GEIGER #14, by Image Comics on 5/14/25, finds the U.S. Army invading Lewistown, but is it too late to stop the military and Ashley’s explosive plan from killing everyone?
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: May 14, 2025
- Comic Rating: Teen
- Cover Price: $3.99
- Page Count: 36
- Format: Single Issue
Covers:
Analysis of GEIGER #14:
Recap:
When we last left Tariq in Geiger #13, Nate the Nuclear Knight and Junkyard Joe worked together to save the townspeople when the U.S. Army attacked, while Tarig and Ashley charged onto the battlefield. During the battle, a power outage unlocked Dr. Molotov’s cell, allowing him to escape. When the good Doctor found Nate and Joe, he explained Ashley rigged a nuclear warhead to blow.
Plot Analysis:
In Geiger #14, the countdown to nuclear devastation begins. Inside a nearby building, Tariq and Dr. Molotov have a tense conversation about truth and lies. Tariq doesn’t believe anything Molotov has to say due to their unpleasant past, while Molotov tries to convince Tariq not to trust Ashley. Molotov’s life is proof that Ashley is a liar because she told Tariq that Molotov was dead.
Elsewhere, Junkyard Joe fights through the invading Army with Nate to protect the citizens of Lewistown. Joe is largely successful, but he’s stopped in his tracks when he encounters his maker. The general uses a remote control to freeze Joe so he can open his skull and reset his memories to bring him back under his control. Meanwhile, Ashley lays waste to the military’s forces outside the town’s borders.
The issue ends with the President ordering his men to escort him into Lewistown, the General flipping Joe’s switch, Tariq and Ashley coming to blows when he learns Ashley’s deadly plan, and the Army learning the countdown can’t be stopped.
First Impressions:
Geiger #14 is the type of tense, momentum-building storytelling we need to see more of across all Ghost Machine titles. Writer Geoff Johns unveils Ashley’s secret plan, and it’s a doozy. Not because it’s explosive (it is) but because it will eventually force Geiger to confront his past. Is Geiger a monster due to his powers or his choices?
Artwork and Presentation:
Gary Frank’s super-detailed art is super-great. Geiger #14 is one of the more action-packed issues in the run, and you get to see the “glowing couple” do their worst against the Army and each other. In particular, Frank knows how to draw the human form in realistic ways to give the emotional acting and the fantastical action a grounded, cinematic flair.
Art Samples:
Story Positives & Negatives:
The Positives:
It’s all about the buildup. Geoff Johns starts the issue with a ticking clock re: the nuclear bomb, then stacks a few more by way of Junkyard Joe’s supposed “reset” and the fight between Tariq and Ashley. It’s building tension on top of building tension, which is exactly what this series needs to keep the reader invested.
The Negatives:
Consider this down point a matter of preference. When Ashley reveals her endgame, it feels a bit anti-climactic in the delivery because she simply blurts it out during the fight. The moment of the big reveal lacked a dramatic reaction because the central lynchpin of the plan (the bomb) was piecemealed out in the previous issue.
Big Picture:
Series Continuity:
Is there a big crossover between the main Ghost Machine heroes in the works? At this point, nothing is clear or certain. The main characters, such as Redcoat and Junkyard Joe, have either cameoed or appeared as support characters in Geiger, but Ghost Machine has not announced a crossover event…yet.
Final Thoughts:
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GEIGER #14 brings fire and anticipation when Ashley Arden’s secret plan is revealed. Writer Geoff Johns stacks one ticking clock on top of another to heighten the tension as much as possible, and Gary Frank’s detailed art leans into the realism for a cinematic experience. This issue is a great example of building to a climax.
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