DC K.O.: Zatanna Vs Harley Quinn #1: All Fight Month Round Five Preview

 

 

Each bout of this battle for life, the universe, and everything has contained elements of magic and chaos. But now, the mistress of magic takes on the embodiment of unpredictability. Who will win? And who will fall in love with their competitor? One thing is for sure. While all this is going on, you can count on Darkseid doing his level best to ensure he remains King Omega of Earth!

Here's all the info from DC Connect:

 

DC K.O.: Zatanna Vs Harley Quinn #1: All Fight Month Round Five

Writer: Leah Williams

Artist: Mirka Andolfo

Cover Artists: Jorge Corona, Frank Cho, Jamal Campbell, Mirka Andolfo & David Nakayama

Publisher: DC Comics

Issue Length: 48 Pages

Price: $4.99/$5.99 Card Stock

Release Date: December 17, 2025

 

DC K.O. All Fight Month, round 5 of 8!

 

It’s all-out chaos as Harley Quinn faces off against a surprise opponent!

 

 

Now, let's take a look inside:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Thanks to DC Comics for sharing this preview with us.

 

Miles Morales: Spider-Man #28 Review

 

Writer: Cody Ziglar

Artist: Daniele Di Nicuolo

Colorist: Bryan Valenza

Letterer: Cory Petit

Cover Artists: Federico Vicentini & Ceci De La Cruz; Iban Coello & Jesus Aburtov; Mirka Andolfo

Design: Jay Bowen

Editors: Kaitlyn Lindtvedt, Tom Groneman, Nick Lowe & C B Cebulski

Publisher: Marvel

Price: $3.99

Release Date: January 1, 2025

 

While Miles’ new Vibranium costume keeps Varnae’s vampiric infection at bay, Black Panther wants to cure Spider-Man. So Wakanda's protector sneaks Miles into the nation that exiled him to meet his god. But will Bast help Miles as she did Black Panther? And in Miles’ absence, can Ganke ease Shift through his first day of school? Let's brew a pot of green tea, leap into Miles Morales: Spider-Man #28, and find out!

 

Story

Miles' life flashed before his eyes when a panther confronted him by the soul tree. Shuri assures him that the panther's retreat means Bast doesn’t seek Miles’ death. Still, Spider-Man needs Shuri's help to enter her god’s realm.

 

As Varnae once tried using Vibranium to attain godhood, the Black Panther feels duty-bound to cure Miles of the demon's infection. Black Panther wants to erase the first vampire's stain on Wakanda's legacy. But T’Challa takes such pride in his heritage that outsiders seem empty by comparison. While Miles values his roots, he and his friends groove more to the rhythms of contemporary life. But Miles isn't just a Puerto Rican Brooklynite. He has a heritage as Spider-Man. Sadly, Miles knows as much about that as he does about Doctor Strange’s Bleeker Street home.

 

Despite T’Challa, Shuri, and Miles’ ignorance, Bast gazes down from her realm and sees Miles’ links to other gods. Varnae’s original intrusion brought other gods to Bast’s home. In Miles Morales: Spider-Man #28, the Humans use the key they retrieved from N'Yobi (and Natima). Other gods see the open door and think, "I'd like to enter Bast's realm!"

 

Like any homeowner, Bast doesn't want someone else invading her home, dusting her bookshelves and rearranging the furniture. The Humans' blunder irritates Bast in Cody Ziglar’s story. Still, Bast needed another god's help to cure her champion. And she's not inclined to give Miles a purifying kiss.

 

 

 

Art

After Shuri makes her grand entrance, she sinks into her brother's arms. Then, the royal siblings regard the outsider. While the panther that read Miles' mind takes its place in the sinuous soul tree, Shuri hands Miles a small leaf. Then Daniele Di Nicuolo tunes us into life in Brooklyn in Miles Morales: Spider-Man #28. Ganke gives Shift a comradely nudge. But when his eyes bulge, Shift leaps into action.

 

A timelapse overhead shot framed by foliage reveals Shuri etching ancient symbols into the bluish-green grass. When Miles sits in his black, purple, and red costume, Bryan Valenza shows yellow, mauve, and purple smoke surrounding the supplicant. Then Miles floats in a cloudy, luminous realm in Miles Morales: Spider-Man #28. Gold shimmers around Bast's neck while red, green, and gold stream from her face. The ethereal ribbons may not entrap Spider-Man like the Crimson Bands of Cyttorak, but that doesn’t mean Miles is free to explore Bast’s realm.

 

Humans speak black uppercase letters into white balloons. Gods speak colored words into similarly bordered divine dialogue balloons. The delicate font emboldens for names and rarely shrinks. Cory Petit enhances the everyday dangers of living in Brooklyn and heralds Miles' ascension through Shuri's stargate to a higher level of existence. Thanks to Marvel Comics for providing a copy for review. 

 

 

 

Final Thoughts

Black Panther has brought Varnae’s stain into Bast's realm twice now. After being stripped of his throne and exiled from Wakanda, T’Challa worries about the consequences of helping Miles. But Brooklyn's Spider-Man faces mortal danger.

 

If Miles survives the divine testing and cleansing, he had better return home quickly. Shift is getting used to assuming his brother's identity. So, in Miles Morales: Spider-Man #28, Ganke takes Shift in hand. And like Rocket Raccoon, Ganke intends to talk with Shift about his (frickin') language.

 

Rating 9/10

 

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

Spider-Gwen: The Ghost-Spider #9 Review

 

Writer: Stephanie Phillips

Artists: Paolo Villanelli

Colorist: Matt Milla

Letterer: Ariana Maher

Cover Artists: Mark Brooks; Mirka Andolfo; Zulema Scotto Lavina & Edgar Delgado

Design & Production: Carlos Lao

Editors: Kaeden McGahey, Jordan D White & C B Cebulski

Publisher: Marvel

Price: $3.99

Release Date: January 1, 2025

 

Jessica Jones encouraged Gwen Stacy to pursue a relationship with the man she met at Bear Coffee. But Gwen doesn’t know that Fabian is the Black Tarantula. Still, when Mr Fear unleashes his latest concoction on New York City, Gwen’s symbiote suit can't filter out the toxin. When he saved her from Mr Fear, Gwen asked for his help. Is Gwen playing along with Black Tarantula until he leads her to Judge Barbour? And can she save the corrupt judge before Fabian's father and the citizens of New York deliver their verdict? Let's thwip into Spider-Gwen: The Ghost-Spider #9 and find out!

 

Story

Fabian wants to honor his father but knows Carlos La Muerto is not a good man. Still, his dad has tried to turn his life around. Mayor Cage's government needed the embezzled funds to treat the city's ills. Everyone in New York suffers from Judge Barbour's theft. So, Fabian helped his dad stoke people's distrust of government, not knowing that Mr Fear would capitalize on his actions.

 

While Gwen owns the title of Spider-Gwen: The Ghost-Spider #9, Fabian dominates Stephanie Phillips’ story. He carries her to an abandoned building where a nurse attends Gwen. Yet Fabian’s would-be lover is unaware of this. All the people she left behind on Earth-65 taunt and accuse Gwen. What made her so special that OB from the TVA brought her to Earth-616? Shouldn't Gwen have remained behind and helped her friends and her father fight to survive as her world died?

 

The younger Black Tarantula sees her suffering. Fabian sensed Gwen’s uneasiness each time he met her at Bear Coffee. He can't do anything about Gwen's longing for lost loved ones. But like Fitzwilliam Darcy, he feels he needs her to complete him. So, Fabian races outside to collect a sample of Mr Fear's toxin, hoping the nurse can synthesize an antidote. But this only amplifies his tenuous situation. Fabian works for his father despite disagreeing with his methods. Now, Mr Fear is building on Fabian’s actions. How different is he from Mr Fear? Is Fabian destined to become another villain like Mr Fear and his father?

 

 

 

Art

A black spider looms over the Spider-Men, Spider-Woman, Silk, and Jessica Jones. Her father and her bandmate from Earth-65 also hang in its web. Yet the spider's eyes glow pink, and a white cape covers its head. Spider-Woman becomes a silhouette before the spider's giant maw, reminding Gwen how often she relied on their support, only to drain their energies and demand more sacrifices and assistance.

 

Matt Milla lavishes a bright palette on Paolo Villanelli’s dramatic art in Spider-Gwen: The Ghost-Spider #9. The traumatic memories jolt Spider-Gwen on her sickbed in an abandoned building. Dark boards cover the windows. Liv's green nurse’s uniform and the medical equipment’s green display enliven the dark and purple room. After facing off with his helper, Black Tarantula races out to find drones spewing green gas. Mr Fear’s gray costume is almost as dark as Fabian’s, underlying the commonality between their actions. And after an explosive encounter, Black Tarantula stands surrounded by a cloud of green.

 

Ariana Maher thwips uppercase black letters into white dialogue balloons with long white arrows and places rouge words in white narrative boxes outlined with turquoise. Black Tarantula injects white words into black boxes while light-blue clouds invade Gwen's dreams. The text grows bold for intonation and enlarges for raised voices. The sounds of hissing gas, splintering wood, and fierce blows accompany a young man’s struggle to forge his destiny in Spider-Gwen: The Ghost-Spider #9. Thanks to Marvel for providing a copy for review.

 

 

 

Final Thoughts

A nursery rhyme about the fight to live a satisfying life interweaves with Gwen's fears of failing her friends and a would-be hero's desire to honor his father while doing the right thing in Spider-Gwen: The Ghost-Spider #9. 

 

Rating 9.6/10

 

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

Bettie Page: La Dolce Vita TP Review

 

Writers: Mirka Andolfo & Luca Blengino

Artists: Elisa Ferrari, Mara Angelilli & Tommaso Ronda

Colorists: Maura Gulma & Francesca Vivaldi

Letterer: Jeff Eckleberry

Cover Artist: Leirix

Publisher: Dynamite

Price: $17.99

Release Date: September 4, 2024

 

Bettie may smile for the camera, but she seethes inside. The photographer calls her Ettie. No one else at the studio knows her name. They work her off her feet and fine her when she slips up. Bettie yearns to slip out for a half-hour lunch break at Tanino’s Pizzeria. But the studio will fire her if she holds up their schedule. And as her assistant Karen points out, Bettie can't afford to pay the default penalty on her contract. Can anyone rescue Bettie from her onerous, low-paying job? Let’s grab our cameras, leap into Bettie Page: La Dolce Vita TP, and find out!

 

Story

News Flash: Bettie’s agent, Benjamin Du’Met, got her a better-paying job. As they fly from New York to Rome, Benjamin explains that Eugenio Vitelloni wants Bettie in his next movie. The Italian director selected Bettie's photography portfolio from 1,500 candidates. She is his next muse! While Bettie revels in her shot at stardom and Benjamin calculates his commission, Karen wonders if this offer is too good to be true. After all, Bettie is a model, not an actress.

 

That’s not the only thing that doesn’t add up for Karen. If Vitelloni is such a great director, and Bettie is his next star, why are so many accidents occurring on his set? If Vitelloni has sufficient backing to pay off Bettie’s contract and fly them to Rome, why is he leasing an expensive villa and housing them in a cheap hotel? Karen is a tireless investigator in Bettie Page: La Dolce Vita TP. Her determination to discover the truth leads her to a surprising realization. Vitelloni picked Bettie because she is the spitting image of his new muse, and the mafia wants that woman dead.

 

In Mirka Andolfo & Luca Blengino’s story, Lisa Cosmi and her boyfriend fled their rival underworld families. But they got separated, and Paolo has gone missing. Bettie loves playing the star on Vitelloni’s film set. But once she realizes that Lisa and Paolo are in trouble, Bettie rushes to their rescue. Bettie vows to reunite the lovebirds, help them escape their criminal families, and begin a new life in the United States. And if she can grab a pizza while she is risking her life for Lisa and Paolo, so much the better!

 

Art

Elisa Ferrari, Mara Angelilli & Tommaso Ronda pay homage to Bettie’s iconic image by beginning Bettie Page: La Dolce Vita TP with Bettie posing in a swimsuit. Bettie wears a range of attire, from a coat and earmuffs to dresses, blouses, and slacks, but she always looks more elegant than her more practically minded body double. Karen prefers conservative suits and dresses as she tackles locks, safes, and Neapolitan paramours. Benjamin dazzles in his dashing suits and matching hats. But when danger threatens, the agent's elegant walking stick becomes a lethal weapon.

 

Eugenio Vitelloni and Lisa Cosmi’s past unfolds in sepia tones, but Maura Gulma & Francesca Vivaldi fill Bettie Page: La Dolce Vita TP with an appealing array of cheery colors. Smiling faces intrude on the brightly colored scenes to enhance narration, and Bettie's eyes become red hearts when she imagines Lisa and Paolo together. But whether bullets, cars, or pizzas hurtle through the air, or would-be rescuers race across rooftops in the evening, every page sparkles with energy and '50s fun.

 

Black uppercase and lowercase letters inhabit narrative boxes and white dialogue balloons. Words grow bold for inflection but never shrink, while question and exclamation marks enlarge for surprise and alarm. Musical notes accompany shower scenes and assassination attempts. Jeff Eckleberry's sound effects help us hear furious fists, careering cars, and the ruination of delicious delicacies. Thanks to Dynamite Comics for providing a copy for review.

 

Final Thoughts

When Bettie Page's shot at stardom makes her a target of the Italian mafia, she shrugs off danger to reunite lost lovers. Bettie Page: La Doce Vita mixes Shakespeare with The Saint for a humorous and exciting romp rooted in World War II and cinema history.

 

Rating 9.6/10

 

For cover art see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.

 

Spider-Society #4 Review

 

Writer: Alex Segura

Artist: Scott Godlewski

Colorist: Matt Milla

Letterer: Joe Caramagna

Cover Artists: Pete Woods, Dike Ruan & Mirka Andolfo

Designer: Carlos Lao

Editors: Kaeden McGahey, Kaitlyn Lindtvedt, Nick Lowe & CB Cebulski

Publisher: Marvel Comics

Price: $3.99

Release Date: November 6, 2024

 

In another world, Gwen Stacy learned of her tragic fate. She didn't want to fall off a bridge and die, so she took Norman Osborn's serum and became the Green Goblin. Aunt May believed that her nephew invited tragedy by becoming Spider-Man. So, she became Madame Web to combat the spider menace. This Madame May ordered the Green Goblin and her Sinister Squadron to capture the spider-heroes of Earth-616 and Miguel O’Hara, the Spider-Man of 2099. But what does Madame May want? And can Araña and the Spider-Society free their friends and foil Aunt May’s sinister scheme? Let’s strap on our web shooters, thwip into Spider-Society #4, and see!

 

Story

Madame Web asked Miguel O’Hara to assemble a spider team to combat a threat to the Web Of Life And Destiny. But the evil Madame May captured them, forcing Araña to lead Miles Morales, Spider-Gwen, Weapon VIII, Web-Weaver, Spider-Punk, and an unknown Spider-Woman to the Sinister Squadron's headquarters. Araña and her team have shaken off everything Madame May has thrown at them. But when Spider-Punk attacks her in her stronghold, Peter Parker’s evil aunt extends an electrifying welcome. Araña has begun a relationship with Spider-Punk. Now, she hugs her unconscious boyfriend. Can Araña triumph over the woman who destroyed Madame Web’s headquarters, imprisoned her friends, and captured the Web Of Life And Destiny?

 

In Spider-Society #4, Madame May gloats. As she relates the hardships that transformed her, May reveals how she turned tragedy into triumph. Madame May took control of her future by spinning a web of lies and becoming a master manipulator. The people she targets are not the villains who imperil society but the spider heroes who endanger their loved ones. Like the Vulture, Madame May sees the spider-heroes as a sickness that twists good people into self-righteous vigilantes little better than the “evildoers” they fight. So, May plans to use the Web Of Life And Destiny to eradicate this spider infestation.

 

Araña’s team isn’t a well-oiled machine. They are new to working together. Yet they respect her despite previously leading them to defeat. In Alex Segura's story, the spider heroes dig deep one last time, knowing the results will be catastrophic if they fail. As Araña strategizes on the fly, she demonstrates what it means to be a hero by braving the brunt of the storm. But then, Araña knows that their lives, and perhaps the universe, hang in the balance in Spider-Society #4. 

 

 

 

Art

Before them, Madame Web, Miguel O'Hara, and Peter Parker hang from Aunt May's web. Behind them, Lady Octopus, Gwen Goblin, Hunter-Spider, and a six-armed Hulk await. Spider-Punk abandons the pack to attack Aunt May. She catches him by the neck, lifts him with one hand, and shoots electricity through his neck. As Spider-Punk lies at the foot of her stairs, green and muscular Travesty knocks out the spider-wolverine Weapon VIII while Lady Octopus lashes Spider-Gwen with her iron tentacles.

 

The Black Widow hood covering her eyes casts a gray pall over Aunt May's nose and chin as green-tinged memories fill the page beneath her. Heroes and villains battle amid green and blue backgrounds, while energy attacks fill pages with yellow and orange. As a red-haired hologram hovers above Miguel's blue-and-red glove, bats fill the blue evening sky, evoking the ravens that flocked around Gwen when an apocalypse struck Earth-65. Yet, throughout Spider-Society #4, a woman with a red-and-white suit and orange-yellow visors remains central in the fighting.

 

Amid Scott Godlewski’s Spiderific action scenes and Matt Milla’s vibrant panels, Joe Caramagna thwips uppercase black letters into dialogue balloons and narrative boxes. The words grow bold for inflection, enlarge for raised voices, and rarely shrink. As Araña evades Madame May's energy blasts and trades blows with her nemesis, she pauses the fight when buzzing erupts from a concealed pocket. Then, Spider-Cat's meows prompt Araña to rejoin the battle and charge toward an explosive conclusion. Thanks to Marvel for providing a copy for review.

 

 

 

Final Thoughts

It shouldn’t have come to this. Miguel O’Hara should have tackled Peter Parker’s evil aunt. But in Spider-Society #4, Araña forges a punk rock guitarist, a fashionista, a science experiment, a little-known Spider-Woman, and more of her arachnid allies into a Spiderific assault squad. As she puts their lives on the line to protect everything that matters, Araña gets help from seasoned veterans and those awaiting their chance to shine.

 

Rating 9.5/10

 

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

Red Sonja Vol. 2: Mother Review

 

Writers: Mirka Andolfo & Luca Blengino

Artists: Giuseppe Cafaro

Colorists: Chiara Di Francia

Letterers: Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou & Jeff Eckleberry

Cover Artist: Mirka Andolfo

Publisher: Dynamite

Price: $19.99

Release Date: February 7, 2024

 

Baroness Drang threw Red Sonja in her dungeon. A thief named Kebra took Sitha under her wing. Will Kebra help Sitha rescue Red Sonja before the Baroness executes her? Let's hack and slash into Red Sonja Vol 2: Mother and find out!

 

Story

Baroness Drang holds her village—The Feud Of The Seven Gallows—in a reign of terror. Her soldiers regularly arrest people for unspecified crimes. No one survives more than seven days in her dungeon.

 

Kebra steals food for the children orphaned by Baroness Drang’s cruelty. While planning the ultimate heist, Kebra chews grass and leaves for sustenance. If Sitha helps her, Kebra promises to help Sitha rescue Red Sonja. Can Sitha trust the thief to do as she’s promised?

 

The She-Devil has refused food or water for seven days in Red Sonja Vol 2: Mother. Soldiers bring her to Baroness Drang’s Playroom. The tyrant suggests Red Sonja accept death meekly. Yeah, like that’s going to happen!

 

 

 

In Red Sonja Vol 1: Mother, Setubai told Sonja and the carpenter Samosh that the demigoddess Xamul lived inside Sitha. Fear and anger allow Xamul to burn anyone nearby. Kebra demands Sitha use Xamul’s power to break into Baroness Drang’s vault. But the more Sitha draws on Xamul’s power, the more power the girl gives the god.

 

Sitha hails from a mountain village in Kithai. No one’s paying Red Sonja to bring Sitha home. The girl’s not asking Sonja to transport her halfway around the world. Sitha would happily remain by the She-Devil’s side. But Red Sonja knows what it’s like to lose a family. She won’t let Sitha miss a chance to meet her kin.

 

In Red Sonja Vol 2: Mother, Sonja, and Sitha will board a Shahpur freighter and sail across the Sea of Vilayet. Red Sonja allows Captain Beylab to store her sword in his armory. But is Beylab more than a trader in oil and textiles? Can Sonja and Sitha trust him to protect them on a sea where the veil between worlds is as thin as silk?

 

 

 

Throughout this series, Mirka Andolfo & Luca Blengino have discussed the importance of family. While Red Sonja clings to the past, Sitha looks forward. The girl decides who she can trust and assigns them familial roles.

 

In Red Sonja Vol 2: Mother, the authors show how her father shaped Baroness Drang’s character. Sitha declares Samosh is her father, and one sailor becomes her uncle. After Sonja brings her home, Sitha insists that Sonja remains her mother. Is family restricted to blood and marital relations, as Sonja claims? Or is the term sufficiently malleable to include others? And if so, how do we differentiate between family and friends?

 

 

 

Art

Giuseppe Cafaro’s carefree, fluid style captures the energy of Red Sonja’s adventures. Scenes convey the natural beauty of the Hyborian world, the mythical landscapes and creatures of the Vilayet Sea, and the grandeur of a city perched on the slope of an active volcano. The drama never suffers, thanks to a wealth of vibrant characters imbued with warmth and charisma. While Red Sonja rarely lowers her guard, Sitha transforms in an instant. Flames erupt around her, and Xamul’s personality burns in her eyes.

 

Chiara Di Francia fills panels with soft, appealing colors. The She-Devil's eye-catching hair and the rivers of blood flowing through Red Sonja Vol 2: Mother contrast with the backgrounds. Anger fills Sitha’s white hair with red as yellow and orange surround her. Such vibrant colors energize negative silhouettes, coloring the characters and direction lines but leaving all else black. Blue and white speckles suggest the ethereal nature of the Vilayet Sea.

 

The large, uppercase black letters that inhabit white dialogue balloons grow bold for inflection. Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou & Jeff Eckleberry's energetic, colored sound effects enhance swordfights, bear attacks, arrow strikes, falls into the deadly waters, and the awakening of an ancient god. Yet what lingers is how Xamul’s dialogue balloons turn yellow, orange, and red.

 

In addition to an extensive cover gallery in Red Sonja Vol 2: Mother, inked drawings introduce each issue in the collection. Stylized borders and geometric imprints impart a historic feel, aided by the brown coloring that evokes leather. Splashes of blue adorn the lower portion of each character, while yellow lines near their heads suggest the elemental nature of Red Sonja and Sitha’s power.

 

Thanks to Dynamite Entertainment for providing a copy for review.

 

 

 

Final Thoughts

As they battle mad magical monarchs, meet savage sailors, get carried away by winged wonders, and discover a city of women, Red Sonja and Sitha explore the boundaries of family and how it confuses, distorts, and enriches us in Red Sonja Vol. 2.

 

Rating 9.2/10

 

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

 

If you missed my review of the first volume, or wish to refresh your memories of Sitha's early adventures with Red Sonja? Read my review of Red Sonja Vol. 1: Mother.

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.

Red Sonja Vol. 1: Mother Review

 

Writers: Mirka Andolfo & Luca Blengino

Artists: Giuseppe Cafaro, Salvatore Cafari, Valentina Pinti,Francesco Paciaroni, Nathan Ramirez, Chiara Di Francia, Giovanna La Pietra & Fausto Michelotti

Colorists: Chiara Di Francia, Nicolò Laporini, Gianluca Papi & Francesca Carotenuto

Letterers: Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou & Jeff Eckleberry

Cover Artist: Mirka Andolfo

Publisher: Dynamite

Price: $19.99

Release Date: August 23, 2023

 

Scavengers find poor pickings among the dead. They blame their leader Three-Eyed Shezem for placing them among the stragglers of his war party. Then a woman clad in a chain mail bikini and a fur cloak rides into the burning village. Have the gods finally smiled upon them? Let's hack into Red Sonja Vol 1: Mother and find out!

 

Story

Pirates kidnapped Sitha from her cradle. Years later, her parents learned she was in Hyperborea. Zondryak, the King Of The Slums in Messentia, commissioned Red Sonja to find her. It’s taken her two months to travel here from the capital city of Argos, only to find this remote village burning and looters searching the corpses.

 

  

Suddenly, like a gift from the gods, Sitha emerges from the flames. The girl is just as Zondryak described her: ritualistic signs of her lineage mark her arms. Sitha’s eyes glow when she sees Sonja. The exhausted girl rushes into her embrace and insists that Red Sonja is her mother!

 

Red Sonja will find returning to Messentia as difficult as shaking Sitha’s assertion. After a battle leaves her injured, she’ll awaken to discover a man tending her. How dare Samosh touch her so intimately, even to nurse her back to health! Worse, Sitha believes that they should continue living together as a family! Red Sonja’s spirits ebb further when she finally delivers the girl to Zondryak and collects her fee. Sitha feels betrayed. Red Sonja feels like she’s just sold her daughter!

 

 

 

Red Sonja Vol. 1: Mother will take Red Sonja and Sitha across the Hyborean world. From Hyperborea to Argos, thence into Shem, and eventually to faraway Khitai, they will meet soldiers, thieves, and an evil baroness. They'll battle blind priests and monsters, visit the castle of a mad king, and find friendship with an aging servant named Setubai. Yet the most intense battle of all will be the battle for their souls, as Red Sonja wrestles with her conscience, and Sitha battles the raging spirit inside her.

 

If you find yourself confused regarding Sitha’s background, don’t worry. The pieces of that puzzle will come together by the end. And while Red Sonja Vol. 1: Mother ends on a cliffhanger, Red Sonja and Sitha grow as people while they battle the dangers life throws into their paths. It's the adventure of a lifetime, and you'll be glad you shared it with them.

 

 

 

Art

Giuseppe Cafaro’s characters often appear angular and wear exaggerated expressions. Backgrounds—and characters in long shots—may look barely sketched in. Yet there's also an organic, flowing feeling to his work, such as when the wind whips Red Sonja's hair.

 

His dynamic style relates action well, sometimes faster than the eye can see. There's over-the-top silliness, such as when a man's severed head flies through the air screaming, and battles suggest a George Lucas-like love of lopped-off limbs. At times, dialogue refers to people and objects that only appear in later panels. Yet I like his sense of symmetry, page composition, and how he frames scenes. I particularly like a statue in Samosh’s home that presages Sitha’s transformation in later issues.

 

 

 

Chiara Di Francia enhances Cafaro’s images with bright colors full of richness and depth. They show shadows and highlights, enliven action scenes, and convey realism. Flashbacks—such as when Zondryak commissioned Red Sonja—appear sepia toned. Like Giuseppe Cafaro, he allows other artists to contribute to issue #5. But then he returns to sole coloring duties to follow Sitha’s struggle to survive when separated from her flame-haired guardian.

 

Large, uppercase black letters usually inhabit dialogue balloons. They give way to small font and lowercase lettering for lowered voices. Red Sonja Vol. 1: Mother boasts a wealth of lettering styles, from immense time-and-space markers to irregularly shaped balloons with backgrounds that gradually shift from white to red. Balloon arrangement takes on beauty, particularly in the early issues, before the action heightens and situations intensify. 

 

 

 

Final Thoughts

Red Sonja Vol. 1: Mother explores our responsibility toward others, our craving for power, and how much we long for a sense of family. This six-issue trade paperback—filled with action, sorcery, and Hyborean myths and legends—also packs a forty-page cover gallery.

 

9.2/10

 

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