Advance Review: Punk Mambo #1

How many of you all have been sleeping on Valiant Entertainment? Asking because I’ve been a fan for a bit now and I know how wonderfully underrated that their content can be. From everything to Ninjak to Dr. Mirage, they run the gamut of different but unique titles that manage to satisfy people like myself who really love unique little bits of writing and characters. Punk Mambo is no different from that.

If you don’t know the character herself, she’s basically like Brody Dalle with voodoo magicks that tether her to the Loa and spirits from beyond. Mambo uses these powers to fight dark creatures and other not so nice magical users with the aid of Loa like Ayezan, however, I digress. This issue, written by (surprise!) Cullen Bunn includes some really wonderful art by Adam Gorham, previously of Rocket Raccoon.

I need to acknowledge this really fast; Adam is one of the most amazingly kind, talented and down to Earth people I have ever had the pleasure of meeting when I did briefly at NYCC a few years ago. His work is something I’ve followed throughout the past couple years and every single page of this title shows his progression. It’s a real treat to be able to witness an artist find their own specific style and really hone their craft and Gorham does such through beautifully executed action sequences in these panels.

Anyway, this whole issue centers around Mambo’s interaction after a confrontation with the Grunch in which her connection with Aye is severed. We’re not quite sure why or how this might be but Mambo is left to face the rest of the clan sans her Loa help. She manages, but we quickly realize that despite all her snark about their relationship, that Mambo is more perturbed by this than she might actually let on.

An issue which Madame Marie Laveau, who conveniently appears to Mambo after sensing her distress about the situation, seeks to help her rectify even if the latter is rather reluctant about it. Using a pocket gateway, Laveau and Mambo find themselves transported to the middle ofÂ the place where voodoo originated; Haiti. However, upon arrival, Laveau feels it necessary to preface their journey with some words about rules which, obviously, doesn’t fly with Mambo at all.

This clearly doesn’t please Laveau, who seems to abandon Mambo in her time of need to leave her to her own devices; something which she might soon regret. I’ve got to say it again, Cullen Bunn is putting out some really really great content and the art coupled with his story in this limited 4 out of 5 star issue is enough to really make people who might not be super familiar with Punk Mambo truly fall in love with her.

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(W) Cullen Bunn (A) Adam Gorham (CA) Zu Orzu

In Shops: Apr 24, 2019
Diamond Code: FEB192040