(Words by James Robinson, art by various,Trade paperback Published by DC/Vertigo)
The three witches from Sandman known as the Kindly Ones finally get their own series. It's a tale of vengeance down through the centuries, as a young Roman woman, Ursula, is violently raped and murdered whilst attending a rite to Hecatae. She calls upon the Three and, after some internal squabbling, they agree to avenge her death. To do this, they must wait until the wheel of reincarnation spins to bring the souls of the rapist and his victim back into each other's lives.
Whilst he is not as subtle as Neil Gaiman, James Robinson plots an interesting story, from Roman rule to the twentieth century, by way of the medieval and Victorian eras. His writing illustrates both the differences and the similarities between each era, with each artist complementing the tale in their own individual fashion. Teddy (House of Secrets) Kristiansen and Steve (Zenith) Yeowell provide stylised imagery, and Michael (Sandman) Zulli goes for the more naturalistic approach. Despite the disparity of their styles, the artwork does not conflict because each artist represents a different era.
Taking elements of ancient mythology, medieval history, Victorian romance and contemporary gender politics, this is a good piece of storytelling, which tries hard to impress but ultimately it works best as a piece of escapism. In spite of all that, or perhaps because of it, it's a worthwhile read.
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Anna Jellinek
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