#comiccartel

Longtime collaborators Mike Mignola and Chris Roberson revisit one of their most engaging creations this week, Sir Edward Grey, a Victorian (and paranormally focused) investigator who blends the sluethiness of Sherlock Holmes with the occult  know-how of John Constantine. But those mutton chops? They’re all his…

Here’s the official word from @darkhorsecomics​

Sir Edward Grey, occult adviser to the queen, confronts flesh-eating corpses and discovers a temple beneath London. The mystery that compels him the most is what the sinister Heliopic Brotherhood of Ra wants with it—and from him.

It’s pretty safe to say by now that Mike Mignola isn’t just a creator anymore, he’s a brand. And central to this brand, of course, is the Mignolaverse – a shorthand term used to encapsulate all the volumes of continuity, characters, and storylines that grew from the tiny flame that Mignola sparked with his original Hellboy one-shot back in 1993. And while Mignola can take the lion’s share of credit for how the Hellboy franchise grew, the truth is that he’s nearly perfected the art of collaboration, always finding *just* the right partner to expand his ideas into something exciting and new. And while it might be sacrilege to suggest that some of the character’s these collaborations have birthed are more interesting than the granddaddy Hellboy himself, I have to admit I’ve always liked the snarky occult advisor to the Queen, Edward Grey.

And I bet you will, too.

If you’re longtime fan of the Mignolaverse, it’s likely that Witchfinder: City of the Dead is not your first exposure to Sir Edward Grey, but what’s lovely about this run  – and all of Mignola’s limited arcs – is that even if you’ve never encountered Grey before, you won’t be lost. Yes, there are gestures to earlier adventures, and the ghoulish Heliopic Brotherhood of Ra still plays the role of central villain, but the real action starts in a much more neutral place: with the Molemen of the late 1800’s, the working class folks who dug the London Underground. While digging tunnels the Molemen uncover a hidden temple that, they quickly learn, is not as abandoned as they initially suspected. Whatever magic the underground temple had repressed – or contained – has suddenly been released by the city’s industrial progress, and begun to unleash a host of oddities back on the surface. The most notable? The dead are coming back to life.

Grey’s crankiness and lack of fear are both endearing and entertaining. Some of the best writing of this issue comes from this character’s seemingly endless ability to toggle between ass-kicking shenanigans and deep, nearly philosophical reflections on the state of death and magic. In this sense, Grey is a nearly perfect hero – he can fight, and think. And the last pages of this issue will leave you wanting more.

Ben Stenbeck’s art is awesome here – his ability to capture facial expressions and his mastery of anatomy are strangely useful when illustrating zombies that are charging at Grey naked while their guts fall out. Ultimately a period piece, Stenbeck’s ability to capture a long gone era is necessary here – he depicts city blocks, old medical tools, and period garb in ways that are real, and add palpable authority to the book.

Overall, Witchfinder: City of the Dead #1 was a joy read. Fun, spooky, and worth every cent.

Review by Max Delgado; [email protected] ; Twitter: @LongBoxProject

Long regarded as one of the brightest stars of the Valiant Universe, Faith Herbert finally has a limited-series of her own. And if you somehow don’t end up loving her, or this new title, then there just might be something wrong with you.

Here’s the official word from @valiantentertainment​:

Orphaned at a young age, Faith Herbert – a psionically gifted “psiot” discovered by the Harbinger Foundation – has always aspired to greatness. But now this once ordinary teenager is taking control of her destiny and becoming the hard-hitting hero she’s always known she can be. But flying solo is going to be tougher than she ever thought when Zephyr uncovers a deep-rooted alien conspiracy … will Faith find herself in over her head…or ready for her biggest challenge yet?

Let’s face it: comics -- especially those that specialize in super-hero fare -- have a tendency to produce a certain type of hero. Before you roll your eyes and dismiss my proposition as an ignorant generalization, pop the lid off one of your nearest longboxes and pull a comic out at random. I’m willing to bet that if you do this at least once-- and especially if you grab something other than a team book -- you’re going to snatch a title that features an emotionally tortured, physically buff, reluctant hero. Now don’t get me wrong, I love these type of guys (yes, they are usually dudes), but their prominence in the medium is so well established that it’s finally time to admit they border on trope. Now try the pull-a-comic-at-random experiment again and see how long it takes to pluck out a title that features this: a plus-sized heroine that’s self-possessed, emotionally balanced, and endearingly self-deprecating. It might take you a while.

Or maybe it won’t, if you’re a longtime fan of Faith Herbert.

For those of you new to Faith Herbert -- also know by the alias “Zephyr” -- she’s one of Valiant’s longstanding B-characters who originated during the Harbinger series. She was, from the beginning, a fan favorite -- a geeky girl who was suddenly awarded the gift of flight, her nearly incessant pop-culture references and genuine desire to do good made her not only eminently likable, but gave her a human touch that her tortured counterparts often lacked.

This is not to say that Faith hasn’t struggled -- and in fact, with issue #1, writer Jody Houser captures Faith in a moment of transition and turmoil. Having just broken up with her boyfriend, Faith has moved to LA to start again; in an almost perfect set-up for a new launch, Faith must establish new friendships, solidify a secret identity, and scope out new terrain in the superhero game. True to Faith’s character, Houser delivers a script that’s funny, disarming, and appropriately eerie as Faith stumbles upon a new set of mysterious, suicidal villains. Best yet, Houser highlights the uniqueness of Faith, but in ways that keep the character’s integrity intact -- nothing smacks of tokenism here; Faith’s weight is established as a norm, not a hollow stunt.

The art, by Francis Portela is pitch-perfect. Faith is rendered in poses that are heroic and beautiful; funny and tough. The large panel shots are especially stunning here -- Portela has a keen ability to depict large panoramas while still hyper-focusing on the select features of his centerpiece characters. He shifts from macro to micro almost effortlessly, and it’s a joy to see.

Overall, Faith #1 is everything a launch should be -- funny, engaging, and compelling. It hits the stands January 27.

Review by Max Delgado [email protected] ; Twitter: @LongBoxProject

Limited Time Offer: Get Faith #1 FREE when you spend $25 and subscribe to the Faith’s new four-issue mini-series. (You’ll still get our bitch’n box for free, too)