Madame Mirage #1
Writer: Paul Dini
Artists: Kenneth Rocafort
Publisher: Top Cow
Review by: Brian Matus
Top Cow recently emailed the first seven pages (and both covers) of Madame Mirage #1 out to reviewers. If you've seen the art they've released online and think you know this story, you may be in for a surprise.
For example, despite it's noir-ish cover art, the story seems to take place one scientific leap into the future.
In this story, bio-engineering and cybernetics have enhanced some people to the point where a small group of heroes were soon overwhelmed by a much larger, less benevolent group of 'enhanced' criminals. As the situation raced out of control, these technologies were banned, the heroes surrendered (which turned out to be not such a great move for them), and the criminals went underground, forming corporations that make their abilities covertly available to the highest bidder.
Needless to say, Madame Mirage is displeased, and is set upon putting an end to these "corporation's" rackets.
Deadly force is not out of the question.
Paul Dini, probably best known for his work on Batman: The Animated Series, has created a story in the vein of TV's 'Heroes', told with more of a 'Blade Runner' sensibility, where the 'Femme Fatale' is the hero and the villains appear to be respectable businessmen.
If you like the art in Top Cow's comics, then you won't be disappointed. Kenneth Rocafort appears equally comfortable drawing a 'quiet' page that suggests a mood as he is drawing action scenes, which seems a perfect fit for this story which occasionally blends elements from both it's noir and science-fictional roots.
There were a few pages where blue letters over grey caption boxes were difficult to read, but that may be due to the scans that were sent, and may not be reflective of what's printed.
With that I'm giving it four out of five guns blazing, mostly because I don't feel comfortable going higher on only a quarter of the first issue, though I doubt that this creative team will disappoint.
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