From the official press release:

Moon Girl, is based on a Golden Age superhero created by Gardner Fox for EC Comics during the golden age. The copyright has since slipped into public domain. The five issue mini series reinterprets the original 1940’s comic for modern audiences. The revival is written by Tony Trov & Johnny Zito with amazing digital paints by Rhazzah Wundabar.

Big Shiny Robot! got a chance to review the first two issues of the miniseries and I passed it along to my lovely wife, Sara.

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Baldassbot suggested me for the review of Moon Girl, saying “she’d like this, it’s right up her alley.” Okay. So, I open the file and come face to face with Clare Lune, a boot-wearing, red-headed, green-eyed royal Russian exile recently resurrected by Rahzzah Wundabar, Johnny Zito and Tony Trov. I think it was the red-headed part that Mr. Assbot thought was up my alley…but I digress.

Visually, I loved this. When Clare’s universe is supposed to be pretty, it (and she) is Vargas-girl pretty; blended smooth colors, curvy sweet lines, and hints of garter belts where applicable. The classic era influence is kept intact, with heavy retro hints. In a newspaper photo, Satana almost has a Rita Hayworthiness in her sultry eyes and well-arched brow. But when the action is more visceral, so is the art- straining muscles and collapsed bodies. Attention to body angles in duress and and the physics of splatter are killer. Blood streams at damn-near poetic angles in the right scenes (there is a broken nose in the first installment that sort of fascinated me), without the reader being positively douched in blood. Of course, close-up shots are treated with exquisite care for detail, with human facial features challenging their own two-dimensionality.

The story starts in medias res, Moon Girl taking on Satana in a midday fight. The benefit here is, of course, that there is no tedious build-up to the story, no awkward lengthy introductions, just the bloody meat of the matter. The negative side is the reader is given a great fight, without a why beyond just “CHICK FIGHT!” This problem is quickly mitigated by a few dialogue drops hinting to a sordid past; and the subsequent flashbacks are well executed, giving just enough information without becoming prattling or reminiscent.

Beyond the requisite costumed villains, like the she-Rasputin Satana, Moon Girl has to face a rising army of snarly, growly, dare I say, zombie-like legions, propagated by the quirky politically un-rested Sugar Plum Fairy. So the tally thus far: An archenemy with history in Satana, a revolutionary upstart in Sugar Plum, and zombies! Okay, I’m in! This is fertile ground for future installments. However, in the preview, Sugar Plum Fairy talks about her army of ghouls as a tool for creating Utopia. Where’s the evil genius in that? Sure, if you’re the leader of a bunch of daffy bastards who can’t think for themselves, that’s a pretty sweet gig. But what happens when everyone is either dead or categorically undead? What are they going to eat after that? It just seems like an inefficient means to global domination.

Efficacy of zombie legions aside, I’m in. Clare “Moon Girl” Lune is a sexy, burdened-by-responsibility superhero in the finest tradition. The two installments I was privy to, I was fully invested in this story’s world. The dialogue has some very clever moments, specifically from Sugar Plum Fairy, but does fall into cliché from time to time. There’s some additional cover art, that’s fine. I was more interested in the splash-art at the end. This is the only spot I had a little trouble with; due to screen resolution, I missed some of the text on the end art- the drawback of functioning via net book.

So, Baldassbot, you were right. It’s up my alley. Snagging this line from the public domain and reinstating her is a good thing. Go. Read.

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The first two chapters of Moon Girl are available for 99¢ from Comixology at www.MoonGirlFightsCrime.com. You can also find a free preview.