Image Comics reviews 4/15/26 – GI Joe 21, Redcoat 17

Invincible Universe Battle Beast 8

Between dismembered populations, Viltrumite sightings, face splitting, brain eating and stabbings — so many stabbings — Battle Beast 8 is not for the faint of heart. Fans of the character wouldn’t expect anything less and writer Robert Kirkman, artist Ryan Ottley, colorist Annalisa Leoni and letterer Rus Wooton deliver in violent, bloody spades.

It’s a little wild how Kirkman can craft issues that are basically one big gory battle after another yet keep it so entertaining. His script is razor sharp with Battle Beast getting some excellent lines as he battles the siblings Colossus and Juggernaut, who have conquered the planet of his ally Prince Salaka. One of the constantly hilarious running jokes in the series is how Battle Beast yearns to meet an opponent strong enough to finally kill him. While eager to meet his death, he certainly has no intent on making it easy for his would-be killer much to the siblings’ chagrin.

Ottley delivers some beautifully horrific action sequences holding absolutely nothing back with an impressive level of detail. These are massive scale fights with all kinds of gruesome detail and Ottley doesn’t skimp on any entrails, bones and oozing fluids in the panels. Leoni’s coloring further enhances the visual spectacle with bold colors to invite further exploration of every page.

Kirkman is already teeing up the next big battle with the Viltrumite Conquest seemingly bored and ready for his next grand fight. Battle Beast will certainly be happy to oblige him.

There’s a sadistic guilty pleasure in reading all of the carnage and bloodshed in Battle Beast, but it’s so well done that it’s impossible to turn away from and impatiently wait for the next installment.

Rating: 10 out of 10