Benitez Productions 2018
Story by Joe Benitez & M.M. Chen
Pencilled by Joe Benitez & Martin Montiel
Inked by Studio J-13
Coloured by Beth Sotelo
Lady Mechanika attempts to avoid incarceration after Detective Inspector Singh and an eyewitness accuse her of multiple murders. Plus, the mystery of Mr. Lewis' past is revealed.
This is one of the best franchises in comics and even small shoppes like the one I frequent continuously sell out of. They don’t try to keep expanding their line and put out a plethora of books and the care and dedication to this series shines through on every page. Sure Joe does covers for various companies for their “events” but the heart and soul is clearly seen here. This whole futuristic Victorian steampunk look and feel is something makes this stand out and keeps us coming back for more.
I do so love the opening here as DI Singh came to pay a visit and he and Mechanika have a little chat over tea about some pressing matter. That of course being the murder of Mr. Johnson for as it turns out there was a witness though what he described could have been about anyone with or even without mechanical enhancements. Now the game is truly afoot as it’s what Mr. Lewis and those he worked and were working on now needs to be uncovered if they are to clear Lady Mechanika’s name and apprehend the real killer.
I love the way that this book is structured there is this incredibly amazing flow to how we see thing unfold, learn the secrets people posses as we continuously get to know them better. The writing has a very sharp biting sense to it and the dialogue between Mechanika and Singh while being familiar, bordering on flirtatious also has that sense of I would betray you if I have to behind what is being said. Friends or not they seem to have a contentious relationship and in the end when nothing else matters they are but whereas the law is concerned the Lady casts a long shadow.
As always the interior artwork here is impeccable. I am constantly in awe of the page layouts and the framing of the page. The attention to detail never waivers and it is throughout not just on what you immediately see and that keeps the eye on the page to go over the whole thing. Also there really is more than a bit of fashion designing going on too from the men and their suits to Mechanika in her nightgown to her day and night wear. Then add to that the Steampunk elements and wow that really is a lot to deal with but it’s all handled beautifully.
The revelation at the end of what she faces was done pretty much to perfection. I am not quite sure how but Joe and Chen have managed to capture this in a way that seems so modern and real and yet old and regal, slums and all. There is a beauty and grace to what we see whether it’s in the writing or the artwork and how it all is stunning to see. The dichotomy here in this other assassin and how she is seen on the streets as an elegant woman and she’s one mechanically enhanced cold blooded killer and how it’s presented sigh.
I know many people wait for the trades to come out and here with these three or four issue arcs and the cost much more reasonable than most a huge draw. Me I love having the issues maybe take em to a con and get signed which by the by is a great way to let them know you are reading the book. This is deceptively sexy fun that has real meat in the story and characterisation while being wrapped up in the beautifully enchanting interior artwork.