Joe Benitez Productions 2019
Written by M.M. Chen & Joe Benitez
Main Story Illustrated by Brian Ching
Prologue Pencilled by Joe Benitez & Martin Montiel
Prologue Inked by Studio J-13
Coloured by Beth Sotelo
Lettered by Michael Heisler
Lady Mechanika comes face-to-face with a shadow from her past. But who exactly is La Madrina? And what is her connection to La Dama De La Muerte?
There are so many reasons why this is one of my favourite series but how can one decide when the story and artwork are equally as strong, interesting and creating something you never want to see end? So let's start off with the review of this one shall we and you'll discover why the reasons are many. The prologue for starters not only captures the imagination of the reader and makes them want to see more but it feels mysterious as well. What could these South American Natives have to do with the main story arc? This issue we finally get to see that which caused Tecuani to go to his wife and children and decide to run for their lives after what has transpired. And it is oh so terrifying and gorgeous all in the same breath.
The way that this story is being told is superb. The story & plot development and the characterisation are so in sync and so delightful that sometimes it's hard to tell where one ends and the other begins or perhaps that they both are together as one throughout the whole. The way that information is revealed and that revelations are come to has this incredibly natural feel to it instead of that mechanical or trying to hard aspect to them. With the pacing added and the twists and turns the story encounters along the way the ebb & flow is beautifully done.
The opening for the main story is a continuation of where it left off. And thankfully no time has passed and it is the start of the encounter between the hooded figure and our Lady Mechanika. So while those of us who have been following the franchise remember her time in Mexico if you are reading this for the first time or have a desire to pick this up just know that it is new reader friendly and you do not have to have read the previous arcs, though I would highly recommend that you do simply because they are stellar works. We see through some of the nicest transitions around what we need to know and then some.
You can tell when Joe and Martin are working on what pages. Regardless of the quality of anyone else's work what these guys do and with the inking and Beth's god given talent they create just these insane pages full gorgeous work. The prolific backgrounds and the way we see depth perception is sensational. Plus Beth those wings with the moon shining through, damn girl. Brian's work is great stuff and he has his own style and if I have one complaint it is that the backgrounds sometimes feel too lacking. Otherwise the linework we see and how it's varying weights are utilised to create the attention to detail that we see is incredibly well done. He has a way with faces and facial expressions that add an extra layer of characterisation. The fight scene we see is this finely choreographed dance which is a joy to see. The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels show his strong eye for storytelling. Beth is an amazing colourist and I believe all too often overlooked. From the opening to the last page she manages to make the colour fit they artists style and help enhance the work that's already there. The choice of colour and how the various hues and tones are utilised are lovely to see.
As the story unfolds before us and all the way to the last page what we see continues to intrigue and impress me. The introduction of Señora Delfina is so gosh darn good that it makes me wish she'd move to England to continue doing her work just so we can keep seeing her in future arcs. The writing is so strong and the interiors are as equally strong so that we are glued to the page from start to finish. That cliffhanger ending is one that you will never see coming and that my friends means next issue cannot arrive fast enough. One of the best titles ever made and I stand behind that 100%.