FEMME NOIR: THE DARK CITY DIARIES #1 ADVANCE REVIEW

[Andrea Speed]

Reviewer: Andrea Speed andy@comixtreme.com
Quick Rating: Very Good
Title: Blonde Justice

Femme Noir returns … but who is the mysterious blonde vigilante?

Writer: Christopher Mills
Pencils: Joe Staton
Inks: Horacio Ottolini
Colors: Melissa Kaercher
Cover Art: Joe Staton; Brian Bolland (shown)
Publisher: Ape Entertainment

If you didn’t read any of this series the first time around - it was mostly a web comic series, although a really good one - there’s no need to be acquainted with it, as this series kicks off with an issue that reintroduces the character and her crime ridden, ‘40’s era pulp noir style world of Port Nocturne. A detective obsessed with her has narrowed down the real identity of the mystery gunwoman down to three potential suspects, and lays out the case for each one: a crime lord’s daughter, a tough nightclub chanteuse, and a spunky female reporter being stymied by the conventions of the time, all of whom have had a case where their lives have intersected with violent crime and/or weird criminals, and “blonde justice” herself.

This plays a bit like a distaff Spirit, with a proto-feminist spin on a typical hard boiled pulp style mystery/thriller, and it’s a slick, entertaining read. Femme Noir may have been gone for a while, but all of its charm remains intact.

The art by Staton and Ottolini seems to mimic the art style of the pulp comics very well, although it remains contemporary in many key ways. The coloring by Kaercher is atmospheric and appropriate.

I have to admit I was a fan the first time around, but it’s nice to see this one come back in such a grand style. This one is listed in the April Previews (for release in June), in stores today, under Ape Entertainment, and I highly recommend ordering a copy and checking it out for yourself. The Diamond item code is APR083545.

[Terry Verticchio]

Hot blonde in a fedora packing twin .45s...

Yup sounds like a winner to me.

[Andrea Speed]

Yeah, I think you'd really like this series, Terry.

[Ammar Al Subahi]

I always did wonder why nobody ever made a noir book/film with a female detective in the lead, guess I was wrong about it never been done.

But is she the Femme Fatale of the story or is there somekind of H'omme Fatale that seduces her and leads her into trouble?

[Andrea Speed]

But is she the Femme Fatale of the story or is there some ind of H'omme Fatale that seduces her and leads her into trouble

Now now - if you're sticking to the noir formula but doing a gender reversal, it'd have to be a sexy man who would lead her into trouble. (And I could write that story... )

[Terry Verticchio]

Originally Posted by Andrea Speed

Now now - if you're sticking to the noir formula but doing a gender reversal, it'd have to be a sexy man who would lead her into trouble. (And I could write that story... )

Haven't you done that with Roan yet? Cuz it sorta the same thing, using a man-fatale to seduce the Private Dick.

[virtuadept]

This sounds pretty cool, I think I may have to add this to my pull list.

Seems very similar in theme to Madame Mirage.

[Andrea Speed]

Haven't you done that with Roan yet? Cuz it sorta the same thing, using a man-fatale to seduce the Private Dick.

Kind of! Only he hasn't exactly been seduced ... yet. (I don't know if that counts as a plot spoiler or not...)

Seems very similar in theme to Madame Mirage.

Eh ... Femme Noir came first.