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choicelight's review against another edition
5.0
This is absolutely amazing. I love how the story progresses, and I am forever intrigued by the relationship Madame Xanadu has with The Phantom Stranger.
jenandtogepi's review against another edition
4.0
I am approaching this as a tarot reader and spiritualist myself.
I was expecting this to mimic more contemporary witchcraft. But it v much does not. That doesn’t affect the score at all but I was a little disappointed with that.
With that said, the aesthetics are gorgeous. Especially with the tarot. It was fun reading it and seeing the cards and interpreting them yourself.
The actual story is v interesting and it leaves you wanting more. The ending is fantastic and I look forward to the next iteration
The only thing is Madame Xanadu herself can be annoying. But hopefully that changes in the next one. I think it will given the ending
I was expecting this to mimic more contemporary witchcraft. But it v much does not. That doesn’t affect the score at all but I was a little disappointed with that.
With that said, the aesthetics are gorgeous. Especially with the tarot. It was fun reading it and seeing the cards and interpreting them yourself.
The actual story is v interesting and it leaves you wanting more. The ending is fantastic and I look forward to the next iteration
The only thing is Madame Xanadu herself can be annoying. But hopefully that changes in the next one. I think it will given the ending
nancyotoole's review against another edition
5.0
Younger sister to Morganna and The Lady of the Lake, Nimue lives a quiet life in the forest. Then she encounters the Stranger, a mysterious man who convinces her to betray the powerful wizard (and her occasional lover) Merlin. In return for her betrayal, Merlin curses her, leaving her disenchanted. The story then follows Nimue through the ages, from the court of Kublai Khan to the New York City during the Jazz Age, as she struggles to regain her powers, help others, and deal with the Stranger, whose every appearance continues to complicate her very long life.
I found out about Madame Xanadu through Grace Randolph’s fantastic youtube channel Think About the Ink, which featured artist Amy Reeder Haley for one episode. Upon doing some research, I found the cover art attractive and the connection to Camelot intriguing, so I decided to give it a try. I am so, so happy that I did. Madame Xanadu is a beautifully illustrated fantasy comic that tells the origin story of a fascinating character. I don’t normally focus too much on artwork in my graphic novel reviews (a result of being more of a book fan than a comic fan is I tend to value story over art), but it’s really worth talking about here. Amy Reeder Haley does an amazing job with this book. Her characters are expressive, in both their facial expressions and body language, and she handles the constantly shifting timelines, from the lush green forests of Camelot to the extravagant court of Marie Antoinette, exceptionally well. In my favorite scene, our heroine is transported into this celestial realm where she encounters the Stranger, and there are some really beautiful art choices here.
The story of Madame Xanadu is also really interesting. Apparently, Madame Xanadu is an established character in the DC/Vertigo universe, but as this is her origin story, you don’t have to have any knowledge of her going into the story. I liked the fact that the comic covered her experience through several different eras in history (five in all) as it allowed us to get a better idea about the span of her long life. She encounters the Stranger at least once in every time period, and it’s interesting to watch their relationship develop (and not always in ways that you’d expect). One thing I really enjoyed about the story was Nimue’s voice. We get a lot of her thoughts throughout this story, including a monologue introducing each new time period. These are beautifully written and really gave the story a feeling of mystery and enchantment. The character of Madam Xanadu is a bit of an old soul, but she has a youthful exuberance to her, at times almost naive, in the way that she views others and attempts to do good. I found this contrast to be fascinating. The Stranger, who, unlike Nimue, constantly sees the big picture and doesn’t view people as individuals, makes an apt foil for Nimue.
I am very happy that I picked up the first volumes of Madame Xanadu, which covers the first ten issues of the series. The story, written by Matt Wager, is lush and enchanting, and the artwork is beautiful and atmospheric. This is a very accessible comic for fantasy fans, and I plan on reading further as soon as I can get my hands on the next volume.
I found out about Madame Xanadu through Grace Randolph’s fantastic youtube channel Think About the Ink, which featured artist Amy Reeder Haley for one episode. Upon doing some research, I found the cover art attractive and the connection to Camelot intriguing, so I decided to give it a try. I am so, so happy that I did. Madame Xanadu is a beautifully illustrated fantasy comic that tells the origin story of a fascinating character. I don’t normally focus too much on artwork in my graphic novel reviews (a result of being more of a book fan than a comic fan is I tend to value story over art), but it’s really worth talking about here. Amy Reeder Haley does an amazing job with this book. Her characters are expressive, in both their facial expressions and body language, and she handles the constantly shifting timelines, from the lush green forests of Camelot to the extravagant court of Marie Antoinette, exceptionally well. In my favorite scene, our heroine is transported into this celestial realm where she encounters the Stranger, and there are some really beautiful art choices here.
The story of Madame Xanadu is also really interesting. Apparently, Madame Xanadu is an established character in the DC/Vertigo universe, but as this is her origin story, you don’t have to have any knowledge of her going into the story. I liked the fact that the comic covered her experience through several different eras in history (five in all) as it allowed us to get a better idea about the span of her long life. She encounters the Stranger at least once in every time period, and it’s interesting to watch their relationship develop (and not always in ways that you’d expect). One thing I really enjoyed about the story was Nimue’s voice. We get a lot of her thoughts throughout this story, including a monologue introducing each new time period. These are beautifully written and really gave the story a feeling of mystery and enchantment. The character of Madam Xanadu is a bit of an old soul, but she has a youthful exuberance to her, at times almost naive, in the way that she views others and attempts to do good. I found this contrast to be fascinating. The Stranger, who, unlike Nimue, constantly sees the big picture and doesn’t view people as individuals, makes an apt foil for Nimue.
I am very happy that I picked up the first volumes of Madame Xanadu, which covers the first ten issues of the series. The story, written by Matt Wager, is lush and enchanting, and the artwork is beautiful and atmospheric. This is a very accessible comic for fantasy fans, and I plan on reading further as soon as I can get my hands on the next volume.
lemotjuste's review against another edition
5.0
Truly enchanting & a well crafted story. The dialogue and diction, carefully chosen and written, create a mysterious and foreboding tone. Very fast paced and I really liked how it incorporates magic in famous historical events in different eras. Highly entertaining, thought provoking if you're keen on picking up reflections of our society in literature, and a thoroughly great introduction into the world of magic in DC comics.
noysh's review against another edition
3.0
Amy Reeder's art steals the show int this book. The narrative is interesting and, of course, Madame Xanadu has a hell of a story to tell. But Reader's art and imagination unlocks the tale in a way that kept me reading to the end.
wealhtheow's review against another edition
1.0
Nimue tries in vain to prevent her sister from using Mordred to destroy Camelot. Then she tries in vain to help her friend in Kublai Khan's court (though she succeeds in making Marco Polo look like a hero). Then she tries in vain to help her friend Marie Antoinette. And then, she tries in vain to help her friends the whores stay safe from Jack the Ripper. Nimue, aka Madame Xanadu, just happens to be bff with every easily-recognizable historical figure ever. She is unfailingly morally perfect. She is an incredibly annoying character.
The dialog is stilted and artificial, the plots ludicrous and over-used. The only thing this book has going for it is its art, which is very pretty.
The dialog is stilted and artificial, the plots ludicrous and over-used. The only thing this book has going for it is its art, which is very pretty.
nocturnalbookworm's review against another edition
3.75
Honestly, the first half to three quarters was a five-star with the last bits being more in the three range for me. Overall an enjoyable read for me, I'm really looking forward to reading the next volume.
heypretty52's review
3.0
Though the graphics in this book are detailed and fantastic, the story itself was too convoluted for my tastes. I would prefer more explanation of The Stranger and less abrupt changes of time and place.
coffeeandink's review
3.0
I find the stories fairly dull, but, my god, the art. You can see the manga influence in the way Amy Reeder does page layouts, and some of the sleekness of the character design.
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