Joe Benitez Productions 2019
Written by M.M. Chen & Joe Benitez
Illustrated by Brian Ching-Main Story
Pencilled by Joe Benitez & Martin Montiel-Prologue
Inked by Studio J-13—Prologue
Coloured by Beth Sotelo
Lettered by Michael Heisler
The action-packed finale of the Sangre storyline!
Lady Mechanika goes up against both La Madrina and the demonios to save Alejandro, the Barón's son. Will she succeed in protecting her charge, or end up putting her own life - and possibly soul - in danger?
Features a main story by guest artist Brian Ching and a prologue story drawn by Joe Benitez and Martin Montiel.
Lady Mechanika truly is one of the most intriguing and interesting character creations since comics have begun. Yes it is a bold statement and I stand by it with all my conviction because what Joe and Marcia have created here transcends time and is a genre unto itself. It is a very unique book that literally has no equal and that this is on stands today in a world awash with knock-off's or dark angry variations of characters former selves well I don't need to say much more. Still who she is and more importantly what she is remains unknown to her and this is her never ending quest as she moves throughout her adventures.
I love the way that this is being told. How the story & plot development we see is furthered by how we see the sequence of events unfold and how the reader learns information is perfectly presented and executed. The way that the reader sees these events unfold whether in the past of their present it is pretty damn amazing. The way the series has been structured so the end of the prologue and how it answers some questions regarding the main feature is some of the best coinciding storytelling I have ever seen. The character development is extraordinarily well depicted. The Baron and how he sees his son, well that's more universal than people realise and for that era it's handled exceptionally well. Not only that but all around even a servant girl can say more succinctly than many well education are possible of. The pacing is superb and as it takes us through the pages it makes us feel like the story isn't going to possibly end here. Instead it does and it's how this book is paced and structured is a class in progress.
While I really like and enjoy Brian's work it's the opening that truly takes my breath away. The complexity of the linework, the various techniques and varying weights utilised to bring out this level and quality of attention to detail is mindbogglingly good. Plus these borders ugh I just want to live in a world illustrated by Joe and Martin. Brian's work on the main story is well done and his creativity and imagination in how we see the Guaxa or Whamphiri is well rendered. I would like to see more detail in his work but we can't have it all. The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels show a solid eye for storytelling. I really like the colour work as well. How we see the various hues and tones within the colours utilised to create the shading, highlights an shadow work or simply to give us more texture to what is amazingly well rendered.
What I love about this is that Joe and company don't try to make this ongoing and instead utilised a series of arcs to tell the tales. This is how to keep a series alive and moving forward while keeping them interconnected to one another. It doesn't put out more than is necessary or try to put out a bunch of books and just focuses on telling one story. It is also why Lady Mechanika is as lauded, by myself, as it is.