She’s been a warrior, a vampiress, and a princess. Now Bettie Page’s battle against the Great Old Ones takes her to another dimension where she’s… a fairy? Find out more in BETTIE PAGE UNBOUND #4 from Dynamite Comics, on store shelves September 25th!

BETTIE PAGE: UNBOUND #1

Writer:  David Avallone
Artist:  Julius Ohta
Colorist:  Ellie Wright
Letterer:  Taylor Esposito
Editor:     Kevin Ketner
Publisher:  Dynamite Entertainment
Cover Price:  $3.99
Release Date:  September 25, 2019

Previously in BETTIE PAGE: UNBOUND: Model and secret agent super spy Bettie Page has found herself tasked with the responsibility of stopping an invasion from the other-dimensional Great Old Ones, and she must obtain the five Eternal Keys to keep them from succeeding. With each key located in a different dimension, Bettie has found herself taking on a new body with each dimension. But the Great Old Ones have four of the five keys, and as she enters her fourth dimension Bettie finds herself a vertically challenged, flying fairy. Yep, Momma said they’d be days like this.

FAITH, TRUST AND PIXIE DUST

As Bettie tries to wrap her mind around her new, diminutive form, she feels that she has some power within which will help her defeat the Great Old Ones. Before she could explore her abilities, however, she looks up and see that the Great Old Ones are advancing, searching for the last key which will give them the means to invade all. She decides to follow them and devise a plan which would allow her to steal all five keys and gain victory, but is captured by a red-haired, green garbed pirate with a net.

Whaaaa?

Bound in the net, the red-haired pirate and his two companions return to their ship and she finds herself in the presence some strangely familiar men. The red coated Captain, who sports a trident/fork instead of a left hand, tells her that she is aboard the HMS Venture. He introduces the man beside him as Driscol, the leader of the Forest Boys. As with the other dimensions, the players all have the familiar forms of her friends and enemies, this time with the evil Lord Harling as the pirate. As she tries to figure a way out, another familiar face appears in the form of a mermaid riding a giant crocodile. it’s her best friend Melyssa, or at least, a good double of her. Bettie must figure out a way to get the Mermaid Melyssa to work together with the pirate Captain and his crew to steal the keys back from COOTH-HOO-LOO and save the day. If she doesn’t, well, let’s just hope she can.

THAT IS NOT DEAD WHICH CAN ETERNAL FRY!

In this climatic chapter of the Crisis of Infinite Betties, writer David Avallone (Elvira: Mistress of the Dark, Drawing Blood) has pretty much thrown the kitchen sink into the mix. It’s crazy. An over the top crazy which makes sense only in a world where a pin-up, camera model is actually a spy for the government. I may have said it before, but this title really shouldn’t work. It should not be as entertaining as it is, but Avallone pulls it off and makes it all seem like the most normal thing in the world. Having dipped his creative toe into three other Dynamite Entertainment characters, I really wonder if he is getting ready to venture to some of the other ladies of Dynamite? There is an audacity of cheek in his writing for Bettie and if he ever does have the opportunity to write those other characters, I can only hope those stories are as entertaining as this one.

A vital element to the success of Bettie Page: Unbound is the art by Julius Ohta. I swear, I need to hunt up some of his work for my walls. Consistent, stylish, detailed, all of those words and more describe how he has brought Bettie to life. Its little things, like a crocodile covering its ears before and explosion or the emotion filled expressions of the cast. It’s so good! The colors by Ellie Wright (Lucky Man: The Bracelet Chronicles, Sherlock Holmes: The Vanishing Man) contribute a depth to the images that draws you in. And I want to point out one more thing, something which is not normally noticed, but should be; the letterer. This title is full of long, wordy internal dialogue from Bettie and big bosting speeches from her enemies. Think about how hard it is to place the word balloons and captions for all those words and not cover the art. I’m glad Dynamite put Taylor Esposito (The Black Ghost, Baby Teeth) on the job, because he manages it wonderfully. Lettering is an art that goes beyond the obvious. Bravo, Mr. Esposito! Job well done!

BOTTOM LINE: PLAIN OF GOOD!

It’s hard to take comics seriously sometimes, mainly because they take themselves too seriously. Bettie Page: Unbound #4 is an issue which should be firmly read with tongue in cheek. That is not meant to disparage it in any way, quite the contrary. This is fun you can enjoy guilt free, and that is kinda ironic when you think of the real life origin of the main character.

Bettie Page: Unbound #4

80%

80%

Good Time

Bettie Page: Unbound #4 is a rollicking good time that will entertain you in a very basic and enjoyable way.

• Writing

  8
• Art

  8
• Coloring

  8
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