Advance Review: Lady Baltimore - The Witches Queen #3 (of 5)

For all the losses that Dark Horse have had over the last couple of years, they have kept hold of of one of their most popular mainstays in Mike Mignola and his rather extensive Mignola-verse along with partner-in-writing Christopher Golden. Since its inception, the influx of new characters that have been introduced have kept things fresh and entertaining.

For those not in the know, Sofia Valk survived her village being overrun by darkness. Eventually she became one of Lord Baltimore’s best soldiers in the war against evil. Since his death and with the onset of World War 2 being egged on by Nazi witches, Sofia has to step into her title. This issue she Sofia and Imogen are in a race against time as they try to catch up with their survivors before the Hexenkorps witches does away with them all.

The experienced writing duo of Mike Mignola and Christopher Golden return in this mini series. The pair have crafted more than one tale between them; this level of confidence in each other really shows through in a book that has so many spinning plates. The plot is complex, the motivations of the characters vague and suitability shady in places and the dialogue is meandering. For a book that has a lot words, there is still plenty of action to be had. Still, there are nuances to the story, especially between Sofia and Imogen, which long time fans may have seen coming, but I found it quite endearing in its simplicity and heartfelt. This isn’t a book that you are going to blast through so get comfortable before you start reading. With that in mind, would the pace of the story be better served as a trade paperback.

Bridgit Connell is an artist that I am unfamiliar with. Connell’s art has cartoony style that sometimes lacks a sense of full bodied. There are also tribal elements in play which really really helps sell the idea of the witches. Other aspects work well; there are certains tat may feel traditional, which is a polite way of saying clichéd, but overall the tone of the art fits the writing. Michelle Madsen’s colors are fantastic. The magic elements completely blew me away with the more staid parts of the story still getting their fair share of importance. Finally, Clem Robins delivers another great lettering display, which should come as no surprise after a recent flow of excellent books.

Mignola and Golden are probably, page for page the most consistent writers around. Their longevity is a success for Dark Horse. The pair utilise the mini-series format perfectly, in both pace and containment. The trick is that they always leaver the reader wanting more.

Writing – 4 Stars
Art – 4 Stars
Colors – 4 Stars

Overall – 4 Stars

Written by; Mike Mignola & Christopher Golden
Art by; Bridgit Connell
Colors by; Michelle Madsen
Letters by; Clem Robins
Published by; Dark Horse Comics

Lady Baltimore – Tee Witches Curse # is out in comic shops May 26th
Diamond Pre-Order Code : MAR210266

Author Profile

Johnny "The Machine" Hughes

I am a long time comic book fan, being first introduced to Batman in the mid to late 70's. This led to a appreciation of classic artists like Neal Adams and Jim Aparo. Moving through the decades that followed, I have a working knowledge of a huge raft of characters with a fondness for old school characters like JSA and The Shadow

Currently reading a slew of Bat Books, enjoying a mini Marvel revival, and the host of The Definative Crusade and Outside the Panels whilst also appearing on No-Prize Podcast on the Undercover Capes Podcast Network