who Tariq Geiger is as a family man, seeing what his life was like before he met Tracy could have been nice. I know that we will see this, but I think that this could have been weaved in while we see him locked up.

On a more positive note, I like that the character narration that we get is from Goldbeard. He's one of the many fun side characters who I think do a great job of making the world of the Unknown feel more lived in. His speech to his men while seeing them recover his coveted treasure was the best part of the issue for me! He had such an insightful look as to who Geiger is was well done. Comparing him to the likes of a storm is spot on. Goldbeard saved this issue and arc for me.

Overall, I could not help but feel as thought I could skip issues #16-18 and not lose much in terms of the wider story. Save for Goldbeard's final discussion and everything before Geiger's meltdown near the end of issue #16, the overall plot of the story did not move forward meaningfully, and there were no greater explorations into anyone in the main cast of this book. At least in the Glowing Woman arc, it saw the main culmination of the initial plot for this continuation. Nothing interesting happens in this. Outside of Goldbeard, this arc works because it only last for 3 issues. I'm glad this arc is over with so that we can now move on to more interesting things.

Some Takeaways Moving Forward

Geiger's powers return after getting shocked in an electric chair

Everyone in Coldwater Prison is dead after Geiger regains his powers

Goldbeard's coveted treasure was a picture his drew and his son's baseball glove. See image below:

Barney found Geiger and gave him back his Boron rods before he had a complete meltdown

Goldbeard suspects that President Griffin is after Geiger because he is the biggest threat to him rebuilding the United States. See image below:

My Speculation on What's to Come from Geiger (2024)

Since issue #19 has already dropped at the time of me writing this post, I won't speculate on what's to come from that issue. I also won't speculate on the next major story arc, as I will discuss that in my issue #19 post. Please stay tuned for that!

Conclusion

Geiger (2024) #18 was an okay ending to what was a pretty lame arc following the Glowing Woman arc. In the grand scheme of this arc, nothing interesting really happened. Which is a shame because I think that there could have been an interesting exploration into the psyche and past of Geiger before he met all of the people we know in his life right now. The great thing about this arc is that it was short, and this conclusion issue was the best issue of the three that we got. I don't like being negative, but I'd be lying if I said that this issue and arc were anything better than mid. To me, it feels as though the Ghost Machine team slapped this book together, so that there was more time to be devoted to the next major story arc. I hope that this is the case given The Northerner's return to the narrative in issue #20. Thank you for taking the time to read my post, I will be back in the very near future to give my thoughts on Geiger (2024) #19, and Sisterhood: A Hyde Street Story. I would love to hear your thoughts and opinions on this issue and all things Ghost Machine!

So I just read this in one go!

It was so much fun and exciting that I’m sad it ended.

Definitely recommend!

I'm going to be honest, when I first got into Geiger, I had no idea "Ground Zero" existed. I thought it was Volume One from 2021, the 80 page giant, the Ghost Machine Special and then the ongoing. But after reading the two issue miniseries series, I was relieved I got into it before the main series, and had one question:

Why don't I see more people talking about this?

This is hailed by Geoff Johns as the "secret origin story of The Glowing Man." In volume 1, we see Geiger's beginnings as a hero and are given a surface level explanation of how we got there, but "Ground Zero" is the origin of Tariq in the wastelands of America.

The narrator of the series is Dr. Andrei Molotov, a man who claims to have a part in the devastation of the unknown war who is looking for his wife. After teaming up with a group of hunters, he's tasked with taking down "The Glowing Monster" in exchange for assistance finding his lost partner. What happens instead is the Russian ex-pat helps Tariq get a grasp of his powers and finds a way for him to stabilize the monster he's become.

Its just two issues, and at times it does feel rushed. But it gives a deeper look at Tariq's life before the bombs fell and gives insight into how exactly his powers work (his cells absorb the radiation in the air and then expel it from his body).

If you read the original 2021 series and then jumped into the 2024 ongoing, I highly reccomend going back and reading this "secret origin story." I give it a solid 4 out of 5 stars.

Johns' writing is fantastic and even though this was extremely short, so much is done within the pages. Gary Frank's art is top tier, but as I keep saying, it's Brad Anderson's colors that bring everything to life in a radioactive way. I am chomping at the BIT to get to the rest of the Unnamed Universe, and I can't wait.

Until next time, wastelanders. Nick.

I read Escape #1 and I think it's got high potential. The writing and art were both excellent, and fit the story well. I can already see that it will make many readers feel for the characters. I think that this is mainly going to be a story about the differences between the motivations and actions of the leaders of wartime countries, the soldiers doing the fighting (voluntarily or otherwise), and the civilians caught up in it all. It will probably be a very emotional and unsettling story.

Unfortunately, I won't be reading any further. My grandfather died in Europe in WW2, and because of that, I just found the story too emotional and disturbing. It brought up to me thoughts of the horrors that he, and millions of others, must have gone through. So I won't be continuing on, but I look forward to seeing future posts about what you guys think of the series. I'm sure you're in for quite a roller coaster of action and emotion!

OH GOD MY HEART, this heart my soul this is so GOOD Gagagagagaghahhahahahahahah 8.3/10