PROMETHEA #21 (Best of the Week!)
"The Wine of Her Fornications"
Highly Recommended (9/10)
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DC Comics/America's Best Comics
Writer: Alan Moore
Pencils: J.H. Williams III
Inks: Mick Gray
Colors: Jeromy Cox
Letters: Todd Klein
Editor: Scott Dunbier
Price: $2.95 US/$4.95 CAN |
Moore continues to challenge -- and, I'll admit it, to confuse -- his audience with his exploration of myth, humanity and magic in this lengthy story arc. This was the most difficult issue to understand yet, but while I found the specifics of his theories to be nebulous and difficult to fathom, the symbolism is rich, mesmerizing and disturbing. The haunting and experimental nature of the art is as attractive as ever, and Moore's penchant for characterization remains strong.
Barbara and Sophie venture into the Third Sphere, called the Binah, represented by Saturn and reputedly home to God Herself. Guided by Dr. John Dee, the two women -- one former Promethea and the current one to carry on the role -- see the face of God. Or, to be more precise, the faces. They are horrified. They are enveloped in peace. They see the two sides of God, and the two sides of woman.
J.H. Williams and Mick Gray have brought a unique look to each chapter of this odd spiritual quest, and and this one is no exception. There's an iconic, stained glass riff at play here that's quite impressive. Williams's usual style is still intact, but there's a thicker, more stiff quality. One might expect brighter colors with the stained glass approach, but Cox employs darker, muted shades that reinforce the disturbing tone of Promethea Red's tirade about her twisted, black sexuality.
The overall tone of this book is a deeply philosophical and academic one, and it can be more than a little confusing at times. Fortunately, Barbara and Sophie help the reader to bridge that intellectual gap. Their down-to-earth dialogue gives the reader something to hold onto.
I love Moore's incorporation of so many different mythologies into one alamgamated discussion. Greek myth, Egyptian legend and Christian doctrine collide here, and the end result is the realization that people -- throughout the world and throughout history -- have more in common than most of us ever thought possible.
Moore explores the dichotomous nature of woman in this bizarre chapter. One of the one hand, we have this horrible, red Whore Goddess, Babalon. And on the other, we have the soothing, serene Marie Goddess. It seems as though Moore is presenting us with Woman as Destroyer and Woman as Creator. Marie represents the Mother, the giver of life, where as Babalon represents a destructive force. The red could represent menstruation, the purging of matter that had the potential for life.
Huh. Menstruation symbolism is discussed in a comic-book review. That's gotta be a new one.
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