Review: Mother Panic Vol. 1- A Work In Progress

Quick Summary

Pros: The topics brought up in this book are darker and interesting. The main character is unique and easy to relate to. The narrative has a compelling mystery and fun action. The artwork in the first half looks great and is a solid complement to the narrative.

Cons: The artwork in the book’s second half doesn’t suit the story that well.

Overall: This comic takes that traditional story of a vigilante in Gotham City and twists it in a way that ends up being tremendously satisfying. The characters, themes, and concepts driving this book forward all feel unique and help the book stand out. Then, a captivating story filled with mystery and excitement ensures that readers will stay interested the entire time. Anyone looking for an atypical take on vigilantism should consider giving this book a try.

Story

Mother Panic Vol. 1: A Work In Progress, by Jody Houser, is a dark and gritty take on Gotham City and the concept of costumed vigilantes that would be impossible from any mainstream DC Comics offerings. The topics broached by this comic and the construction of its main character all feel original and make this book stand out in a positive way. Meanwhile, the story itself is compelling all the way through. It offers enough mystery to keep readers interested while still containing enough action to keep things exciting in the meantime. All in all, this is a solid start to a comic with a lot of potential going it’s way.

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A Work In Progress stands out immediately through its cynical tone and darker thematic offerings. This comic criticizes the system that has been established in Gotham City, taking shots at law enforcement, treatment of mental health, and the gross habits of the extremely wealthy. It also delves into issues felt on a more personal level, such as domestic abuse and how having a mentally unstable parent can affect one’s childhood. All of these issues are handled well and present unique points of interest for the series.

The other element of this series that immediately stands out is the hero. Mother Panic is a clearly troubled and deeply disturbed individual who’s quest for vengeance is only tangentially related to actually helping Gotham City. However, instead of alienating her character from the audience, these flaws actually make her easier to relate to. She feels like someone who could exist in the real world and may be particularly relatable for anyone whose parents weren’t the idyllic father and mother figures represented through the Wayne’s or Ma and Pa Kent.

While these unique story elements help this book stand out, it also helps that the story itself is rather compelling. A Work In Progress centers around Mother Panic’s attempt to get revenge on the people who ruined her life. However, who exactly these people are and what exactly they did to her is not revealed right away. This creates a narrative where bits of an interesting mystery are slowly revealed in between bouts of thrilling action. It is a formula that plays out well and helps make the reading experience more enjoyable.

A Work in Progress concludes with a backup story, written by Jim Krueger, about the murder of a popular Gotham radio personality and the rise of his anti-vigilante replacement. The story is clearly very anti-establishment and pro-vigilante, using these concepts to mirror a theme of upper-class corruption versus grassroots activism. The story also contains a moderately compelling mystery and the threat of another murder, both of which help generate excitement. In the end, this is a worthwhile addition to this collection that I am looking forward to reading more about.

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Art

A Work In Progress starts out with some fantastic artwork from Tommy Lee Edwards. The illustrations in the first three chapters are a gruff take on Gotham City that mirrors the darker tone found in the story. This stylized artwork is then enhanced through some well-constructed pages, which allow the flow of action to feel dynamic and natural. This construction is also unique in the way flashbacks or thematic imagery are randomly inserted into the page. These insertions help build a book that feels more meaningful and helps reinforce motifs that are developed through the narrative.

Unfortunately, the second half of the book is not quite as impressive. In this portion of the book, Shawn Crystal takes over illustrations and manages to continue the unique take on Gotham City in a way that still allows this comic to feel like something unique. However, the artwork here is more lighthearted and occasionally borders on fun in a way that doesn’t quite suit this comic as well. These chapters still look alright but are a far cry from the wonderful visuals in the book’s first half.

Continuity

Mother Panic Vol. 1: A Work In Progress starts the Mother Panic series.

The story started here continues in Mother Panic Vol. 2: Under Her Skin (Review).

This volume also references a story from another comic book, detailed below.

• The Odd Man story mentioned at the conclusion of this volume is a reference to a story from Detective Comics #487.