Lyles Movie Files
image comics reviews 7-29-26 - geiger 24
Comic Book

Image Comics reviews 7/29/26 – Geiger 24, Ghost Pepper 13

Jeffrey Lyles , , , , , , , , , ,
Geiger 24

geiger 24

Geiger 24 picks right up from last issue’s cliffhanger as The Custodian and his legion of robots have surrounded him in efforts to use him as bait to draw out Junkyard Joe. Of course, Tariq the Glowing Man is not going to surrender without a fight. And neither will his two-headed pet wolf, Barney. Artist Gary Frank delivers outstanding work throughout Geiger 24, but one panel in particular featuring Barney seems like it’s ideal for posters and T-shirts. Between Redcoat’s Bryan Hitch, Rook Exodus’ Jason Fabok and Frank on Geiger, writer Geoff Johns is collaborating with the best trio of artists on three of the best series in comics.

Most of the issue is devoted to Nate, Dr. Molotov and Junkyard Joe tracking down Geiger, who they’ve been separated from for a few issues now.

Geiger 24 raises an increasingly pressing question — is Nate the Nuclear Knight the best supporting character in comics? He’s a legitimate sweet and kind character who is overflowing with likability in a world where that could be a liability. He’s hardly the shrewdest character running around but Nate isn’t an idiot — he’s simply hopeful.

In this world that could make him an idiot, but Johns is careful not to make him the butt of every joke or even treat him like comic relief. He’s the heart and soul of the title and Geiger 24 reiterates how essential he is to the title’s success.

MORE:

While Tariq has had several showcase moments to obliterate the bad guys in the series, it was a refreshing change to see Junkyard Joe being the one to cut loose in Geiger 24. Junkyard Joe doesn’t have flowery dialogue or even a few catchphrases — he’s just very efficient at taking down hordes of dudes in his path. The Custodian might have the numbers advantage with his bootleg Junkyard Joes, but the real deal is far more effective in the art of war and that’s without any weapons.

As usual, colorist Brad Anderson’s dazzling color palette adds that extra oomph to the adventures of The Glowing Man even without a lot of sequences featuring the glow. Junkyard Joe’s mechanical eyes contrasting with his fatigues and Nate’s armor paired with Molotov’s bright yellow outfit make for a fun array of colors. Letterer Rob Leigh dutifully adds in sound effects of varying sizes to accommodate the gears of mechanical eyes and limbs, the gallop of ZigZag heading into battle and Tariq’s powers surging.

Geiger 24 ends with the encounter years in the making as Geiger comes face to face with President Griffin. Will Geiger learn what actually started The Unknown War?

While some regularly strong titles had an off month, the same could not be said for Geiger 24, which delivered some excellent character moments along with some intense action heading to the first big milestone issue.

Rating: 10 out of 10

After reading Geiger 24, check out Geiger Vol. 5 on trade paperback on Amazon.

As an Amazon affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases. 

lylesmoviefiles