Writer – David Michelinie
Artist – Val Mayerik
Colours – Liz Berube
Letters – Ben Oda

There is a small shop in the East Village where Madame Xanadu spends her days and it is there that a young woman named Cindy looks for help despite her feeling silly for doing so. Her boyfriend it seems, has been seeing another woman behind her back, a woman from his past and she has seen them together and thus feels betrayed despite still loving the man. What can a fortune teller do to help her she wants to know, for it seems there is nothing but Madame Xanadu sees differently and suspects more and so sends Cindy off with a reassurance that she can indeed aid her in her time of need. Written by David Michelinie, the man definitely has a way with words, a flair that entraps the reader right from the first, hooks them in and takes them on a trip through drama and the supernatural that could not be any better. The story winds its way through Cindy’s life, through her current predicament with an edge of tension around the edges as readers know that there is more to it all than it seems, especially given the title of the book. As it is, Cindy soon finds out the truth of it all, that her rival is using her boyfriend, that his soul is being siphoned off so that the other woman might continue living longer than is humanly possible. It turns out this other woman is the daughter of Tutankamen, the ancient Egyptian king and that she has been siphoning souls ever since so that she might continue to live her unholy life. When the final process begins, it is at this moment that Madame Xanadu steps in and while she cannot directly interfere, that does not mean she cannot give a little friendly advice and point Cindy towards doing what needs doing. After Cindy does so, it is then that Madame Xanadu can finally step in and wrap things up so-to-speak and while it seems like she perishes during this final act in the book, she is soon discovered back in her shop with a new item to add to her collection of curiosities. Michelinie is at his best when he is poking around the dusty corners of the DC Universe and this first issue proves it right. Making it just as enchanting is Val Mayerik whose pencils bring the magic to life, giving the book a little more realism than the usual four-colour heroes that usually make it to the page. In all, Mayerik and Michelinie make for a great team and create a fantastic first issue perfectly ensconced in the horror genre.

4.5 out of 5