November 11, 2016
Mother Panic #1
“A Work in Progress, Pt. 1”
Written by: Jody Houser
Artwork by: Tommy Lee Edwards
Mother Panic is one of four new titles published under DC’s Young Animal line-up, overseen by Gerard Way, former vocalist of the alt-rock band My Chemical Romance. Patterned after the experimental comic titles of the 80’s and 90’s, they explore fine art, bold concepts, mature themes, characters and just all around strangeness. Dusted off heroes from the 60’s, an alien possessed bully, a weird group of superheroes and lastly, a new vigilante in Gotham City. Move over Batman!
Mother Panic features the character of Violet Paige, a troubled Gotham socialite who moonlights as a violent crime fighter. Rebellious, brash, rude and fresh out of rehab, she’s out to take on the criminal underworld in a city that already has a hero as its protector. Through a series of flashbacks, Violet’s defining moments of her life as a young girl are shown to explain the young woman that we see today. Her alter ego’s name has yet to be explained as does the extent of her powers and her costume . All white, cape, oversized gloves and an oversized helmet/mask that resembles the head of a…bat. Though don’t say that to her face, you’ll make her angry. And oh yeah, she’s got a nifty sky cycle/sled to zoom around the city on. In her first issue, she’s taking on a depraved group of artists who murder and torture, even children, for their craft. Is she still too raw from her stay in the hospital for all this? And where does the Batman have to say all about this? Gotham City is his city.
There is also a three page story at the end entitled, “Gotham Radio, Scene One: 1621. It follows a DJ’s radio talk show and his many listeners. They go on about their daily lives as they listen until the unthinkable happens. Stay tuned to find out what happens!
The Verdict: I love these titles in the Young Animal imprint for the visuals alone but make no mistake, the stories are just as good. Mother Panic has all the makings of a very interesting title with all the right blend of action and mystery to keep you coming back for more. These comics are advertised for “dangerous humans” and rightly so. If you’re looking for something different from your regular superhero fare, this title is the one to get on board with, especially here at the ground floor!
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