Red Sonja Noir #1 Review

 

Writer: David Avallone

Artist: Edu Menna

Colorist: Adriano Augusto

Letterer: Jeff Eckleberry

Editor: Joseph Rybandt

Cover Artists: Lesley “Leirix” Li, Joseph Michael Linsner & Cosplay by Molly Stewart

Publisher: Dynamite Entertainment

Price: $5.99

Release Date: June 18, 2025

 

The goddess Scáthach imbued Red Sonja with exceptional fighting abilities. But the men who killed her family and violated Red Sonja left their mark on her soul. So, when Scáthach forbids her intimacy with men, Red Sonja doesn't protest. She may ally with warriors like Conan now and then. But she feels more comfortable around women. What happens when Red Sonja finds a man she trusts? Let's grab our swords, leap into Red Sonja Noir #1, and see!

 

Story

In David Avallone’s story, Red Sonja has set up a business with Tamsin. They’ve established their reputation in town as heroes for hire. Red Sonja and Tamsin have taken rooms in a tavern. Townspeople in need of their services ask for Blade and Archer. But the pattern of their days changes when a beautiful lady arrives. Shawna needs protection from Zander. The slaver has kidnapped her sister and demands a ransom for her safe return. Although Shawna wishes to employ both partners, Tamsin assures the lady that Red Sonja’s involvement is unnecessary. He will protect Shawna as they meet with Zander and rescue her sister.

 

In Red Sonja Noir #1, the town guards awaken Red Sonja early the following morning. They know her well enough that they don’t suspect Red Sonja of killing her partner. When she vows to find Tamsin's murderer, they don't protest. As Red Sonja investigates, we learn more about the beautiful Shawna. The story also introduces Lady Stradaverde. She's less interested in stringed instruments than the occult. Lady Stradaverde, or The Crone, seeks an ancient artifact. Red Sonja, Shawna, and Zander have roles to play in acquiring it for her.

 

Red Sonja’s past prevents her from taking others at face value. The She-Devil With A Sword navigates the dangers of the investigation, unfazed by the intrigues she observes. Unlike those around her, Red Sonja seeks neither money nor power in Red Sonja Noir #1. All she wants is to find her partner's murderer. Red Sonja failed him in life. She won’t fail Tamsin in death.

 

Art

While Red Sonja shines in her armored bikini, Edu Menna dresses Tamsin in pants, a tunic, and a capelet. Together with his eyepatch and Van Dyke beard, swashbuckling Tamsin seems suited to this medieval town. Guards patrol the streets wearing quilted armor and capes. A double-masted ship anchors in the canal that flows through this Tudor-style town. The inhabitants and travelers use gently arced stone bridges to cross from one embankment to the other.

 

Adriano Augusto lavishes a loaded palette on this town of red-roofed houses. Yellow and orange dance across the blue and green waters of the canal. Shawna's purple and magenta clothing outshines most of the town's inhabitants in Red Sonja Noir #1. But her rosy skin exhibits the same healthy glow as Red Sonja's. Amid the realism of the tavern, market, and hotel, light combats the lurking darkness. In the Crone’s domain, illuminated by candles, it triumphs, but just barely.

 

Jeff Eckleberry fills white dialogue balloons and beige narrative boxes with uppercase black letters. Words grow bold for intonation and enlarge for raised voice. Sound effects accompany clanging swords, spraying blood, and an act that dispels the dream of a lifetime. Thanks to Dynamite Entertainment for providing a review copy.  

 

Final Thoughts

What does it take for you to trust someone? Does it require a sterling character or just a knowledge of your partner's capabilities? When the She-Devil With A Sword commits to a man, she discovers that trust is in short supply in Red Sonja Noir #1.

 

Rating 9.4/10

 

For more cover art see my review at Comic Book Dispatch. 

Sheena Queen of the Jungle: Fatal Exams #5 Review

 

Writers: Wes Clark Jr. & Steven E. de Souza

Artist: Ediano Silva

Colorist: Vinicius Townsend

Letterer: Taylor Esposito

Cover Artists: Lucio Parrillo, Joseph Michael Linsner, Arthur Suydam & Cosplay

Publisher: Dynamite

Price: $4.99

Release Date: January 31, 2023

 

Gordo dreams of Sheena, the Matayana or Jungle Witch of The Zona Prohibida, attacking him. His coworkers insist he’s safe. Sheena may have discovered their former base of operations, but their plan is nearly complete. As Rachel Cardwell, Sheena and her roommate Tyler prepare their presentation for the school’s 400^th Anniversary celebration. Will Sheena be too busy to track Gordo down and foil his illegal project? Let's grab a vine, swing into Sheena Queen of the Jungle: Fatal Exams #5, and find out!

 

Story

Unauthorized incursions into The Zona Prohibida prompted Sheena to attend L’école des Jeunes. As Rachel Cardwell, rescued from her upbringing among the natives, she enrolls in Val Verde’s exclusive girls' school. Sheena patrols the adjacent jungle at night, seeking answers to why unsanctioned surveyors are taking core samples. By day, she helps Tyler, the daughter of Colonel Raphael Pinto, compile a report on the school’s origins.

 

Someone stole the first page from Father Olivo’s 1624 diary. Gordo’s team created the Blessing Goddess’ broadcasts using a photo from a school yearbook. Miss Gomez complained to Maestro Pesado about red dirt in the girls’ laundry. While Sheena and Tyler seek answers to these mysteries in the school library, stable, and grounds, her friends Chano, Roberto Kellerman, and Ransome discover that Gordo’s jungle base once conducted broadcasting experiments.

 

Colonel Pinto, the head of Val Verde’s Secret Police, fixates on Don Felipe as the culprit. The former revolutionary, who posed as the school janitor, seems a tailor-made culprit. Colonel Pinto may share his daughter's inclination to leap to incorrect conclusions. Still, he reveals a softer, caring side in Sheena Queen of the Jungle: Fatal Exams #5. Perhaps that’s why Tyler insists he's the Director of the Bureau Of Internal Security when everyone else regards him as the head of the Secret Police.

 

Wes Clark Jr. & Steven E. de Souza tie the writhing vipers of their intricate plot together to bring readers an exciting finale. Sheena, aka Rachel Cardwell, remains front and center as she and her friends pursue this involving mystery to its conclusion. The writers provide a scientific basis for the Blessing Goddess and her amulets. They reveal the historical basis of Gordo’s vengeful Matayana, portray the ramifications of colonialism, and show how greed turns people into heartless monsters.

 

Still, if Rachel and Tyler don't deliver their presentation before Val Verde's First Lady as scheduled, Principal Solis will give them detention in Sheena Queen of the Jungle: Fatal Exams #5!

 

 

Art

Sheena transforms from a beguiling jungle beauty into a vengeful wraith before Gordo awakens in his hastily appointed control center. Ediano Silva illustrates how Governor Alba enslaves Father Olvido’s newly baptized believers. Books fall from the pile Sheena carries onto a table in the booklined library, awakening Tyler from her slumber atop an ancient diary. Dust fills the air as Sheena races her horse between gymkana poles in Sheena Queen of the Jungle: Fatal Exams #5.

 

Pete perches before a fruit plate by Don Felipe's head while Chim sits at Don Felipe's feet. While the parrot shows little interest in the food, the monkey enjoys watching movies on his tablet. Chano and Roberto hustle Don Felipe out of the hotel as Colonel Pinto arrives with his squad. Even shaved and wearing a suit, can the aging revolutionary escape the grasp of Val Verde's Secret Police?

 

Vinicius Townsend’s loaded palette brings appealing colors and realism to four-star hotels and Val Verde’s exclusive school for girls. A soft blue glow surrounds Tyler’s laptop when she awakens in the dimly lit library. The Blessing Goddess amulets emit pink light when reducing the students to zombies. Monitor-covered walls fill Gordo’s temporary headquarters with light blue, matching the clouds obscuring the dark blue star-filled sky and glowing full moon. Colonel Pinto and his soldiers fill panels with green, matching the dangers awaiting those seeking to exploit The Zona Prohibida. Rachel dominates every scene, thanks to her vibrant purple hair.

 

Rich in dialogue, Taylor Esposito’s black, uppercase letters in white dialogue balloons don't stress readers' eyes. Despite a few tiny exchanges, most words are large-size, and there's adequate spacing between lines of text. Brown lowercase handprinted words evoke the allure of an ancient journal. Energetic and colorful sound effects help you hear gunshots, pounding hooves, and Pete’s intelligent squawking. Yet as Sheena Queen of the Jungle: Fatal Exams #5 hurtles to its biting finale, readers may rue the end of Tyler's endearing slurping.

 

Thanks to Dynamite Comics for providing a copy for review. Now, if only they had included a Vita-Glo Slurpee!

 

 

 

Final Thoughts

Like the Val Verde Chameleon, Sheena hunts down a murderer in civilization and lets nature judge the accused in the jungle. Sheena Queen of the Jungle: Fatal Exams #5 reveals the dangers inherent in Amazon Wishlists, Artificial Intelligence, and watching too much TV.

 

Rating 9.6/10

 

For more covers and a one-page preview see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.

 

Red Sonja #7 Review

 

Writer: Torunn Gronbekk

Artist: Walter Geovani

Colorist: Omi Remalante Jr.

Letterer: Jeff Eckleberry

Cover Artists: Lucio Parrillo, Bjorn Barends, Joseph Michael Linsner, Francesco Francavilla, Jenny Frison, Frank Thorne & Cosplay

Publisher: Dynamite Comics

Price: $3.99

Release Date: January 24, 2023

 

Red Sonja opened an interdimensional portal and freed the god trapped in Lady Alaberta’s black diamond. Kulan Gath used the portal to defy death and return to the mortal plane. Now, Gath marches through the border kingdoms, leading a band of ravagers. More trouble afflicts nearby Brythunia. What terrors did Red Sonja unleash on the Hyborian World? Let’s leap into Red Sonja #7 and find out!

 

Story

Kulan Gath defied the gods and returned to Earth. Now, he feels aches and pains, and his aging muscles tire from exertion. Gath had planned to take over Thord Varg’s army, but the She-Devil defied him and freed the soldiers from their oath. So Gath gathers a band of sword and axe-wielding traitors. They storm a castle and celebrate their victory in a tavern.

 

The god brought Red Sonja to a convent in Brythunia. While the She-Devil healed from her ordeal, more injured people arrived. They filled the beds of the infirmary where the sisters attended their wounds. The Sister Superior summons Red Sonja to her office in Red Sonja #7. She explains that the injured began arriving shortly after Red Sonja. The victims describe strange, otherworldly attackers. Sister Superior wonders if Red Sonja opened the Gates Of Hell. She disapproves of the She-Devil’s violent life but hopes Red Sonja can close the gates and end the Witching Hour.

 

A sister gives Red Sonja herbs to ward off evil spirits. Red Sonja accepts the nun's kindness but knows it will take more to banish the demons. She mounts her horse, and rides to the nearby village of Ludlow. Red Sonja finds the streets abandoned. Frightened villagers peer out the windows of their homes. A scream fills the air. Red Sonja spurs her horse into a gallop.

 

In Red Sonja #7, Torunn Gronbekk shows how the She-Devil empathizes with others. Although she wields great power, Red Sonja risks her life to protect the weak and helpless. This time, she'll face more than Kulan Gath's band of sword and axe-wielding traitors. Gods walk the Earth. Legendary creatures called Tsjoko seek out human prey. Fear of these ancient Earth Spirits drives the Brythunians to abandon civilized gods like Mitra or the goddess mentioned by Sister Superior. Instead, locals appeal to ancient gods and follow a less humane worship.

 

Still, Kulan Gath remains a threat. Through his knowledge of human nature and the force of his personality, the sorcerer mobilizes an army capable of storming a castle. Only after securing victory does Gath summon magic. He's on a mission. Gath searches for something or perhaps someone. Whatever he seeks, rest assured it won’t bring peace to the Hyborian world.

 

 

 

Art

Kulan Gath digs a cane into the snow as he climbs a hill in Red Sonja #7. He grits his teeth, and his exhalation is visible amid the storm. While a castle rises in the distance, a barren tree frames our view as he turns and urges his followers to keep up. Their features look soft compared with Gath’s crows-feet, wrinkles, and prominent cheekbones. Yet they raise their weapons above their heads as they shout and charge the wooden castle doors.

 

Garbed in black & white cloth from head to toe, a sister covers her mouth when she sees Red Sonja has pulled up her dress and tied it beneath her breasts. The sister fumbles to loosen the knot. Leaving her axe and wood pile behind, Red Sonja smiles as she dashes off. Sister Superior wears a frown as she talks with the She-Devil. Her frown deepens as she grasps Red Sonja’s weapon and lifts it with two hands.

 

In Red Sonja #7, Omi Remalante Jr. enhances Walter Geovani’s storybook art with vibrant color. The traitorous rabble rejoice in the gray stone tavern illuminated by flaming torches. Yet Kulan Gath’s electric green magic makes the interior seem dim. The blood of injured locals matches Red Sonja's hair and cape, although the latter two show more highlighting and shading. Her armor and weapons shimmer like silver and gold, contrasting with her lightly tanned skin. While brown, gray, and beige dominate the town of Ludlow, verdant green fills panels as Red Sonja rides into the surrounding forest.

 

Jeff Eckleberry shares Torunn Gronbekk’s narration on beige parchment and dialogue in white balloons. Wavy rows fill yellow balloons as the drunken traitors celebrate their victory. Stressed words grow bold, and raised voices swell the large-size uppercase words. While enormous black letters threaten to burst their balloons, the green clicking that fills panels hints at the danger threatening Red Sonja, if not all humankind.

 

Thanks to Dynamite Comics for providing a copy for review.

 

Final Thoughts

A sorcerer who returned from the dead seeks supernatural power, and ancient gods judge Humans guilty of crimes against nature in Red Sonja #7.

 

Rating 9.6/10

 

For more cover art see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.

 

Red Sonja #5 Review

 

Writer: Torunn Gronbekk

Artist: Walter Geovani

Colorist: Omi Remalante Jr.

Letterer: Simon Bowland

Cover Artists: Lucio Parrillo, Bjorn Barends, Joseph Michael Linsner, Bryan Hitch, Jenny Frison, Frank Thorne & Cosplay

Publisher: Dynamite

Price: $3.99

Release Date: November 15, 2023

 

 

Kulan Gath remembers his mortal life. As he gazes down from the astral plane, he watches Red Sonja ride through a snowstorm. What does the dead wizard plan for this warrior maiden who carries the late Lady Alaberta's black diamond? Let’s leap into Red Sonja #5 and find out!

 

Story

Kulan Gath shares his disdain for civilization with Conan and Red Sonja’s creator. Yet Robert E. Howard never sanctioned poisoning someone, let alone a trusted friend and mentor. Kulan Gath once pursued his quest for power without regard for loyalty or mercy. Now, as his spirit watches people fight and die on the mortal plane, he remembers what it felt like to be alive and kill those around him.

 

In Red Sonja #5, Thord Varg conquered Velanger to capture her black diamond. By bringing it to the High Priest's city of Vestfold, perhaps Red Sonja can stop his reign of terror. Yet she halts her flight to free refugees. Like an uncaring disease, slavers capture the frightened and homeless. But in Red Sonja, they find more than they bargained for.

 

Torunn Gronbekk meditates on loyalty versus reason, power versus compassion, and achievement versus satisfaction in Red Sonja #5. As priests use sex, violence, and human sacrifice to worship their gods, Torunn reveals a clue to Thord Varg’s power. The High Priest believes he slaughtered innocents to safeguard Vestfold's future. Yet is he wiser than the She-Devil, who doesn't overthink things and grasps whatever opportunities she finds? Unlike Thord Varg, she knows power comes with a price. She paid it to avenge her family's deaths. Now, she uses any power she possesses to help others.

 

Oh, and Red Sonja likes her horse. She talks to it as she would a person. That says a lot about her, too.

 

 

 

Art

Kulan Gath walks through a garden surrounded by planets and stars. Via a reflecting pool, he watches Red Sonja ride through a snowstorm. As she passes burning homes and buildings, she spies a caravan. Red Sonja rides toward the refugees shackled to a horse-drawn wagon. Pairs of red eyes glow in the darkness beneath the wagon’s fabric-strewn wooden hoops.

 

Walter Geovani imbues Sonja’s horse Erder with personality. Walter’s storybook art packs panels with more power than many double-page spreads. Little touches enhance his visual feast. Consider the similarity between the coils of Sonja's hair and the many-headed hydra. Observe how he mirrors a severed hydra neck with a slaver’s bloody stump. A circular staircase evokes the coils of a serpent, reminding us of the power that tempts priests and wizards in Red Sonja #5.

 

Omi Remalante Jr. imbues Kulan Gath’s remembrance with a faded quality, illuminated by torchlight. He surrounds the dead wizard with lustrous colors, comparing the ethereal beauty of his new life with the gray, burning lands Sonja rides through. Yet richness creeps into Hyborean lands as the morning light invades the storm. While bold and vibrant colors fill panels, Omi backlights scenes to suggest Red Sonja's indomitable nature. Amid all the bloodletting, blood dances in darkness, reminding readers of the source of Thord Varg’s power. 

 

 

 

Simon Bowland writes Torunn Gronbekk’s compelling narrative using uppercase black letters on parchment. Simon grants white dialogue balloons to human characters, while those inhabited by a possessing spirit speak with white letters in black balloons. No sound effects invade the pages of Red Sonja #5. Yet Simon ends Torunn’s tale on a chilling note, as bloodthirsty believers demand the death of any who impedes their cause.   

 

Thanks to Dynamite Comics for providing a copy for review.

 

Final Thoughts

While Red Sonja rescues the powerless and bestows mercy on monsters, a fallen foe influences events from beyond the grave, raining destruction upon the Hyborian world in Red Sonja #5.

 

Rating 9.8/10

 

To preview interior art and view other covers see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.

 

Sheena Queen of the Jungle: Fatal Exams #2 Review

 

Writers: Wes Clark Jr. & Steven E. de Souza

Artist: Ediano Silva

Colorist: Vinicius Townsend

Letterer: Taylor Esposito

Cover Artists: Lucio Parrillo; Joseph Michael Linsner; Arthur Suydam;

Publisher: Dynamite

Price: $3.99

Release Date: September 6, 2023

 

Unsanctioned drilling in the Forbidden Zone draws Sheena’s attention. What are they searching for, and why is El Presidente allowing it? Let’s leap into Sheena Queen of the Jungle: Fatal Exams #1 and find out!

 

Story

Global corporations haven’t moved into tranquil Val Verde yet. As of now, the Clumsy City Cowodi surveyors are only taking samples. Working to a grid pattern, they’re searching for something. But what?

 

Under a full moon, Sheena swings in to observe. When she gets too close, gunfire erupts. Her friends Chim the Monkey, Yagua the Jaguar, and Pete the Parrot help her survive the ambush. But if they were waiting for her, are her friends in the city in danger?

 

The following morning, the privileged students at L’école des Jeunes Filles du Val Verde have trouble staying awake. Fascinated by the Blessing Goddess, their evening gatherings lead to slumber during class. Despite her nocturnal exploits, Sheena’s ready to give Hermoine Granger a run for her money. But what did her roommate Tyler observe when Sheena wasn't looking? Might it get our vine-swinging heroine into trouble in Sheena Queen of the Jungle: Fatal Exams #2?

 

Sheena statue from Big Bad Toy Store

 

Art

Ediano Silva brings lifelike realism to Wes Clark Jr. & Steven E. de Souza’s entrancing mystery. Gestures and movements are spot-on, and the characters look good from every angle. Blankets and garments fold, flow, and tumble. Action lines and blurred backgrounds rarely obliterate compelling, photographic scenes in this tropical paradise.

 

Vinicius Townsend imbues scenes with vibrant color that howls its realism in the moonlight. His heavily loaded palette delivers highlights and shadows that convey depth and texture at any time of day. Even the most art-clueless City Cowodi will drool at the visual feast of Sheena Queen of the Jungle: Fatal Exams #2.

 

Taylor Esposito’s white balloon arrangement is always easy to follow. His pleasing black, uppercase letters are a joy to read in Sheena Queen of the Jungle: Fatal Exams #2. Lively and colorful sound effects help you hear the drilling operation, Chim’s yeeps, Pete’s squawks, and Yagua’s growls. Readers feel each second of the battle as bullets fly, arrows slice through the air, and spears impale soldiers.

 

Final Thoughts

Greed, corruption, and a strange form of spiritualism make Sheena Queen of the Jungle: Fatal Exams #2 an action-packed mystery involving death in paradise.

 

Rating 9.6/10

 

To preview interior art and more covers see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.

 

 

 

Bettie Page #4 Review

 

Writers: Mirka Andolfo & Luca Blengino

Artists: Elisa Ferrari, Mara Angelilli & Tommaso Ronda

Colorists: Maura Gulma & Francesca Vivaldi

Letterer: Jeff Eckleberry

Cover Artists: Joseph Michael Linsner; Leirix; Rebeca Puebla; Mirka Andolfo; Cosplay

Publisher: Dynamite

Price: $3.99

Release Date: September 27, 2023

 

Lisa Cosmi wants to marry Paolo Raviolo. Their opposing mafia families forbid the match. The Sicilian lovebirds eloped. Then they got separated. Can Bettie reunite the couple without getting shot by singing sniper Spartaco Serpe? Why not leap into Bettie Page #4 and find out?

 

Story

Two Cosmi clods kidnapped Paolo. Raviolo robbers ran off with Lisa. But no one told the crooning killer. Karen and her paramour Davide race across rooftops to seize the signing sniper. Spartaco got off his shot while trilling Nel Dipinto Di Blue and escaped their clutches.

 

Unfortunately for him, Benjamin got in the way of bringing Bettie a pizza. Guess what splattered red all over her hotel room? Guess what Bettie has been craving since issue #1 and still does?

 

The rival families decide to do a swap. But that will not reunite the lovebirds. Can Bettie, Karen, and Benjamin help Lisa and Paolo realize their dreams?

 

The complex story structure demands that the gears driving this story mesh. Thankfully, Bettie Page #4 ties everything together. While inspired by Shakespearian tragedy, the fun farce ends with a comedic but realistic take on how life often takes us in unexpected directions.

 

Art

Elisa Ferrari, Mara Angelilli, and Tommaso Ronda relate Bettie, Karen, and Benjamin's matchmaking mission with classic Disney appeal. Panels could be stills taken from an animated movie. Characters are expressive and eye-pleasing. Towns, rustic cottages, and scenic landscapes are alluring. Backgrounds rarely fade away in Bettie Page #4.

 

Maura Gulma and Francesca Vivaldi fill scenes with nuanced color. Backgrounds may change color in successive panels but remain pleasing. While ranging from soft to vibrant, the rich coloring shows highlights and shadows without relying on gray.

 

The black dialogue in white balloons is easy to read. Colored narrative boxes provide good contrast. Jeff Eckleberry shrinks the print in white narrative boxes. Sound effects heighten the action in Bettie Page #4. Occasionally, they overtake panels in the final movement of this symphony sparked by famed film maestro Eugenio Vitelloni.

 

Final Thoughts

Italian lovers fight their families for the freedom to fix their future in Bettie Page #4 but find life fussier than fairy tales.

 

Rating 9.6/10

 

For more cover art see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.

Bettie Page: The Alien Agenda TP Review

 

Writer: Ani-Mia

Artist: Celor

Colorist: Farah Nurmaliza

Letterer: Carlos M. Mangual

Cover Artist: Joseph Michael Linsner

Publisher: Dynamite

Price: $19.99

Release Date: August 30, 2023

 

After a five-hour photo shoot, Bettie relaxes by the pool. But when she receives a message from Colonel Westbrook, she trades her mojito for a helicopter ride. Does he need her assistance with Bigfoot again, or does a greater danger threaten the world? Let's beam into the Betty Page: The Alien Agenda TP and find out!

 

Story

The Colonel tells her about a spaceship crash in Roswell, New Mexico. Government experts have studied the records inside the craft for a decade. They believe the aliens have spied on Earth for centuries and hidden a cache somewhere on Earth. The government worries it might contain weapons and wants to destroy it. Will Bettie help him protect the United States—and perhaps the entire world—against this alien threat?

 

 

 

Colonel Westbrook can’t back her officially this time. Nor can Bettie visit the base where the spaceship is stored. He can provide an expense account and transport wherever the clues take her. The rest will be up to her and two other civilians he knows. Aiding Bettie will be an archeologist named Sofia and Young-Ja, a codebreaker barely out of her teens. The two women share a fascination for languages. As for Bettie, she's even-tempered, trustworthy, and looks good in a bathing suit. Why shouldn't the Colonel request her aid?

 

Ani-Mia doesn’t mention Bettie’s agent, Benjamin Du’Met, in Bettie Page: The Alien Agenda TP. Nor does she feature Bettie’s secretary Karen Beauregard from Mirka Andolfo & Luca Blengino’s current series. Aside from referring to their previous adventure, Colonel Westbrook doesn’t mention Bettie’s unique qualifications for combatting this threat to national security. Still, the ladies' adventure will take them to ancient sites across the globe. Bettie, Sofia, and Young-Ja will learn about each other as they decipher hieroglyphics, solve puzzles, fight mythological terrors, discover extinct plants and animals, and encounter an ancient community hidden from the modern world. They'll brave danger every step of the way, yet Ani-Mia's light tone keeps the story fun.

 

 

 

Art

Celor packs pages with panels that generate interest and excitement. Bettie, Sofia, and Young-Ya look realistic, are expressive, and move well. They look good pouring over files, trekking through the jungle, exploring underground passages, and facing tests that require bravery and faith. Perhaps backgrounds in the final issue suffer, but that’s a paltry quibble, given how much attention to detail the artist lavished upon this five-issue series.

 

 

Farah Nurmaliza loads her palette with bright colors that provide warmth, energy, mood, and contrast. She shades and highlights without overusing gray in the Betty Page: The Alien Agenda TP. Buildings glow with light as darkness falls, laser beams burn through the air, electricity surges and sizzles, and stars in a sea of midnight blue shine down upon the ruins of a once-great civilization.

 

 

 

Carlos M. Mangual uses colored time/space markers and places black, uppercase letters in white dialogue balloons. Intonation may enlarge or shrink words, but the font is easy on the eyes in the Betty Page: The Alien Agenda TP. He enhances Ani-Mia’s dialogue-driven narrative with colorful, energetic sound effects that help us hear cows startled by a flying saucer crash, arrows swish above snake-filled pits, sacrificial daggers slam into ancient stone walls, and fumes hiss from relics.

 

In addition to the five action-packed issues, the trade paperback boasts a thirty-page cover gallery, including cosplay covers featuring writer Ani-Mia!

 

 

 

 

Final Thoughts

In the male-dominated Cold War 1950s, Bettie, Sofia, and Young-Ja brave temptations and dangers. The women wrestle with mysteries left by ancient civilizations as they hunt for a hidden alien stockpile in the Betty Page: The Alien Agenda TP. But can they trust the authorities that charged them with this secret mission?

 

Rating 9.8/10

 

To preview interior art see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.

 

To review stories about your favorite heroes and heroines Join The Comic Dispatch Team.

Sheena Queen of the Jungle: Fatal Exams #1 Review

 

Writers: Wes Clark Jr. & Steven E. de Souza

Artist: Ediano Silva

Colorist: Renato Spiller

Letterer: Taylor Esposito

Cover Artists: Lucio Parrillo; Joseph Michael Linsner; Arthur Suydam;

Publisher: Dynamite

Price: $3.99

Release Date: September 6, 2023

 

A new student arrives as the school year begins. She’s a young blonde that hunters captured in the jungle. Her name's Rachel and she rocks her school uniform! What's all this got to do with our vine-swinging heroine? Let's leap into Sheena Queen of the Jungle: Fatal Exams #1 and find out!

 

Story

L’école des Jeunes Filles du Val Verde is a school for the daughters of the rich and powerful. While an orphan, Rachel's extended family wields influence in Val Verde. Tyler's upset she has to room with "Monkey Girl." But that's just Sheena's cover story. The elite school sits on the edge of the forbidden zone, allowing her to investigate the intrusions plaguing native villages. While Tyler sleeps, guess what her roommate’s doing in Sheena Queen of the Jungle: Fatal Exams #1!

 

Wes Clark Jr. & Steven E. de Souza deliver a dialogue-heavy story that demands concentration. Sheena's a culprit, as her friend Don Felipe chides while posing as the school gardener. Readers must wait to learn character names. Some never get mentioned. Still, even if they don't adhere to the K.I.S.S. writing style and demand patience while introducing the cast, Clark Jr. and de Souza tantalize with two mysteries: one in the jungle and another in the school. Both puzzles involve technology, but one could have supernatural elements.

 

 

 

 

Art

Ediano Silva shows Rachel delivering her speech while simultaneously portraying it. These compelling scenes may confuse, as they show her mother's upbringing before switching to Rachel’s. (Or is that Sheena’s?) A scene involving corporal punishment is also confusing, as the stick the teacher used to beat the child resembles a sword. Still, dynamic layouts excite as packed pages deliver a wealth of lifelike imagery in Sheena Queen of the Jungle: Fatal Exams #1

 

Renato Spiller loads his palette with vibrant colors that enrich characters and settings. Perhaps Sheena's panther looks blue, but Spiller conveys darkness without relying on black or gray. Shading and highlights make Ediano Silva's impressive art in Sheena Queen of the Jungle: Fatal Exams #1 a feast for the eyes. Perhaps it’s just as well Wes Clark Jr. & Steven E. de Souza give readers so much to read!

 

Taylor Esposito's tiny footnotes inhabit colored narrative boxes, and some dialogue seems designed for Ant-Man. While the dialogue balloon arrangement wasn't always easy to follow, the pleasing black, uppercase letters were easy to read. Bird fanciers will like Pete, the Macaw that perches on Sheena's shoulder when her monkey is elsewhere. Even if Pete doesn't ask you for a cracker, you'll enjoy reading his colorful squawks as he aids Sheena's investigations.

 

 

 

 

Final Thoughts

Privileged students discover spirituality as powerful interests threaten the indigenous inhabitants of the forbidden zone in Sheena Queen of the Jungle: Fatal Exams #1.

 

Rating 9.4/10

 

For more covers see my review at Comic Book Dispatch. 

If you'd like to review comics, and see what great heroines like Sheena Queen of the Jungle are up to, join the Comic Dispatch team.