GEIGER #10, by Image Comics on 1/8/25, finds the Glowing Man quickly losing control of his powers and his life when a mechanical soldier arrives, but is he a friend or foe?
Credits:
- Writer: Geoff Johns
- Artist: Gary Frank
- Colorist: Brad Anderson
- Letterer: Rob Leigh
- Cover Artist: Gary Frank, Brad Anderson (cover A)
- Publisher: Image Comics
- Release Date: January 8, 2025
- Comic Rating: Teen
- Cover Price: $3.99
- Page Count: 36
- Format: Single Issue
Covers:
Analysis of GEIGER #10:
Recap:
When last we left Tariq and Nate in Geiger #9, their side trip to Grover’s Corners came to a destructive end when the King of Las Vegas invaded. The Glowing Man eventually prevailed, but his victory came at the expense of the goodwill of the town’s citizens, and Nate took some lumps during the Glowing Man’s uncontrolled rage fit. The issue ended with an assortment of Ghost Machine characters heeding the call to capture the Glowing Man.
Plot Analysis:
Geiger #10 begins with a flashback near the start of the Unnamed War when Tariq Geiger volunteered to build housing for returning veterans. Tariq worried for the future of his family when he witnessed the escalating war conscripting young men at an alarming rate. Now, the Glowing Man kills a trio of scavengers who attacked a small farmhouse. When the battle ends, Nate directs the survivors back to Grover’s Corners for shelter, and in return, they donate books for the Glowing Man.
Later, Tariq and Nate continue driving towards Lewistown to find a cure for the Glowing Man’s condition. Nate grows concerned that Tariq is becoming dangerously withdrawn and despondent. Suddenly, Tariq’s powers flare up as he drives, crashing their bus into a ditch. Nate gathers up Zigzag and Barney and dives through the back window before the bus goes up in flames.
Nate tries to rescue Tariq, but he can’t get through the fire. Tariq eventually stumbles out of the bus and collapses to the ground. Out of nowhere, a robotic soldier, who we recognize as Junkyard Joe, approaches the flaming bus. Tariq yells for Nate to draw his sword and attack, but Junkyard Joe quickly disarms him. Tariq lifts the bus and throws it at Joe, and the strain causes Tariq to collapse.
Nate tries to help Tariq when he realizes Tariq’s heart stopped. The issue concludes with Junkyard Joe making good use of his electrical charge, a journey’s end, and an unusual gatekeeper.
First Impressions:
After a first pass, Geiger #10 is one of the best issues in the series so far on a number of fronts. Writer Geoff Johns picks up the pace, moves the plot farther along than it has in ages, and starts to bring the pieces of the long-awaited crossover together. When readers say they want a comic that “feels like it matters,” this is it.
Artwork and Presentation:
Gary Frank is at the top of his game by communicating the story through the art just as well as Johns scripts the dialog and narration. The sheer amount of detail is astounding, and Frank makes great use of silhouettes to project Tariq’s worsening emotional state.
Art Samples:
Story Positives & Negatives:
The Positives:
When we say Geiger #10 feels like it matters, we mean it. Tariq’s loss of control over his powers is both a mystery and a source of high tension. Junkyard Joe’s arrival (with a brief cameo by Redcoat) expands the scope of the story, and the travelers finally make it to Lewistown. This is progress. This is great progress, and it’s the kind of progress that elevates your anticipation for what comes next.
The Negatives:
For a standard-sized issue, a little too much time is spent on world-building that doesn’t add anything to the story. For example, the opening flashback informs readers how much Tariq loves (loved) his family and shows his concern for the escalating war. Well, we know all that information. It’s a nice moment, but it doesn’t tell readers anything they didn’t already know or give readers a different lens through which to view Tariq’s present problems.
The Bigger Picture:
Series Continuity:
So, the big question on everyone’s mind is – When will the big Ghost Machine crossover happen, and who will be in it? As of this writing, no formal date has been announced, much less the specifics. Geiger is the only title that brings in multiple characters so far, although hints of appearances have occurred in other titles, but that’s about it.
Final Thoughts:
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GEIGER #10 cranks up the plot progress, action, and anticipation when Junkyard Joe arrives at the moment the Glowing Man is at his lowest. Geoff Johns pens a script that pushes the journey to Lewistown ahead by leaps and bounds, and Gary Frank’s artwork is phenomenal.
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