#1
Another enjoyable debut from Alan Moore's new universe, much more than just another Wonder Woman update and perhaps the best explanation to date for a character's longevity. Lots of promise here and dramatic, moody art, and the cameo by the Five Swell Guys reveals that Moore has even recovered his sense of humour. (RH)
An old heroine is reborn in a technologically advanced New York. Whether Alan Moore can elevate Promethea beyond the host of female characters in 1990s comics remains to be seen, but this is a promising, if slightly melodramatic start. The art is inconsistent but the layouts under-pinning it are startlingly imaginative and the architecture exquisitely rendered. (JL)
#3
Alan Moore trip-traps into cutesy fairy-tale Neil Gaiman territory as Promethea searches for her friend in 'Mystic Magic Land'. It's all a little twee, but Moore manages to keep tongue firmly in cheek for most of the journey. The art is lush and highly detailed, although the colouring is a little flat in places. (RH)
<+-> Alan Moore may contemplate changing art teams out of sheer jealousy, as his ideas risk being submerged under the outstandingly inventive page layouts of J. H. Williams III and Mick Gray. The plot is in a bedding-in period, as Moore attempts to create a strong sense of history for the title, while detailing current adventures. (JL)
#4
<-> A council of past Prometheas convene ad hoc in Magical Misty Land to discuss and monitor new Promethea alter-ego, Sophie Bangs. As you'd expect, Charles Vess's flashback sequence blends perfectly into the overall tone of the book. (JL)
J.H. Williams III's lush art raises even the most domestic of scenes to the level of high art (see pages 4-5 and 16-17). Having survived her ordeals thus far, the new Promethea begins to research her predecessors, allowing guest artist Charles Vess to deliver another faerie romance that seems to be his bread and butter living these days. (RN)
#5
Alan Moore continues to expound on the history of Promethea's earlier vessels, and adds a fair degree of metaphysical speculation on the nature of reality. At times the series hints at some of the modern fantasy concepts developed in Clive Barker's novels. And once again the art layout is nothing short of being totally mesmerising. (RN)
#6
A gorgeous issue as ever, with pure eye candy from Mr Williams and a sharply written script by Alan Moore. It's the little touches that stand out so well – like the Lichtenstein pop art panels that illustrate Kenneth's use of telepathy; the Weeping Gorilla billboards and the lush use of occult imagery, especially in the last page. Titles like Promethea are making this another classic era for superhero comics. There is obviously still life left in the genre. (RN)
#7
Before returning to the hospital, Sophie finds out how dangerous it can be to become emotionally attached to anyone in the real world, as the most down-to-earth version of Promethea recounts her affair with an FBI agent that finished in violent tragedy. The end of Sophie's journey through the Immateria is smoothly handled and some of the digitally- enhanced photographic images by Jose Villarrubia look absolutely stunning! (ATB)
<=> I'm running out of words in my thesaurus for brilliant. The art team who put together the photo montage Veils title lends its talents to a hyper reality sequence that fits in perfectly with the rest of the issue, as the ever confused Sophie Bangs gets to meet her gender swapping predecessor, Bill, who bizarrely turns out to be the most feminine Promethea to date. Just, um, buy it... Please! (RN)
#9
In nine issues Promethea has established its reputation as possibly the best superhero comic on the market today. The lushness of J.H. Williams III's art is matched perfectly by the depth and detail of Alan Moore's scripts. The final conflict this month between Promethea and The Temple proves that Moore is writing as strongly as he did in his Watchmen heyday. (RN)
#10
This will be remembered for featuring one of the longest sex scenes in the medium of comics, as Sophie continues her magical education with the help of Jack Faust. The incredible illustrations and dense dialogue makes it impossible for anyone to simply accuse Alan Moore of titillation, since he heavily uses sexual and religious analogies here. (ATB)
<=> Grant Morrison claimed that Invisibles was magick, but it's Promethea who really lives up to that claim, and this month Alan Moore presents us with 24 pages of tantric sex magick and a crash course on hermetic symbolism along the way. Gorgeous, and yet strangely not erotic, considering its subject matter. This is undoubtedly one of the most psychedelic comics ever. (RN)
The tastefully handled sex issue! Promethea learns more about magic by bedding a dirty old man, sorry, I mean learned magician. This is far more sensual and erotic than Alan Moore's own Lost Girls series, and funnier with it. As usual J. H. Williams III and Mick Gray's art along with Jeremy Cox's colouring make this the most sumptuous looking book on the stands. (RW)
#12
Alan Moore attempts a summation of events from Big Bang to near future explained novelly to Promethea through the props of the Tarot Card deck, and entirely in rhyme. However the project is undermined by Moore’s forced, flawed and outdated philosophy of history, in particular the dichotomy of materialist and spiritual epistemes, with no mention of the Enlightenment. The most ambitious and deep thinking comic ever to hit the stands. (JL)
<=> The entire history of the world told via the Tarot deck. This is one innovative comic! Despite the use of 24 full-page spreads, there is more reading material than in most comics, thanks to Alan Moore’s incredible writing skills. The pages are full of symbolism, but even with the vast amount of dialogue they never look cluttered, such is the beauty of artist J. H. Williams III’s page design. Read this and get a vision of the potential comics can have as an art form. (MN)
#13
America's Best Comics? Did I think that hubris? Yes. Did I think it hyperbole? Yes. Now? Now I realise it is, quite simply, the truth. This is America's best comic. Enjoy. (JL)
<=> Changes are afoot in ABC’s most regular title, when Sophie suggests a replacement Promethea for Earth while she rescues from death a previous holder of the title. Again, yet more surreal visual delights from a comic which leaves you feeling spoilt to have read it. (RW)
#14
From the moment Charon delivers Sophie to the houseboat on the Styx, I have scarce reference points with which to judge this book. Mired in Kaballic mysticism, this is Alan Moore's afterlife, at this point neither heaven nor hell, just an extension of the universe he has introduced over past episodes. (JL)
<=> The journey into the underworld continues, while the real world replacement receives some harsh lessons on why to be polite to beings inhabiting the same consciousness. Alan Moore continues to show how to write powerful characters. Always inventive and entertaining, and perfectly complemented by consistently amazing artwork, this is the strongest mainstream book around. (MN)
<=> Not so much a comic, as a detailed explanation of magickal theory. Much as I love this title, the last few issues have been a little on the heavy side. There’s certainly a place for this kind of story, but I can’t help missing the lighter aspects of the title from before. (RN)
