I've never read a Lady Death comic book before. I had little time for the bad-girl comics trend of the 1990s, and Lady Death was perhaps the most representative of the fad. So it was with trepidation that approach this issue of the latest incarnation of the character. I'm pleased to find that the concept has evolved, and the writer does a decent job of filling new readers on some of the necessary exposition. Ultimately though, I found little human in the character, and therefore, it was difficult to delve into this book and become a part of the story.
The half-human, half-eldritch Lady Death is hunting Henry Heinemann, the human who killed her and her mother. She's returned to the same village where she once spent her childhood, but her memory is hazy. Before she can carry out her mission of revenge, though, the village is set upon by an eldritch raiding party, and Lady Death quickly takes up a sword alongside her human ally, Wolf, to do battle with the invaders.
There was a time when Ivan Reis's artwork did little for me. His work struck me as being that of yet another Image clone, but in the last year or two, it has taken some significant steps forward. His visuals on Avengers Icons: The Vision were stunning, for example. His work here captures the period nicely and a strong sense of action, but it seems to lack the sharp detail and inventiveness that caught my eye on The Vision. I'm quite pleased with the title character's appearance. Gone is the push-up bra costume, and it's replaced with something far less gratuitous that nevertheless captures the character's edgy quality.
Pulido fills the reader in on most of what he or she has to know about the title character and the scenario here, save for one important detail: how was Hope transformed into Lady Death, and why? Beyond a thirst for revenge -- which doesn't seem like it'll be much of a challenge to achieve -- the reader isn't told of the protagonist's purpose, her reason for existing.
The medieval setting is an interesting twist for a character known for her encounters with a guy named "Evil Ernie" and other scantily-clad, other-dimensional seductresses. The period suits the title character's warrior ways, and she fits in easily in a sword-and-sorcery setting. Still, while the medieval spin is something of a strength, it's also a liability at the same time. It's difficult to relate to the characters, as survival and blood-letting seems to be the common experience here.
While this latest incarnation of Lady Death doesn't appeal to me, one has to give Pulido credit for trying to broaden the character's appeal without dwelling on her sexuality.
