National Comics: Madame X #1 Review

Note: I love the cover art (except for the ad)

Truthfully, going into this one-and-done issue I had very little idea who Madame X(anadu) is - I just had vague recollections of an appearance on an episode of a television show I had watched - however, after reading National Comics: Madame X #1 from writer Rob Williams and artist Trevor Hairsine, I feel that I now possess a somewhat decent grasp on the character that is presented. 

This New Orleans based issue focuses on a murder mystery involving a dead mayoral candidate, a zombie, and a fair bit of voodoo mysticism. Madame X, Nima to those who know her, is a disgraced former stage psychic (think Zatanna with less fishnets) with legitimate tarot-based precognitive abilities working with a law firm to help prove their clients' innocence. 

The plotting and writing in this issue is top notch, if a bit rushed near the conclusion, and develops Madame X's strange little world rather well considering the restraints inherent to the one-shot format. Rob Williams does an excellent job of providing all of the necessary details about Madame X in the single issue, though her characterization can feel a bit shallow at times. The only real complaints I have about the story-line is the unnecessary, though surprising, cliffhanger and the slightly, but not terribly, abrupt manner in which the issue's central mystery is resolved.

The art by Trevor Hairsine, while a bit rough for my tastes, fits the issue's story and tone very well and creates a very atmospheric visual experience on the whole. The colors done by Antonio Fabela are definitely owed much for helping to create the book's "feel" with certain scenes, like those in the swamps, being legitimately eerie in large part due to the coloration. One minor gripe that I had with this issue's art is that in images with closeups of faces, the eyes seemed to be a touch out of proportion.

On the whole, this one-shot put out by DC is well worth picking up and manages to provide a good introduction to the character and her world. Despite this, I can't help but feel that this issue reads like a pilot episode (complete with the episodic format and a spunky law firm based heroine) that will sadly never get picked up for a series. 

8/10

Additional Notes:

• I believe that this issue is completely out of continuity with the rest of the DC universe, considering there are, apparently, already two books featuring Madame Xanadu already put out on a monthly basis.
• The cover done by Fiona Staples is visually striking and well done, and I will definitely pay attention to her work henceforth.