GEIGER #24 (GHOST MACHINE/IMAGE COMICS)

After a mini hiatus, Geiger is back and is jumping straight into the deep end. Tariq has been captured by a new foe that has a lot of secrets to reveal. Meanwhile, Nate, Doctor Moltov, and the gang are following the radioactive trail to find Tariq, with a newly fixed Junkyard Joe leading the way. Can they find Tariq and assist him in getting away from the new threat or will this be the end of the Glowing Man?

Geiger #24 - Written By Geoff Johns – Art By Gary Frank - Colors By Brad Anderson - Letters By Rob Leigh - Edited By Brian Cunningham - Published By Ghost Machine/Image Comics

Credit: Ghost Machine/Image Comics

*** POSSIBLE SPOILER WARNING ***

STORY OVERVIEW:

Tariq Geiger has been captured by an army of a newly revealed foe. But there is something strange about this army and its leader. As Tariq finds himself in danger, Barney bites the hand of the commander off in an attempt to help Tariq. As they capture Barney, Tariq knows he’s in some serious trouble. In the meantime, Nate, Doctor Moltov, Zigzag, and company are following the newly fixed Junkyard Joe who is locked on to a radioactive signal to find Tariq. This leads them directly to Detroit and closer to finding Tariq. Back in the warehouse, the leader reveals himself as the creator of Junkyard Joe and the robot army that captured Tariq. He also reveals that they are working for President Griffin, and that personally the scientist needs to find his greatest creation Junkyard Joe. As the rest of our heroes arrive, can they save Tariq, or will there be more tricks up these foes’ sleeves?

WRITING:

This issue brings us right back up to speed after the story’s brief break, and Geoff Johns handles that return with a strong sense of momentum. Instead of easing readers back in slowly, the issue immediately places Tariq in danger and reminds us how unstable and unpredictable this corner of the Ghost Machine universe can be. Johns does a great job making the time away from the book feel almost invisible; the pacing is quick, the stakes are clear, and the emotional connections between the characters are reestablished almost instantly. That is especially important here because the issue introduces a major new threat while also expanding the mythology surrounding Junkyard Joe, President Griffin, and the larger forces working against Tariq.

The reveal that Junkyard Joe’s creator is tied to the robot army gives the issue one of its most intriguing layers. It is not just a simple villain introduction; it reframes Joe as something far more unique and valuable than just another machine. Learning that Joe is a true one-of-one creation adds weight to the character and makes the scientist’s obsession with reclaiming him feel personal rather than purely tactical. That detail opens the door for a lot of future story potential, especially because the scientist’s inability to perfectly recreate Joe suggests there may be something deeper inside Joe that even his creator does not fully understand. Johns uses that idea well, turning what could have been a standard rescue mission into a bigger mystery about identity, creation, control, and loyalty.

The President Griffin connection also gives the issue a larger political and world-building edge. His presence is not overwhelming in this chapter, but the mention of his involvement immediately raises the stakes. It suggests that Tariq and his found family are not simply dealing with one dangerous scientist or a single army of robots, but with a much broader power structure that has resources, influence, and long-term plans. That makes the threat feel bigger without pulling focus away from the characters we care about most.

Still, the strongest part of the writing continues to be the heart of the series. Tariq, Nate, Doctor Moltov, Zigzag, Barney, and the rest of this ragtag group feel like a true family, and their loyalty to one another gives the action and danger much more meaning. Barney trying to protect Tariq is a small moment, but it lands because it reinforces the bond between these two. Johns understands that the emotional foundation is what makes the twists work. The sci-fi concepts, radioactive trails, robot armies, and political conspiracies are all exciting, but they matter more because they are happening to characters who genuinely care about one another. That balance between big comic book spectacle and sincere emotional storytelling is what continues to make Geiger such a strong read.

ARTWORK:

This issue looks fantastic and continues the series’ high visual bar. Gary Frank’s artwork is as sharp and expressive as ever, giving the issue a grounded, cinematic feel. Frank has always been great at making big moments feel larger than life without losing the human emotion underneath them, and that balance is all over this issue. The scenes with Tariq in captivity have a strong sense of tension because the characters’ body language and facial expressions sell the danger before the dialogue even needs to explain it. Tariq looks worn down but still defiant, Barney’s protective instincts come through clearly, and the new threat immediately feels cold, calculated, and unsettling through the way they are framed on the page.

The design work on the robot army is another major strength. The machines feel familiar enough to connect back to Junkyard Joe, but they also have an eerily human, more mass-produced quality that makes Joe stand out even more as something special. Frank makes that difference easy to understand visually, showing Joe as a character with personality and presence while the other robots feel colder and more disposable. That visual contrast reinforces the writing’s idea that Joe is not simply another weapon, but a unique creation with something deeper going on beneath the surface.

Brad Anderson’s colors give the issue a lot of its atmosphere and energy. The radioactive glow connected to Tariq remains one of the book’s strongest visual signatures, and Anderson uses it well to make Geiger feel powerful even when he is trapped or outnumbered. The colors also help separate the different tones of the issue: the darker warehouse scenes feel dangerous and claustrophobic, while the moments with Nate, Doctor Moltov, Zigzag, and the rest of the group have a slightly more adventurous quality as they follow the trail toward Tariq. That shift keeps the issue visually engaging and helps the reader feel the movement between danger, pursuit, and discovery.

The storytelling is also very easy to follow. Even when the issue is juggling multiple locations and several moving pieces, the layouts keep the action clear and the pacing smooth. The pages never feel crowded, but they still carry a strong amount of detail, which is one of the reasons Frank and Anderson work so well together. Frank gives each panel structure, weight, and emotion, while Anderson’s colors guide the eye and make the key moments pop. Along with Rob Leigh’s lettering, which keeps the dialogue and scene transitions clean, the creative team delivers an issue that feels polished from start to finish. The artwork does not simply decorate the story; it adds tension, personality, and scale to everything happening on the page.

Check Out My Review of Geiger #23

Final Thoughts:

Geiger #24 brings the series back in a big way. Revealing a new threat while continuing the journey with a group we’ve fallen in love with gives this issue some real bite. The story is so good it almost makes you forget about the inconsistencies with the releases of the issues in this series. Geiger still stands out as the flagship series from Ghost Machine and that is not a bad thing at all. If you haven’t been reading Geiger, this is a perfect jump on point. So, grab a copy when you are at the shop this week and get lost in the world of the Glowing Man.

FINAL GRADE: 9.2/10

Let me know your thoughts on Geiger #24 in the comments below. Thanks for reading!