Madame Xanadu #23 – Review

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

The Story: Madame Xanadu faces off against Morganna in a final bid to save Betty

What’s Good: It’s sort of neat to see Madame Xanadu behave, in many respects, like an honest to goodness superhero.  Her final confrontation with Morganna and the magical battle that ensues is the kind of epic clash between good guy and bad guy that I wouldn’t necessarily expect from this book.  That said, it works, largely because Nimue is so naturally likable and Wagner continues to do an awesome job in writing Morganna.  I could not imagine a more humorously cackling villain.  I mean, how can you not laugh when a villain says “goblin balls!” as a curse?  With wonderfully written narration that always carries that simultaneous air of determination and vulnerability, it’s impossible not to root for Nimue, while with her continued mad arrogance, it’s equally impossible not to root against Morganna.

Then there’s John Jones/J’onn J’onzz who continues to be a joy to read under Wagner’s pen.  The character is continually written with that sly little wink as Wagner makes so much use of our knowing something that the characters do not.  He also makes us desperate to see J’onn in his true form, but he never quite lets us have it.  Instead, Wagner gives us little hints here and there of the Martian beneath the human form, always, delightfully, just on the periphery of Nimue’s awareness.  A blur of green might rush to her rescue and at one point, we even see a distinctly Martian looking hand reaching out to grab her.  Wagner teases us as much as he does Nimue herself.

Madame Xanadu #22 – Review

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

The Story: Madame Xanadu and Detective Jones confront Morganna, only to discover her nefarious plot.

What’s Good: I feel like every one of my reviews of an Amy Reeder Hadley illustrated issue has to include a mandatory tribute for her work. Her high quality art is nothing if not consistent in its excellence.  Once again, Hadley does awesome work this month.  Morganna looks certifiably insane, Jones looks suitably inhuman when unleashing his powers, and the action is great, always carrying a kind of whimsical/slapstick feel.  Hadley’s work is always full of life and a kind of, for lack of a better word, happiness that permeates every panel.  For instance, even something like the grotesque, purple exploding cultists she draws this month carries a wink of comedy, regardless of the brutal circumstances.  As usual, Hadley also manages to slip in a pair of really fun, creative layouts.

Wagner’s script once again makes fantastic use of his supporting characters.  Morganna, for instance, has never been a more effective villain.  Wagner gives her a kind of hedonistic abandon, turning the character into a kind of mystic DC Caligula.  Her expressions of boredom and raving madness are perfectly accompanied by her merciless actions and when she makes two of her slaves fight to the death for her amusement, it’s a bit of a laugh.  Full of excess and caring not a whit for human life, she’s a perfect, classic sort of villain that fits the tone of the book wonderfully.

Hellboy: The Wild Hunt #7 – Review

by Mike Mignola (writer), Duncan Fegredo (art), Scott Allie (back-up co-writer), Patric Reynolds (back-up art), Dave Stewart (colors), and Clem Robins (letters)

The Story: Hellboy learns the weighty consequences to wielding Excalibur.

What’s Good: Mignola crafts an issue here that causes the reader’s experience to mirror Hellboy’s own. Specifically, almost to the point of frustration and monotony, every damned thing leads back to the prophecy. No matter how far we go, we’re always pulled back to, or rather pushed into, Hellboy’s supposed destiny. Much as Hellboy can’t escape this, neither can we. Despite this arc taking place in England and focusing on Arthurian legend, we somehow still find ourselves right back on familiar grounds. The grand circularity of it all is both painful and tragic, especially when Mignola at one point has Hellboy literally fight his future, something he’s been doing indirectly for the entire series. If Hellboy cannot escape his destiny, neither can we.

Mignola is also especially skillful this month in having Hellboy essentially be under siege, as influences from across the spectrum attempt to fill his ear with whispers, pushing him towards wielding Excalibur. It’s only so effective due to the two “whisperers” being complete opposites in nature and method. There’s the old enemy talking of demons and prophecies, and then there’s good old Alice, hugging Hellboy and telling him that he needs to save the world and that it’ll all work out. In many ways, Alice is the more dangerous of the two, despite being the “good guy.” She’s so comforting and so affectionate that we readers are perhaps even more convinced by her than Hellboy himself. All the voices filling Hellboy’s head fill our own, and the issue ends up feeling like a swirling mass of manipulation from all angles.

On art, it’s another great issue from Duncan Fegredo. Fantastic shots of Gothic gloom and old horror castles meet our hulking red hero, all set opposed to hellish blazes of fire. Fegredo and Stewart set up continuous dichotomies between pitch black and searing light that are absolutely fantastic, opposing the stark, haunted, and barren with the dense and cataclysmic activity of hell.

Last month, I stated my strong dislike for the back-up. Thankfully, this month’s back-up, now with Mignola at the helm and a new artist, is far superior. It was a fun, comprehensible, self-contained story that didn’t overreach and ultimately satisfied. Witch-hunt based stories are often good, if not ghoulish, fun, and Mignola certainly knows his stuff in this arena. It’s clear though, especially given the retrospective nature of the narrative, that this story is all about the atmosphere, and thanks in no small part to the scratchier, painted feel, it’s a complete and very dark success in this regard.

What’s Not So Good: Given how fast a read Hellboy always is, even though the back-up was enjoyable, I still lamented not getting a full issue of Hellboy.

Some readers may also be disappointed to learn that no decision is reached this month regarding Excalibur. Even with next month being the finale, Mignola seems to be in no rush.

Conclusion: When the reader’s experience mirrors that of an iconic character, you’re doing something right.

Grade: B+

-Alex Evans