Comics
Review: ‘Planetoid’ #1
Hearing that a new comic has sold out is always exciting, and it is especially good when you have one of the copies. One look at the cover of Ken Garing’s new comic, Planetoid, will tell you why it flew off of the shelves. The especially hulking robot had me flipping the cover almost immediately, but something caught my eye: Garing wrote, illustrated and did the lettering for the book, and he nails every aspect of “Planetoid Issue” #1.
WRITTEN BY: Ken Garing
ART BY: Ken Garing
PUBLISHER: Image Comics
RELEASE: Out now
The visual impact of “Planetoid” is undeniable, and Garing’s approach to dialogue emphasizes this. Opening with a crash landing on an unknown planetoid, the first 4 pages of the comic only have 1 page of dialogue. This has the effect of throwing the reader head first into the striking semi-apocalyptic Terminator-esque landscape. Near the start is one of the best full page spread I’ve seen in a long time, and is reminiscent of the German Romantic painting, “Wanderer above the Sea of Fog” by Friedrich; except in Garing’s case he has replaced a natural landscape with a devastated, heavy machinery graveyard. This one illustration alone makes the comic worthwhile.
Garing did an amazing job with the writing as well. He uses an “interactive analytical assistant” named Ricter, as a Siri-like voice activated narratorial device. Ricter’s speech serves the dual purpose of orienting both the main character, Silas, and the reader to this inhospitable world. Oftentimes comics have a way of forcing a back story on the reader in a way that does not mesh with what is being illustrated. In “Planetoid”, that is not the case. Ricter seamlessly fills in Silas about exactly how f*cked his situation is, as well presents the reader with an RPG like look into Silas’ inventory, through a visual interface. This was a unique approach to narration that is highly effective, as Silas’ assistant both talks and displays information to him. Garen also does not go overboard with this, making sure that Ricter is not omniscient, and does not talk incessantly. Ricter also isn’t necessarily street smart either, after he humorously lets Silas’ metallic tent get eaten by animals.
As Silas ventures deeper into the planetoid, Garen again hits the mute button on the dialogue, giving the comic a great atmosphere, as the reader is immersed in the desolated landscape and oppressive machinery. However, Silas isn’t on a leisurely hike, and he is up against some pretty twisted robots, one of which is the metallic equivalent of a worm from Dune.
I’m definitely looking forward to the next issue of Garen’s “Planetoid” and I suggest you try and get your grubby little hands on the first print issue, or the reprint which is due in stores the same day as “Planetoid” #2, at the beginning of July.
5/5 skulls
Reviewed by The_Sandman
Comics
‘You’ll Never Leave This Place Alive’ – IDW Dark’s Next Horror Comic Will Make You Question Reality
Five friends. Four houses. One perfect life. Bloody Disgusting is excited to exclusively announce You’ll Never Leave This Place Alive, a brand new horror comic from IDW Dark.
From Eisner-Nominated writers Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly, and rising horror artist Heather Vaughan, You’ll Never Leave This Place Alive is described as a “paranoia-laced, socially-conscious, horror mystery that will leave you questioning reality, and reveal that this crafted world is more of a nightmare than the idealistic dream they were expecting.”
Phoebe Joplin has never questioned the world her parents built: a secluded community where she and her friends were raised to be smarter, stronger, and better than anyone else. No distractions. No dangers. No secrets. Until the night of their graduation.
When one of them dies under impossible circumstances, Phee starts to pull at the edges of her perfect life—and what she finds is something far more terrifying than she ever imagined.
Because this place isn’t a sanctuary. It’s a cage. And no one who discovers the truth ever leaves it alive.
Collin Kelly & Jackson Lanzing (Batman – One Bad Day: Clayface, Star Trek: The Last Starship) co-write the upcoming IDW Dark horror comic, featuring art by Heather Vaughan.
Jackson Lanzing said in a statement to Bloody Disgusting, “You’ll Never Leave This Place Alive is in many ways a spiritual successor to our last creator-owned horror, The Principles of Necromancy – a dive into the promise and consequence of playing god with the blood of innocents. But the Hivemind book this reminds me of most is Clayface: One Bad Day. This is a deeply human story with intensely raw emotions – five best friends and their five mysterious parents, tearing one another apart for the promise of some impossible glory that’s waiting just beyond their darkest actions. We’re thrilled to be bringing this story to life with our long-time partner in crime, editor Heather Antos, at IDW Dark – and we’re particularly excited to give our Clayface fans a new, brutal and emotional horror made just for them.”
Adds Collin Kelly, “We’re deconstructing a feeling that seems universal these days; our elders have a death grip on their power, without any intention of giving it up to the generations that come next. YNLTPA is about growing up with the limitless potential of the future… and realizing how much it’s a lie we’ve been fed to keep us under the yoke of the past. Bringing this brutal experience to life is our artist and co-creator, Heather Vaughan, who brings an incredible amount of humanity to our cast. But it’s in our youthful leads that Heather’s art really shines – you are going to fall in love with these young people, even as they go through the worst experience of their lives. What we’ve all crafted together is going to be tragic, painful, but above all else, sincere – with a future so uncertain, there’s only one thing we can trust: you’ll never leave this place alive.”
“Some horror stories are about monsters in the dark. YNLTPA is about realizing the monsters raised you,” previews Senior Group Editor Heather Antos. “Working with Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly on this series has been a dream in the darkest possible way. They’ve built a story that’s layered, brutal, and deeply emotional, and every issue gives artist Heather Vaughan opportunities to push the art into places that feel both haunting and deeply personal. Some horror comics will keep you up at night…this is one that will stick with you for years to come.”
The first issue of You’ll Never Leave This Place Alive goes on sale October 14, 2026! Make sure to pre-order at your local comic shop by September to guarantee a copy.
Exclusively check out the various covers for Issue #1 down below.
IDW Publishing’s horror imprint IDW DARK features comics like A Quiet Place: Storm Warning, Smile: For the Camera, The Exorcism at 1600 Penn, Beneath The Trees Where Nobody Sees, The Twilight Zone, Event Horizon: Dark Descent & Event Horizon: Inferno, and more.
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