Written by Paul Dini
Art by Kenneth Rocafort; Imaginary Friends Studios; & Troy Peteri
Cover Art by Kenneth Rocafort
SUMMARY:
Published by Top Cow Productions-Image Comics for September 2007, this untitled issue leads off with Mirage’s crafty undercover elimination of ASI operative Tom Ragg. With ASI boss Abe Coyle simmering over his growing list of dead henchmen, he recruits psychic assassin, Everett “Mousetrap” Bradley, to trap Mirage later that night. At the Kelly Mansion’s high society bash, the enigmatic Mirage keeps Ragg’s appointment re: an extortion-kidnapping scheme against pompous actor Zack Kelly. Lured into Mousetrap’s ruse, Mirage must play an elusive game of impersonations against ASI’s thugs. Among them are Mousetrap and the dim-witted Dude, who wants payback after Mirage’s ambush in the last issue. Her escape from Kelly’s estate ultimately rides on a fateful encounter with Mousetrap.
REVIEW:
Despite some coarse dialogue (including a f-bomb), writer Paul Dini continues to impress with this unpredictable modern-day noir. As seen by Madame Mirage’s dark sense of justice, she doesn’t hesitate to kill in cold blood (i.e. slitting somebody’s throat), making her a dark anti-heroine. In that sense, Dini’s gritty storyline concentrates on her ASI vendetta and smartly providing only a few glimpses of Mirage’s true identity. As for the artwork, it improves upon the first issue, though the art team again relies upon overtly sexist images of Mirage’s cleavage and/or lithe figure. Still, Dini’s pulpy new creation and her arsenal of seemingly magical tricks helps make Madame Mirage # 2 a worthwhile read.
ADDITIONAL CONTENT:
There is Top Cow’s single-page “World Moos” news-and-notes column, which has a thumbnail cover reveal for Madame Mirage # 3.
BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 7½ Stars
