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A review by monitamohan
Nancy Drew & The Hardy Boys: The Death of Nancy Drew by Anthony Del Col

1.0

I read the first issue of the book and I hate it. I hate the concept, the assassination of every single character, the horrendous writing, the story and the art. Yup, there is no redeeming factor in this comic. It’s an utter outrage.

Who the heck thought it was a good idea to make the first issue of the celebration of Nancy Drew all about Joe Hardy and his man-pain? Don’t get me wrong, I used to love the Hardy Boys as much as I loved Nancy Drew - it was not a competition, all these characters were my favorites as a child. But this book? These people are a shadow of themselves, barely above being utter cliches. What a bunch of crap.

Joe is in love with Nancy; why? Can’t they be friends? Nancy is some kind of obsessive conspiracy theorist - she looks completely deranged in the few panels we see of her. Joe can’t even get his grammar right. ‘Frank and I’? Really? Didn’t he go to school - he failed and did high school twice, so he should know better.

Most of the book is in narrative form, which makes it a passive reading experience. And of course, Nancy isn’t dead, Joe is just ruining her case. Are we in 2020? Because this book is more regressive than when Nancy was first introduced. Have you noticed how Nancy’s female friends are down and out, but Ned is the ruddy Mayor doing good? Notice how Nancy’s grave is about her being a good friend and daughter, not a successful detective, or hero?

This book came across as a joke. As if the team behind its creation desperately wanted a job and picked this one because Dynamite is still living in the Middle Ages.

Is it going to get better? Do I care? No, I don’t. I’m not going to continue reading a series that will most likely feature more man-pain, and will undoubtedly make Nancy a passenger in her own celebration. I mean, it’s an all male team celebrating one of the earliest female detectives that most people have read and love. There’s no hope. None whatsoever for this series. Let’s just read the back catalogue of Nancy Drew books and forget this series ever existed. Zero stars for this one.