Critter #12 Variant cover

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Critter #12 — Review

Covers

The $9.99 variant cover is the standout.  

It avoids the anatomical inconsistencies and leftover inking lines that drag down the standard cover. The big‑eyes, small‑mouth manga influence works in its favor, and the Eris/Sephiroth‑style front hair gives it a sharp silhouette. The pearls, the ruby shine, and the flaming grimoire‑style book all add personality. The subtle color shifts on the nose, eyes, mouth corners, and chin show a level of polish the other cover doesn’t match.

The standard cover, while stylistically valid for those who like that clunkier, heavier‑inked look, suffers from linework issues that become hard to ignore if you’re detail‑oriented.

Interior Art & Style

Continuing from Issue #11, the Zatanna‑like fire‑caster remains visually compelling. The exaggerated features and heavier shading communicate her darker internal nature well — especially in page 2, panel 4, where the switch between her outward performance face and her internal monologue face is genuinely clever.

The muddier, rougher style used during aggression or emotional intensity makes the earlier cover choices make more sense — it’s not inconsistency, it’s a deliberate aesthetic. And the spectral ghost sequences prove the team can handle fine detail when they want to.

Action & Anatomy

Page 8, panel 1 — that kick needed reference. Hercule kicking Cell would’ve been the perfect model.  

The rest of the page flows better, and the “protect the character” framing (hiding the impact on one of the leads) is very wrestling‑coded, which works.

But the eye problems are persistent — mismatched shading, missing eyes in side profiles, and faces that pull attention away from the action. Motion was clearly prioritized over anatomy, but the imbalance becomes distracting.

The action scenes overall feel bumbled. Too many interjections, too many panel‑flow speed bumps, and a hesitancy around depicting a male character fighting female characters. If you’re going to do it, you can’t be timid — the tentativeness shows.

Overall

Score: 1.5 / 5

Critter #12 made me think more about critiquing it than enjoying it.  

It activated my technical brain instead of my comic‑enjoyment brain — and that’s never a good sign.

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