Review: Hex Wives #1
What do you do to conquer your immortal enemies, that have beaten you at every turn? Marry them off and make them housewives of course!. Lets hope the Fins don’t use this method to beat the Pats. Still if it leads to an AFC East crown…….
For centuries, there has been a coven of perpetually reincarnating witches, who have fought against the leashes of the male conspiracy known as the Architects. Following an Architects death, the new leader comes up with a daring plan involving “a willing kiss from a mortal pure.” Three years later we are introduced to the latest versions of Isadora and Nadiya as they live their happy little “Stepford Witch” lives unaware of all the power that they used to possess and the manipulations that confound them and ensnare them within their own complicit actions.
The book is written by Ben Blacker who has worked on some high-profile stuff including Deadpool, Wolverine and Star Wars. Hex may actually have more in common with his other writing, that on the ever popular Supernatural TV show as this book has quite a lot of magic shenanigans going on.  Blacker works hard to set the early scenes well, before crashing the joint. With stories like this, there is always a feeling of anticipation, as we wait for the witches past life to come back and haunt the Architects. Therefore, Blacker needs to walk a very tight line of dropping hints to his characters, which in effect are really sleight nods to the reader, who is in one the joke. This level of reader participation makes for a great reading experience, if there is a payoff down the line. Obviously, this being the first issue, that payoff is a while away, thankfully. Blacker’s dialogue is a mix of different styles; one part Salem’s Lot and one part Bewitched, with each carrying their respective nods and tropes.
The art is supplied by Mirka Andolfo who is probably best known for her work on DC Bombshells as well as Ms. Marvel. As such, the simple design of the characters, with a less is more kind of feel shouldn’t come as a surprise. It is a style that suits the almost sit-com nature of the witches suburban lives, with everything being just to picture perfect, at least that’s the intimation. The cartoon style easy-going lines may not suit everyone, especially those who see the Vertigo imprint, with its mature reader tag, as meaning mature art; Andolfo shows that when it comes to storytelling methods, there is more than one way to skin a black cat. Colors are provided by Marissa Louise who shows her skills as she utilises at least two different schemes, that convey the spooky side of the story as well as the day-glow nature of the now tepid lives of Isadora and Nadiya. Letters are provided by Josh Reed in a style that is easy to follow, adding readability to a story that at times is a little wordy. The always fantastic Joelle Jones delivers yet another one of her gorgeous covers, aided and abetted by Jordie Bellaire. Looking at the book as a whole, I wonder if Andolfo’s work has inspiratinos from Jones’ own Lady Killer books.
Historically, I am not much of a Vertigo fan; I always feel that with their main characters having so much history, I kind of missed the jumping on point. With Hex Wives however, there is no such issue. This is a totally new spin on the age-old men vs women and the subjugation of the genders, of which at times, allow for both to enjoy the upper hand, just not at the same time. With pacing being a a potential problem to overcome, the book is an interesting take, with engaging characters and enough of a selection of hooks and hints to keep the reader’s attention.
Writing – 5 Stars
Art – 4 Stars
Colors – 5 Stars
[yasr_overall_rating size=”large”]
Written by; Ben Blacker
Art by; Mirka Andolfo
Colors by; Marissa Louise
Letters by; Josh Reed
Cover by; Joelle Jones & Jordie Bellaire
Published by;Â Vertigo / DC Comics
Author Profile
- 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
Latest entries
Comic BooksApril 19, 2024Review: Jill and the Killers #4
Comic BooksApril 11, 2024Review: Deadweights #1 (of 6)
Comic BooksApril 10, 2024Review: Jim Henson’s Labyrinth Archive Edition #1 (of 3)
Comic BooksApril 3, 2024Review: Red Sonja Empire of the Damned #1
