Madame Xanadu #17 – Review

by Matt Wagner (writer), Amy Reeder Hadley (pencils), Richard Friend (inks), Guy Major (colors), and Jared K. Fletcher (letters)

This is probably the best issue of Madame Xanadu in months.  Of course, this is thanks in no small part to the jaw-dropper ending.  I was absolutely stunned, as it was played and set up perfectly by Wagner.  It’s the return of an element we haven’t see in a very, very long time in the series and as such, it comes out of left field.  Even better is the fact that Wager is a master when it comes to his use of red herrings.  He’s so good at it that this month’s ending simply comes out of nowhere; it’s one of those rare cases where it’s jarring in a good way.  I absolutely cannot wait for next month’s issue.

Beyond that, this month essentially does everything that Madame Xanadu does well.  It’s full of that sense of dark whimsy that has made the series such a success.  As was the case last month, while Betty’s torments are clearly horrifying and while she certainly is a sympathetic figure, it’s all rendered with a kind of black humor.  That said, this month, when her curse reaches its apex, Wagner does a great job at portraying her desperation and emotion.  While the humor is still there, this month is heavier on the horror, as Betty begins to lose not just her appearance, but her personality.  Last month, we saw her physically becoming someone else and this month, we see the mental transition, which is unsettling.  That said, Wagner still manages this with a comic touch.

And that’s it really.  Wagner is able to portray what would be some gritty, dark stuff in an accessibly light-hearted fashion.  This month’s introduction of a mysterious satanic cult, for example, is hard not to read without a smile on your face, despite none of them actually cracking jokes or making pratfalls.  It’s purely a matter of tone and atmosphere, and a mark of Wagner’s ability.

Of course, this atmosphere is also thanks in no small part to Hadley.  The satanic cult is funny because Hadley makes them funny.  There’s also a very humorous scene involving Betty’s husband and his lecherous “Tuesday night” efforts that really is quite a laugh, largely thanks to Hadley’s excellent illustrations of Betty and her husband’s respective facial expressions.  All told, it’s just a beautiful book and I’m also happy to report that colorist Guy Major is back to his usual quality fare, as opposed to the insanely bright work we got last month.

This comic really was a pitch-perfect and an enjoyable experience throughout. It has everything that got Xanadu to the Eisners. Wagner scores high with what is by far the most enjoyable issue of Madame Xanadu in a very long time. The ending will have those who’ve been on-board from the start gasping.

Grade: A-

-Alex Evans

The Darkness #76 – Review

By Phil Hester (Writer), Michael Broussard (Pencils), Ryan Winn (Inks), and Benny Fuentes (Colors)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: I bailed on the third volume of The Darkness following the end of the first story arc. And to be honest, I’m not entirely sure why. Maybe it was the different art team or perhaps it was the less than engaging previews I had checked out. Whatever the reason, I decided to jump back on board after the series hit number seventy five and celebrated with a one-shot that offered up a pretty compelling glimpse of a possible future for the Top Cow universe.

The Story: While attempting to walk away from the Sovereign’s orders, Jackie Estacado falls under the spell of a beautiful woman with a red ribbon in her hair. Jackie quickly finds out that there’s more to the woman than meets the eye, and he finds out that there is quite a bit he has yet to learn about the legacy of the Darkness. And it could cost him his life.

What’s Good: For an extremely fast read, The Darkness #76 does quite a few things right. The artwork, though not without flaws, is pretty quite striking at times and does a nice job of visually carrying the story forward when there is little dialogue or narration to help out. The woman’s red ribbon is particularly worthy of note because Michael Broussard and his team do a great job of making it stand out in any panel it’s present in. And the effect helps to create a sense of uneasiness about both the woman and the desperation that drives Jackie toward his destination. As for the writing, Phil Hester effectively adds wrinkles to both the mythology of the Darkness and the character of Estacado. While the conflicted anti-hero is something of a cliché (and has been for some time), Estacado manages to remain compelling regardless of the baggage that the characters of his type tend to carry.

What’s Not So Good: While I didn’t feel ripped off, there is no denying how quick the latest issue of The Darkness ended. Whole pages went by without any dialogue, which really accentuated the inconsistent (sometimes silly) visuals. I mean, Jackie Estacado’s face seemed to change repeatedly throughout the book. At times, his particular case of moody angst seems to give him pouty Angelina Jolie lips. As it turns out, the unintentional hilarity really breaks the somber tone Hester and company seem to be going for.

Conclusion: While the wonky artwork proves at times, distracting, it doesn’t hurt the quality of an otherwise enjoyable comic too much. There is something about the fairly simple story and effective use of color that kept me glued to the pages. It definitely could have been better, but nonetheless, I liked it well enough.

Grade: B-

-Kyle Posluszny