Action Lab Entertainment 2018
Written & Lettered by Steve Bryant
Illustrated by Ismael Canales
Coloured by Emily Elmer
Kicking off the ongoing adventures of comics’ favorite pulp heroine! Athena races against the Nazis to find an artifact once possessed by Pope Sylvester II, but the allies helping her have their own agendas. Loyalties will be tested. With absolute power up for grabs, who can you trust?
I love this is totally Indiana Jones and Laura Croft had a baby and named her Athena. The gun totting aviatrix who ends up seeking historical treasures as a hired mercenary, guide and catch-all. She’s brazen, sassy, feisty and all around one of the most capable and confident women you’ll ever meet and she’s not afraid to use her assets, see feminine wiles, when she wants or needs to. Steve does such an amazing job with his creation and bringing her to life and I’m beyond thrilled that she’s finally got her own ongoing monthly!
I do like how this issue starts off the series and how this issue opens. Always fun to see secret spy organisations being brought into the light. British Special Intelligence Service home to Division 7, and elite espionage agency specialising in arcane mysteries and fringe technology. That is a worthy series description unto itself and one I would gladly read. Still the way we see this open opens up a slew of story ideas that can at any given moment in the series run. From it’s new head to the mysterious Mr. X, whom I'm not even sure is a mister the intrigue starts right away and I have to say I love the way Steve does this.
The way the book is structured is amazingly well done. From the opening to the last page the way he has transitions, change in focus or locale, is smooth as Chinese silk and brings us just enough of the bad guys and Athena and her comrades so that we get a good sense of them but leaving enough unsaid so that we want to learn more. Hassenkamp for instance is someone whose demise I wish to see by the end of the arc the rest well they can remain alive to become something of a thorn to Athena in the future. So I say this to give you an example of the characterisation that Steve brings these characters. They are fleshed out so that we “know” them or their type and it does make an impact on the reader.
Ismael does some stunning work on the interiors here. The way he does page layouts so we see the angles and perspective in the panels shows such a great eye for storytelling. The moment that Athena and company find the underground city area and we see it is one of those jaw dropping wow moments. Also the building on the opening page yeah this guy is amazing and I’m surprised this is the first time I’m recalling seeing his work. Here’s hoping he’s happy doing Athena because I don’t want to see him leave. Backgrounds are used a lot more and less than I’d like so that’s promising since he uses them to expand the story in just the right ways. Plus the linework and the varying weights we see in use are so well done that and shading and faces, facial expressions and body language are a joy to see.
Nazi’s, secret organisations and secret societies all vying for the same thing how much more fun could this possibly be? The writing here is spectacular and from concept, through plot/story development with the characterisation alongside this stunning interior artwork this is why you need to be aware of Action Lab and what they are bringing to the table. 2018 is the Year of the Lab and you’d best get on board now!