What’s New in Home Video & Pop Culture – July 21 & 28 & August 4, 2026 – Michael, Obsession, The Mummy, Ninja Turtles, The Hulk, & More!

By Mike Spring

 on July 21, 2026

What’s New in Home Video & Pop Culture – July 21, July 28, & August 4, 2026

Okay, so this column is going to cover this week and as much of the next two weeks as I can, since I’ll be away on vacation next week without my trusty 4K UHD/Blu-ray player. We’ll start with this week’s (July 21) releases, followed by whatever advanced releases I have from July 28 and then August 4 (which is a pretty good amount.) Then, the following week I’ll pick up with the August 11 releases as well as any stragglers from the 28^th and 4^th that arrived while I was away. I denoted the release dates for each title below to try and minimize confusion. I hope that all makes sense, but if not, just know that all of these releases will be available over the next few weeks. See you next month!

In This Week’s Column:

• Michael (4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray + Digital)
• Obsession (4K K Ultra HD + Blu-ray + Digital)
• Lee Cronin’s The Mummy (4K Ultra HD + Digital)
• Is God Is (Blu-ray) – 7/28
• The Boxer (Blu-ray) – 7/28
• The Double (Blu-ray) – 7/28
• Ping Pong (Blu-ray) – 7/28
• Young Mothers (DVD) – 7/28
• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Compendium: Volume 2 (Graphic Novel) – 7/28
• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Journeys – Volume 1 (Graphic Novel) – 7/28
• The Hunger and the Dusk: Volume 2 (Graphic Novel) – 7/28
• Hulk Teach: A Tale of 2 Teachers (Graphic Novel) – 8/4
• Cat Loaf Adventures (Graphic Novel) – 8/4
• Crescent Moon Marching (Graphic Novel) – 8/4

Michael (4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray + Digital)

Official Synopsis:

Michael is the cinematic portrayal of the life and legacy of one of the most influential artists the world has ever known. The story recounts Michael’s life beyond the music, tracing his journey from the Jackson 5 to becoming the biggest entertainer in the world.

The Movie: 

There are so many things that could have gone wrong with Michael, the definitive biopic of Michael Jackson. I mean, just the fact that Antoine Fuqua, while a gifted director, has made almost exclusively action movies in his career could have been a stumbling block. Finding the right actor to portray one of the most famous and beloved celebrities in the world? No easy task. And how do you balance telling Michael Jackson’s life story without just sanitizing the whole thing to make him look like a saint? No, I suspect it took us this long to get a Michael Jackson biopic because it’s such a daunting task. 

And while I never like to equate box office success with quality, the fact that Michael grossed over a billion dollars worldwide and almost $400 million in the U.S. would certainly indicate that people really liked it. And I can honestly say that I didn’t just like it, I loved it; Crescent Moon Marching is utterly fantastic. Let’s start with the casting: Michael Jackson’s nephew Jaafar Jackson plays the pop icon, and it’s outstanding casting. Much like casting Ice Cube’s son to play him in Straight Outta Compton, Jaafar naturally bears a resemblance to Michael. But it goes far beyond looks. He sounds exactly like Michael Jackson and, boy, does he dance like him. I can’t even imagine how many hours he put into learning to dance and move like MJ, but when he’s on stage performing, it’s like watching Michael Jackson himself in concert. It’s literally jaw-dropping. Side note: while Jaafar is not an exact doppelganger of Michael Jackson, there are a few scenes here and there where he looks uncannily like his uncle. Those moments are almost eerie. 

Speaking of the concert sequences, director Fuqua uses his experience to stage them like action scenes, and man, are they exciting. It’s hard to watch this film and not find yourself smiling, bopping along, and tapping your foot. (I mean, it doesn’t hurt that the songs are iconic!) But the other parts of the movie are excellent as well; I don’t know that things like Michael being isolated and his father being abusive are news to anyone, but we certainly get a more in-depth look at his personal life than ever before. One important note: the movie actually ends halfway through Michael’s career, which means two things: 1) a sequel is practically inevitable, and 2) we’ll have to wait to see how the filmmakers deal with some of the unfavorable trials and tribulations Jackson went through later in his life. 

For now, though, I can’t recommend Michael highly enough. 

The 4K Video/Audio:

Michael is a visual spectacle, and it both looks and sounds amazing on 4K Ultra HD. The sheer sparkle and dazzle of the musical sequences are on full display, with colors that seem to leap off the screen. Image clarity is impeccable, and the whole thing has a sheen to it that replicates the theatrical experience with aplomb. The surround soundtrack does an excellent job of balancing dialogue and music, while utilizing the surround channels to put you right in the middle of the audience when Jackson is on stage. And that bass channel? Booming! An outstanding effort from top to bottom. 

The Bonus Features: 

• Don’t Stop ’Til You Get Enough: The Making of Michael
• Home Is Where His Heart Is: Behind the Gates of Hayvenhurst
• In the Mirror: Becoming Michael & Joe Time-lapses
• First Look
• Becoming Michael
• Before the Big Screen
• On the Set of Michael
• Trailers

Digital Copy Included: Yes

Obsession (4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray + Digital)

Official Synopsis:

After breaking the mysterious “One Wish Willow” to win his crush’s heart, a hopeless romantic finds himself getting exactly what he asked for but soon discovers that some desires come at a dark, sinister price.

The Movie: 

I’m not entirely surprised that Obsession became such a surprise box office smash, because the film’s trailer was incredibly effective. Much like The Conjuring over a decade ago, a simple trailer that just plays one really effective scene from the film can be an incredible marketing tool. I am a little surprised that people liked it enough for it to have had such long legs, however. 

Here’s the thing: I liked Obsession, but I didn’t love it. It has a lot of flaws, if I’m being honest. But it gets more interesting as it goes, and the end of the film kind of won me over, so it falls solidly into the “I liked it but it could have been a lot better” category. Let me start with my biggest complaint: the cinematography is awful. I know it’s simply doing the trendy thing – a thing I absolutely ABHOR – but if people in real life kept their houses as dark as everyone in this film does, they’d all die from tripping over furniture because you can’t see anything! Seriously, it’s like no one in this film is aware that light switches are a real thing that exist. There are literally scenes that I think were supposed to be scary, but you can’t even see what’s happening on screen enough to be scared. 

Another complaint that I had is that the main character – ironically nicknamed Bear – is such a sad sack that it makes it hard to root for him. The fact that he takes relationship advice from his “best friend,” who’s as douchey as they come (and I doubt they’d even be friends in real life) makes him even more cringe. I get that you need a reason for him to make a wish for a girl to love him, but there are plenty of people out there who have unrequited love in their life who aren’t so pathetic. Now, maybe this was intentional – and I suspect it’s part of why the film has been so successful, because it strongly appeals to female viewers – but I suspect maybe it’s just uncreative writing. 

That all said, the film builds in intensity as it goes, and I really liked the ending. Even though you can see a lot of the twists and turns coming, there were also a few moments that surprised me. Also worth mentioning is Inde Navarette’s performance as Nikki; for a debut role, she absolutely knocks it out of the park and I expect to see big things in her future. Ultimately, Obsession is a fun horror film that has a lot of flaws, but ultimately I think most people will overlook them and just go along for the ride. 

The 4K Video/Audio:

I already mentioned how I feel about how Obsession looks as a film. As a result, the film looks exactly the way I think it’s supposed to look in 4K. Which means that while I actually hate the way the film looked on my TV screen, I think it’s a fault of the cinematography and not the transfer. Everything is too dark, and it’s hard to even form an opinion of the video quality because there’s so little to see in so many scenes. Color saturation is fine when it’s allowed to be (although a little drab; again, probably intentionally), and imagery is clear, at least what you can see of it. The surround soundtrack does its job well, although this is a film driven almost entirely by dialogue. There are some atmospheric sounds that fill in the soundscape here and there, but there’s nothing overly aggressive here.

The Bonus Features: 

• Obsession Unleashed
• Feature Commentary with Director/Writer/Editor Curry Barker

Digital Copy Included: Yes

Lee Cronin’s The Mummy (4K Ultra HD + Digital)

Official Synopsis:

The young daughter of a journalist disappears into the desert without a trace. Eight years later, the broken family is shocked when she is returned to them, as what should be a joyful reunion turns into a living nightmare.

The Movie: 

Okay, first things first. Lee Cronin has exactly one hit film to his name (Evil Dead Rise) and has made, like, two other movies. How does he now get his name before the title of a film? Lee Cronin’s The Mummy? When I first saw the trailer for it, I had to look up who Lee Cronin even was. Is that all it takes nowadays?

Now, that complaint out of the way, let me say that I’m sure Lee Cronin is a very nice man and I have no ill will towards him personally, but I really hope he stops making movies as soon as possible. Collectively, between Evil Dead Rise and The Mummy, his movie scores in my book average an F+. That’s… not great. A friend of mine described The Mummy as The Evil Dead in Egypt, and honestly, he’s not wrong. (Okay, half the film takes place in Arizona, but aside from that…)

Here’s the thing: The Mummy isn’t scary. Like, at all. What it is, however, is absolutely disgusting. While I was watching the film, I kept getting that creepy feeling of dread in the pit of my stomach, but I realized it wasn’t because I was scared, but instead because I was dreading what grotesque spectacle Cronin was going to put on screen next. The movie just gets more and more gross as it goes, until by the end I was completely over it. I mean, literally, one of the bonus features on the home video release is called “A Bloody and Grotesque Spectacle,” which tells you everything you need to know. That approach may appeal to some people, but not to me. 

If the film has one bright spot, it’s that all of the performances are really good, with Moon Knight’s May Calamawy standing out as an Egyptian police detective who tries to help a family locate their missing daughter. Jack Reynor is also engaging as the missing girl’s father who’s trying to figure out what happened to her. 

If you like actual horror movies, I think you can safely skip Lee Cronin’s The Mummy. If you just like gross movies, then go ahead and knock yourself out. 

The 4K Video/Audio:

The 4K format works very well for Lee Cronin’s The Mummy. The picture is crisp and clean with razor-sharp clarity, and while the film leans towards the darker side of things, it’s nowhere near as overdone as Obsession and you can actually see what’s happening on screen. The colors also stay on the more realistic side of things, meaning you might not get that “pop” you’re used to on a 4K release, but it also looks exactly how I think the filmmakers intended it. The surround soundtrack also offers up a strong presentation. The dialogue remains centered, and that is of course the driving part of the film. But when the action kicks in, the surrounds will provide some extra zip and direction. There are some creepy-whispery moments that have a nice atmospheric effect to enhance the unease, and it’s very effective. It’s a strong effort overall.

The Bonus Features: 

• Commentary by Director Lee Cronin
• The Making of Lee Cronin’s The Mummy
• A Bloody and Grotesque Spectacle
• Producing Possession and Ancient Demons
• Deleted Scenes

Digital Copy Included: Yes

Is God Is (Blu-ray) – 7/28

Official Synopsis:

Twin sisters with disfiguring burn scars have their world upended when the mother they’d believed long dead summons them to her bedside and reveals that their father is responsible for her bedridden state as well as the twins’ scars. When she orders the girls to kill their father for what he has done, the sisters must decide whether to seek vengeance or find mercy.

The Movie: 

I hate to continue on a negative streak, but I have even less good things to say about Is God Is than I did The Mummy. Let me start here: Is God Is is officially the worst movie title in the history of cinema. For a long time I gave that crown to Motherless Brooklyn, but Is God Is has usurped it and stolen its crown with ease. When I first saw the trailer for Is God Is, I thought it looked like a pretty awful movie, and then when they got to revealing the title at the end of the trailer, I just sat there with my jaw hanging open in disbelief. 

Now, if the movie had a bad title and was a good film, that would be one thing. But I struggle to find anything good to say about it at all. I guess you could say the performances are good, but honestly, every character is such a caricature of real people that it’s hard to even say that. And the film plays with reality in a way that I found annoying. Like, this isn’t a genre film, it’s a revenge movie. But our two main characters, who are twins, have full on conversations where they are staring at each other and not speaking, and we see the entire conversation in highly stylized subtitles. I get that they’re twins and twins have weird connections, but I am the father of twins, and I can tell you that they do not have lengthy telepathic conversations with each other. And okay, if this was a film with other supernatural elements, maybe I could go along with it, but there aren’t any, and so it feels weird and out of place. 

There are no likable characters in the film, the narrative is a one-note concept, it tries too hard to be stylish and cool, and overall I got exactly what the trailer promised me that first time I saw it: a bad movie with an even worse name. 

The Bonus Features: 

There are no extra features on the disc. 

Digital Copy Included: No

The Boxer (Blu-ray) – 7/28

Official Synopsis:

A former boxing champ on the skids (Bunta Sugawara, Japanese Godfather) finds an opportunity for redemption by training a young fighter everyone judges beyond hope (Kentaro Shimizu, Mermaid Legend). Legendary director and playwright Shuji Terayama (Throw Away Your Books, Rally in the Streets) made The Boxer for major studio Toei, at the request of lead actor Sugawara. While the story has the studio’s trademark gritty 1970s setting, Terayama imbues the film with his characteristic carnivalesque atmosphere and his unparalleled passion for sports, resulting in a boxing movie like no other and a unique entry in his own filmography.

The Movie: 

The first of three releases from boutique home video distributor Radiance Films featured today, The Boxer is a 1977 sports drama about a young fighter being trained by an aging pugilist. Now, I have no idea if this is factually accurate, but it’s hard to think that 1976’s Rocky didn’t have an influence on this movie. It’s not that the story is the same, as the individual plot points are actually quite different, but the film’s overarching narrative and tone are certainly reminiscent of Sylvester Stallone’s breakout film. 

That comparison aside, The Boxer is a gritty and engaging drama. From a filmmaking and cinematography standpoint, it probably has more in common with Martin Scorsese’s Raging Bull (which came out after The Boxer) than it does with Rocky. But all these comparisons are just fluff; The Boxer is its own film with themes of redemption and revenge, aging and glory, and it deserves to be viewed on its own terms. The performances are strong and the cinematography is vibrant, and the end result is a film that is worth watching. 

The Bonus Features: 

• Interview with composer J.A. Seaver (2026)
• New visual essay on Toei studio in the year 1977 by Tom Mes (2026)
• New and improved English subtitle translation
• Reversible sleeve featuring artwork based on original posters
• Limited edition booklet featuring new writing by Roberta Novielli

Digital Copy Included: No

The Double (Blu-ray) – 7/28

Official Synopsis:

Giovanni (Jean Sorel, Rosa la rose, fille publique) is shot in an underground parking garage by a mysterious bearded man. As his life flashes before his eyes, through flashbacks we learn about his life and what led to this moment. His flirtatious wife, Lucia (Ewa Aulin, Death Smiles on a Murderer) and the fissures her behavior creates, complications with the family business, Lucia’s relationship with a travelling hippie and her beautiful mother-in-law (Lucia Bosé, Fellini Satyricon). With its delirious editing, continually returning us to the site of his murder, Giovanni’s life turns in on itself as the film explores masculinity, eroticism, and the uncanny. One of the undiscovered greats of the genre, Romolo Guerrieri’s (The Sweet Body of Deborah) The Double is a sexy, metaphysical giallo newly restored and officially released for the first time since VHS.

The Movie: 

The next release from Radiance Films moves us from Japan to France with The Double, a less narratively coherent film than The Boxer, but an equally intriguing one. I’m not sure even how to describe The Double. It’s not quite a crime film, even though the opening scene features the main character, Giovanni, being shot by a mysterious assailant. It’s not a fantasy, even though we drift in and out of events in Giovanni’s life. It’s not a horror movie, even though it’s described in the official synopsis as being a Giallo movie. I guess maybe it’s a drama combined with a psychological thriller, but even that doesn’t feel 100% accurate. 

As we flashback to various moments in Giovanni’s life, we learn who he is – in business , in life, and in romance. It’s not all wine and roses, though, as he makes some choices along the way that lead to his current situation, which is, you know, shot. The film isn’t linearly structured, which can be a plus or a minus, but in this case it works well enough. I can’t say I was entirely won over by the film, which came out in 1971, but it certainly was interesting enough to watch it all the way through and see how it resolved. 

The Bonus Features: 

• Audio commentary by Tim Lucas (2026)
• Archival interview with director Romolo Guerrieri and star Eva Aulin, newly edited for this release (2026)
• Appreciation by author Stephen Thrower (2026)
• Easter egg (2 mins)
• Reversible sleeve featuring artwork based on original posters
• Limited edition booklet featuring new writing by Nathaniel Thompson

Digital Copy Included: No

Ping Pong (Blu-ray) – 7/28

Official Synopsis:

Punkish ping pong prodigy Peco (Yosuke Kubozuka; Go, Silence) is on a losing streak, not helped by his friend since childhood, Smile (ARATA; After Life, United Red Army), intentionally letting him win in their practice sessions. As tournament day draws near, it is up to Peco to regain his mojo to take on such fearsome opponents as China (Sam Lee; Made in Hong Kong), who has fallen off the Chinese national team and wound up, bitter, in Japan, and Dragon (Nakamura Shido), their arch-nemesis from the rival Kaio Academy team, who approaches the table with an almost militaristic fanaticism.

Adapted from Taiyo Matsumoto’s cult manga series, the debut feature of Fumihiko Sori (Vexille, Fullmetal Alchemist) is a zero-to-hero tale of friendship, dedication and sportsmanship, featuring exhilarating table-tennis battles that will make you never look at the sport in quite the same way again.

The Movie: 

Sure, Marty Supreme got all the critical acclaim, but if you want to see a movie that features what competitive ping pong/table tennis is really like, look no further than Fumihiko Sori’s Ping Pong, a 2002 Japanese sports drama that captures the high-speed intensity that true competitive ping pong brings to the table. (Pun very much intended, BTW.)

Peco and Smile are childhood friends who share a skill for ping pong. As they grow up, they move in different directions: Peco is talented but unmotivated, while Smile has championship skill but no killer instinct. When they both enter a huge tournament, it’s not long before they realize they’re most likely going to be facing each other across the net. It’s a little bit like The Fast and The Furious, just with less cars and less crime and ping pong instead of racing. Okay, it’s not really like The Fast and Furious, but the action scenes are absolutely fast and furious. If you’ve ever watched ping pong at the Olympics, you know it’s nothing like a pick-up game of ping pong at your local rec center; it’s war. 

Ping Pong is based on a manga (which I’ve never read), but I can only imagine it’s one of the few cases where an adaptation might potentially be better than the source material, if even just during the ping pong scenes, because they’re more visceral on screen than I imagine they would be in a comic book. Check it out if you want some fast-paced drama. 

The Bonus Features: 

• Stills Gallery
• Trailer

Digital Copy Included: No

Young Mothers (DVD) – 7/28

Official Synopsis:

A group of young women face the challenges and joys of motherhood while attempting to break free of the past in a delicate and hopeful study of women on the brink of new life from master directors Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne.

The Movie: 

Acclaimed Belgian directors Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne bring us a moving drama about young mothers in tough circumstances, continuing their trends of focusing on realist subject matter. 

Young Mothers is about exactly what the title states, a group of teenage mothers at a shelter who work, clean, and learn responsibility while dealing with their children and the difficult life circumstances that led to them being here in the first place. The Dardennes cast what I understand to be relatively unknown actors to portray the four main mothers who drive the story, and they all not only turn in excellent performances, but they also seem shockingly young. There are no 35-year-olds playing teenagers here, which gives the film a stark immediacy and efficiency. 

But what could be a hard, harsh film has an unexpected warmth, optimism, and heart to it. These are young women who are fighting what life has given them but are not crumbling in the face of it, and their tenuous connections as a group strengthen as we go. It’s not a fast-paced film, but Young Mothers is a winning one. 

The Bonus Features: 

• Q&A with Directors Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne
• Image Gallery
• Trailer

Digital Copy Included: No

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Compendium: Volume 2 (Graphic Novel) – 7/28

Official Synopsis:

Read IDW’s entire epic TMNT ongoing comic series (150 issues!) in three easy-to-collect volumes for the first time! Each volume will contain over 1,000 pages of content! Volume 2 picks up with issue #51 after the world of the Turtles has changed forever! Splinter is now in control of the Foot Clan and the brothers must navigate a world where they are the authority figures in New York City, but what does that mean? Each brother will be tested and will have to make their own way, leading to a massive showdown with a resurrected enemy!

With storylines plotted out by co-creator Kevin Eastman and written by Tom Waltz, issues #51–100 contain art by a myriad of artists, including Ken Garing, Michael Dialynas, Mateus Santolouco, Dave Wachter, and more! These compendiums offer the perfect opportunity for new readers to catch up on the series and longtime fans an easy way to collect all the ongoing issues in just three volumes!

The Book: 

If you’ve read my column before at all, you’ll already know that I’m a massive Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles fan. If you haven’t read my column before, well… guess what? I’m a massive TMNT fan. This week, we get the second of three volumes from IDW in the TMNT Ongoing Series Compendium set. In Volume 1, IDW collected the first 50 issues of the IDW series that started in 2011. (A compendium, by the way, is like an Omnibus, but it’s paperback instead of hardcover and thus costs about $50-$75 less.) This new entry, Volume 2, collects issues 51-100. 

This chunk of issues continues to change up the Turtles’ universe, with Splinter taking over the foot clan as a seismic shift, but also with the introduction of Jennika, the first new Ninja Turtle since 1984 — assuming you don’t count Venus de Milo from the short-lived live action TV show in the 1990s. Jennika is a human that mutates into a Ninja Turtle, so I find her story pretty compelling. 

I’ve made no secret about the fact that the IDW comic book iteration of TMNT has never been my favorite. The book leaned super heavily into the mutant side of things, introducing tons of new characters that were anthropomorphic animal mutations. For my money, what always made the Turtles so cool was that they were outcasts in a human world, not that they are just a couple more mutants in a world populated by endless mutants. That said, I’ve also read most of the IDW series in dribs and drabs, reviewing odd collections and trade paperbacks here and there. This is my first chance to sit down and read the series in order right from the start. (The compendium, unlike the IDW Collection hardcover library series, wisely omits any of the spin-off series and one-shots and just focuses on the main series issues.) And while I maintain that my criticism of the series remains valid – which I fully admit is a matter of personal taste – I will say that reading the book in the way it was meant to be read certainly improves the experience.

It’s hard to argue with any book where you’re getting 50 issues of a comic book run for just over a dollar an issue. The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Compendium: Volume 2 is a massive behemoth of a book and a great buy for TMNT fans, even if it’s not my personal favorite run of comics. 

The Specs: 

• Publisher: IDW Publishing
• Format: Softcover
• Page Count: 1200 pages
• Cover Price: $59.99

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Journeys – Volume 1 (Graphic Novel) – 7/28

Official Synopsis:

A lost piece of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles history, uncovered. The last TMNT series printed by Mirage is finally reprinted by IDW in this outstanding series of collected editions for the first time! In 2001, legendary Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles co-creator Peter Laird joined forces with Jim Lawson and the legendary talent at Mirage Studios to continue the epic journey of the Ninja Turtles in the fourth volume of their ongoing series. TMNT: Journeys reprints that epic series here for the very first time!

The Ninja Turtles are growing up and facing off against frightening new dangers that could tear the four brothers apart and change New York City forever. Meanwhile, April and Casey prepare for the next step in their relationship as they’re expecting a baby. And Master Splinter trains with Shadow Jones for the dark forces threatening the family ahead. TMNT: Journeys will collect all 32 issues currently available in six total volumes! Volume 1 collects issues #1–5 of the series and is featured in the original black and white format.

The Book: 

On the flip side of things we have Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Journeys – Volume 1, which takes a little bit of explaining. After the initial 62-issue run of TMNT published by Mirage studios came to an end, there was a short-lived second volume, then a run that was published by Image Comics. Finally, this story was launched in 2001 with TMNT co-creator Peter Laird returning to writing duties for the first time in several years, and published back at Mirage Studios. Ignoring everything that happened in the Image books, this was the first series from Mirage in a long time to attempt a long-form narrative in the Ninja Turtles universe. The book ran pretty regularly from 2001 to 2006, and the a few more issues trickled out between late 2006 and 2014, where the last two issues were published and only available through Mirage’s website. 

IDW has been reprinting the series monthly, and this trade paperback contains the first five issues. With five more volumes planned, these collections will eventually give you the whole series, including those last two incredibly rare issues. 

So how is TMNT: Journeys? Personally, I love it. Peter Laird goes back to the Turtles’ roots a bit, and while there are some characters who might be unfamiliar to readers who didn’t keep up with every issue of the comics, it’s pretty easy to jump into things and follow along. The story sees the Utrom aliens come to Earth and… not try to blow everything up? Instead, we see the Turtles and the Utroms team up, and we get the return of characters like The Fugitoid as well as mainstays like April O’Neil and Casey Jones. Artist Jim Lawson is one of the original Ninja Turtles artists (after Eastman and Laird, of course) and his art style – inked by Peter Laird – fits the book and the Ninja Turtles universe exceptionally well. The black-and-white printing – the way the book was originally published – also gives it a cool throwback feel that I appreciate. 

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Journeys Volume 1 is a great read and brings us back to some classic Ninja Turtles adventures. Definitely check it out!

The Specs: 

• Publisher: IDW Publishing
• Format: Softcover
• Page Count: 200 pages
• Cover Price: $19.99

The Hunger and the Dusk: Volume 2 (Graphic Novel) – 7/28

Official Synopsis:

In a world where humans and orcs have spent generations at war, a fragile alliance once offered hope for peace. But after a devastating rift, that alliance begins to fracture as enemies gather and war threatens to consume both sides. Perfect for fans of: Saga and Monstress or readers who love sweeping fantasy worlds, impossible odds, and high-stakes character drama.

The acclaimed fantasy epic by Hugo and World Fantasy Award–winning writer G. Willow Wilson and artist Chris Wildgoose reaches its thrilling conclusion! Collecting The Hunger and the Dusk issues #7–12! Including the previously unreleased issues #10–12**for the first time in print, concluding the saga!

The Book: 

I couldn’t be more excited to get this new trade paperback from IDW! The Hunger and the Dusk was a hit comic that came out of the gate strong and then seemed to disappear, but I absolutely loved it. A fantasy/action comic, it focused on a world where humans and orcs, longtime enemies, have to band together in order to survive a new and all-powerful threat. 

What makes this volume so special is that it collects issues 10-12 of the series (as well as 7, 8, and 9). Why is that so exciting? Because the series disappeared before the last few issues could see print. Apparently, there were some production delays that led to IDW canceling the series after issue 9 rather than distribute them as individual issues. So now, for those of us who were fans of the book, we can finally see how it all ends!

I won’t spoil anything here, but suffice it to say that G. Willow Wilson has crafted an epic fantasy story that will totally appeal to fans of The Lord of the Rings or Game of Thrones, while having it’s own unique identity and flavor. And I can’t say enough about Chris Wildgoose’s artwork, which is absolutely gorgeous! I hope this isn’t the end for the series, but if it is, at least we got to collect the complete series over the course of two trade paperbacks. Go back and track down Volume 1 of The Hunger and the Dusk if you haven’t read it already, then come back for Volume 2 to see how it all wraps up!

The Specs: 

• Publisher: IDW Publishing
• Format: Softcover
• Page Count: 152 pages
• Cover Price: $21.99

Hulk Teach: A Tale of 2 Teachers (Graphic Novel) – 8/4

Official Synopsis:

A hilarious original series filled with comics, mischief, and misadventure starring the Hulk and his new teaching assistant, the Fantastic Four’s the Thing! From the mind of New York Times bestselling author and illustrator Jeffrey Brown.

Bruce Banner, AKA the Hulk, is a genius scientist and super hero whose rage-outs have led him to damage way too much public property — and get assigned to teaching middle school. After making it through winter break, Bruce arrives back at school to find he’ll have a partner in the classroom: Ben Grimm, AKA the Fantastic Four’s THE THING! The Thing’s lowkey approach to rules and classwork couldn’t be further from Bruce’s. Can these two learn to work together? Or will Bruce’s Hulk-outs get them BOTH kicked out of the classroom?

This all-new middle grade graphic novel told with two-color artwork offers a laugh-out-loud take on middle school that’s not to be missed!

The Book: 

Okay, let me just state for the record that as far as I’m concerned, Jeffrey Brown can do no wrong. From his Star Wars children’s books to his Jedi Academy books to his Lucy & Andy Neanderthal series, everything he does is fantastic. So you can stop reading here and just go out and buy Hulk Teach: A Tale of 2 Teachers right now if it’s easier. 

But, if you want to keep reading, I can tell you that this second Hulk book written and illustrated by Brown is absolutely terrific. In it, The Hulk/Bruce Banner gets sentenced to teaching at middle school, where he finds out his co-teacher is none other than his best frenemy, Ben Grimm (AKA the Fantastic Four’s The Thing!) I don’t really need to tell you what happens from there, but suffice it to say that it’s funny, charming, and thoughtful. Brown has a way of writing for younger audiences while also truly capturing his characters’ spirit, whether that’s The Hulk, The Thing, or even The Watchers, who kick things off. And as always, Brown’s artwork – presented here in black and white plus green) is outstanding. 

So, sure, you can buy Hulk Teach: A Tale of 2 Teachers for the kids in your life, but don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone when you sneak off and read it for yourself!

The Specs: 

• Publisher: Graphix
• Format: Softcover
• Page Count: 160 pages
• Cover Price: $12.99

Cat Loaf Adventures (Graphic Novel) – 8/4

Official Synopsis:

Follow the adventures of Cat Loaf and their pastry pals as they explore, make friends, and cause mayhem! This quirky comic from WEBTOON is perfect for fans of Max, A Little Axolotl! Meet Cat Loaf, the most wondrous talking, walking, sitting, hopping, loaf of bread you’ll ever meet!

Join feline friends Cat Loaf, Rye Loaf, and Tabby Loaf (Tabs for short) as they go on adventures in this WebToon original graphic novel, now in print for the very first time! Equal parts fun and funny, Cat Loaf Adventures Vol. 1 is stuffed full of epic excitement and wacky weirdness. From thwarting the dastardly plans of the evil Lord Cinnabuns to befriending the elusive and skittish chocolate mousses, Cat Loaf is here to do it all and make a mess along the way!

The Book: 

Cat Loaf. Yes, it is a loaf of bread that’s shaped like a cat. And is also alive. And acts like a cat. So it is a cat. But it’s made out of bread. 

Look, I can’t really wrap my brain around it either, but I’m not who this kids’ graphic novel was written for. This is a book aimed squarely at young, young readers, and honestly, for them it will be a big hit. I think back to how much my daughter loved Pusheen and Grumpy Cat and Hello Kitty when she was young, and I am positive she would have been obsessed with Cat Loaf. The artwork is cute and colorful, the dialogue is clever with lots of food-related puns, and the reading is simple without being dumbed down. In short, it’s perfect for the little kids in your life. 

Cat Loaf Adventures started out as so many popular books do these days, on WebToons. It’s obviously popular enough to warrant a printed edition, and while it’s a bit odd for my adult brain to handle, I really do think little kids will absolutely adore it. 

The Specs: 

• Publisher: Graphix
• Format: Softcover or Hardcover
• Page Count: 160 pages
• Cover Price: $14.99 (SC) or $25.99 (HC)

Crescent Moon Marching (Graphic Novel) – 8/4

Official Synopsis:

A new student dreams big and finds inspiration and friendship when she joins the ultra-competitive high school marching band in this full-color manga for fans of Haikyu!! and Hikaru in the Light!

Mizuki has never played a musical instrument. She’s never marched in time with a group (it’s harder than it looks!). And she’s never spent time on school activities when she could be studying. But after leaving behind her high-stress high school in Tokyo and moving to small-town Akita with her aunt, she’s looking for a fresh start. And when she crosses paths with Akira, a cute-but-grumpy trumpet player who introduces her to their school marching band, this may be just the chance she needs to take a leap and find herself.

The Book: 

This new manga graphic novel from Hamachi Yamada is a little different than what I’m used to seeing from many of the manga releases I get to review on a typical basis. Often the manga I get are filled with robots, aliens, superheroes, and the like, and they’re almost always in black and white. Not only is Crescent Moon Marching in color, but it’s much more of a slice-of-life/coming-of-age story. 

In this case, it focuses on teenage Mizuki, who’s starting up at a new school and gets roped into joining the marching band by a new friend. The only problem is that she doesn’t play an instrument. But she’s not going to let that stop her from trying something new and making new friends. Of course, there’s more to the story than that, but that’s what you’ll discover when you check the book out. 

I’ll say that I found the story engaging, even if it didn’t blow me away. But what did blow me away is Hamachi Yamada’s beautiful artwork. It’s not only in color but it looks like it’s fully painted, or at least colored in a way that mimics full painting, and the result is gorgeous, transcendent imagery that often features breathtaking full-page imagery. If the story is solid, the artwork pushes the book up into ‘terrific’ territory. 

Crescent Moon Marching is the first volume in a series that already has a Volume 2 on the schedule. I’m not sure if there’s more coming after that, but if you’re a manga fan, I’d recommend taking a look at it. 

The Specs: 

• Publisher: Graphix
• Format: Softcover or Hardcover
• Page Count: 192 pages
• Cover Price: $11.99 (SC) or $24.99 (HC)