Bettie Page barely has time to settle in after her last dimension jumping adventure when the unthinkable happens, she’s fired! The project has been shuttered, but something tells me the want ads do not have a listing for ex-femme-fatale-super-spy-dimensional-warrior. What is a girl to do? Find out in BETTIE PAGE: UNBOUND #3 from Dynamite Entertainment!

BETTIE PAGE: UNBOUND #6

Writer: David Avallone
Artist: Julius Ohta
Colorist: Ellie Wright
Letterer: Taylor Esposito, Rieanna Bates
Editor: Kevin Ketner
Publisher: Dynamite Entertainment
Release Date: November 27, 2019
Cover Price: $3.99

Previously in BETTIE PAGE UNBOUND: Bettie has saved the world! After becoming entangled in the efforts of the Great Old Ones to awaken and take over the all of everything, Bettie Page’s duties on Project Blue Book threw her across dimensions and assumed different archetypes. She was a sword-wielding, metal-bikini warrior, a red-swimwear clad vampire, a princess of the red planet, and even a little fairy among pirates. Through it all, she was still the same old Bettie, and overcame everything thrown at her. Finally returning to our dimension, she vanquished the Great Old Ones and began to look forward to a rest after all that dimension jumping. Hey, I wonder if she ever found out what was so great about the Great Old Ones?

…NOT A THREAT TO NATIONAL SECURITY.

There are times when you have a great experience and you sit back, crack a cold one, and just bask in the glow of success. For Bettie Page and Captain McKnight, this is not one of those times. Oh, they tried. Bettie was perfectly perched, just sitting pretty on the good Captain’s desk, discussing the fate of the inter-dimensional pirates who had been stranded after the culmination of the last big adventure. The Captain was enjoying a smoke, Chesterfields perhaps, or Lucky Strikes, when in walks Colonel Finney. Surprised at his unexpected arrival, the duo were even more surprised when the Colonel pulls a pistol and tells them calmly, “…the Next Evolution s coming.” Springing into action with reflexes honed by many bizarre mission of expecting the unexpected and doing the impossible, Bettie thrusts a shapely leg at the attacking airman and disarms him. Finney jumps past her straight for McKnight, not even stopping his attack when Bettie draws down on him with his own weapon. McKnight finally disengages from his superior as Bettie covers him with his pistol. Their intent was to call someone of a higher pay grade and get the Colonel some help, but the matter was taken out of their hands. Colonel Finney stood and calmly told them they could not stop the Next Evolution, only to turn and jump out of the window to the street below. Stunned, McKnight takes the pistol from Bettie and tells her to make herself scarce, he could handle thing better if she was not around. He would contact her when it was safe.

This was the day before Thanksgiving, and Bettie tried to focus on her upcoming Thanksgiving dinner with the family of her good friend and fellow agent Lyssa. When she arrives at Lyssa’s apartment, she is introduced to Lyssa’s parents and quickly invited to watch the parade on television with her dad. While getting to know Bettie, Lyssa’s father lets her know that despite her stories of being office workers, he knew better. He worked in The Game at one time, and he just wanted to know if the girls were fighting the good fight. Bettie tells him they are, and that is end of the shoptalk.

After the dinner, and for the next several days, Bettie tries to distract herself but becomes concerned that she had not heard from McKnight. The phone wouldn’t ring and the old office had been cleaned out and the window repaired, no trace they ever hosted a top secret government agency there. As Bettie leaves, she become aware that a man in a white trench coat is following her. She quickly loses him as only a woman can and eventually meets up with Lyssa in a local bar. They both had received Western Union telegraphs that let them know the project was shut down and their services would no longer be needed. Needless to say, neither agent believes it, but it is Bettie who is determined to find out more. She tells Lyssa to be ready to back her up if needed, and then travels to New Jersey and the secret headquarters of Project: Blue Book. Even with all of her recent adventures, Bettie is not prepared for what she finds there, nor is she ready for the apparent betrayal by someone close to her.

WE CONTROL THE HORIZONTAL…

Sometimes when a writer finishes a big storyline, they want to take an issue to reassess and reorganize the status quo of the book they are working on. Not David Avallone (Elvira Mistress of the Dark, Legenderry Vampirella), he just jumped directly into another far-out adventure of feminine fortitude and frantic fury. You are not even through the whole first two pages when all hell breaks loose and the parameters of Bettie’s world are thrown into doubt. It has a fast pace, but at the same time plays like a simmering spy film where the star is disavowed and must find their way to the truth. Of course, in the classic Bettie Page Unbound fashion, the truth is wrapped in bizarre events, improbable occurrences, and plan old bizarre happenings. Avallone continues to write a unique voice for Bettie and with this issue, sets up another genre bending ending that will have you wondering what the whiskey tango foxtrot is going on. As with previous issues, the best part of this one is the diary dialogue with Bettie delivers as she tris to uncover her current truth.

Similarly, Julius Ohta continues to bring a simmering, sexy presence to Bettie without turning to caricature. Ohta’s Bettie, and Lyssa for that matter, come off confident in their abilities and able to handle whatever situation arises. Its good girl art without being boring girl art.

BOTTOM LINE: CONSISTENT QUALITY

Since it first began on its odd premise of Bettie Page being an agent for the government, Avallone has done nothing but deliver good, solid stories that entertain and delight. Now with this latest issue, he continues to apply the heat and keeps our Bettie on her toes as he jumps to another far-out, or is it far-inner, story that is sure to please.

If you want to get in on the first part of a new storyline that is sure to please, BETTIE PAGE: UNBOUND #6 is the book for you.

Dear Spoilerite,

At Major Spoilers, we strive to create original content that you find interesting and entertaining. Producing, writing, recording, editing, and researching requires significant resources. We pay writers, podcast hosts, and other staff members who work tirelessly to provide you with insights into the comic book, gaming, and pop culture industries. Help us keep MajorSpoilers.com strong. Become a Patron (and our superhero) today.