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A review by twas
Disenchanted by Matt Wagner
3.0
I did enjoy reading this, and it inspired me to write fiction and create characters of my own... Partly because I found the series wanting. I found myself thinking, ok, THIS has been done, what can I do that would be better?
That said, if I saw the second volume in a shop, I would no doubt buy it and read it! I do want to know what happens next. (Also, since I am not very involved with the worlds of DC heroes etc., I have no idea why the ending of this is significant, and I want to find out.)
There are a few things that I would change:
1) Madame Xanadu is not actually the protagonist- she is the foil for the Phantom Stranger. He is a dispassionate, wise observer of destiny. His powers are cosmic and his moral considerations are vast. She is a fiercely passionate fool, whose powers are small and earthly, and whose morality is shortsighted. It is these traits of hers which drive the plot, and also these traits which make her impossible to relate to, since her perspective is often flat-out foolish and petty. ("WHY would you do that, Nimue?") Her short-sightedness also makes her less credible as a character - she is, foremost, a *seer*, and also immortal. Though she lives centuries she retains a pouty, adolescent hyper-emotionality. Her actions are impulsive and spiteful. Any ancient seer would be reflective and insightful, NOT like Nimue.
Although we follow her life, we only see the glimpses of it when HE is around, which belies the fact that he is the only thing that makes her story important.
2) I feel like the Phantom Stranger wishes he was the Sandman. Also, with the small amount of information that we get about him, I can't figure out how he fits into the DC-Vertigo cosmology/multiverse. That's a little annoying.
3) The idea of the disenchanted wood-nymph is something I *can* relate to. However, I find it frustrating that she is a tempestuous fool that the Stranger manipulates and humors, as her powers are diminuitive in comparison with his. His powers are never defined, which makes them all the more vast. Nimue is like a child throwing tiny jealous magic-tantrums every time the truly powerful stranger shows up.
Wouldn't it be fabulous if for once, there was an earth-powered female heroine who absolutely rocked? With phenomenal strengths and composure, who saw the big picture and acted wisely for the long term? She wouldn't even have to be big and burly. She could be slight in stature, mysterious in features... She might even wear horns and hooves.
But you know what, she wouldn't have to have massive powers to have some Druidic calm and sense.
4) Perhaps the problem is in recycling the same mythos, same characters, same storylines. I hope not. Because it seems that the old stories, be they mythical, historical, or from the realm of comic-book heroes, have a lot of power and a lot to offer. Not least among these powers is marketability - When I fall in love with a story I am inclined to follow it up with whatever sidelines have been penned. However, it could be that Nimue/Madame Xanadu just is not an interesting enough character to merit her own series. From the way this is written, I am not entirely convinced to the contrary.
5) All of the characters seemed flat to me. In Morgana's case, that was fine. In the Stranger's case, theoretically it should have been fine, except he was the real star, and he was a little *too* mysterious for the prominence he was given. Even Death was a little too easily persuaded to break her own laws. But in Nimue's case, it is utterly unforgivable. The plot is super, and I have no doubt that these tales looked smashing on a storyboard. But the execution was too simplistic, and a bit pretentiously worded.
Suffice it to say, my hopes at the outset were slowly deflated. I shall return to my slow-cooking plot to develop a set of female action heroes that are worth their ink, and then some...
That said, if I saw the second volume in a shop, I would no doubt buy it and read it! I do want to know what happens next. (Also, since I am not very involved with the worlds of DC heroes etc., I have no idea why the ending of this is significant, and I want to find out.)
There are a few things that I would change:
1) Madame Xanadu is not actually the protagonist- she is the foil for the Phantom Stranger. He is a dispassionate, wise observer of destiny. His powers are cosmic and his moral considerations are vast. She is a fiercely passionate fool, whose powers are small and earthly, and whose morality is shortsighted. It is these traits of hers which drive the plot, and also these traits which make her impossible to relate to, since her perspective is often flat-out foolish and petty. ("WHY would you do that, Nimue?") Her short-sightedness also makes her less credible as a character - she is, foremost, a *seer*, and also immortal. Though she lives centuries she retains a pouty, adolescent hyper-emotionality. Her actions are impulsive and spiteful. Any ancient seer would be reflective and insightful, NOT like Nimue.
Although we follow her life, we only see the glimpses of it when HE is around, which belies the fact that he is the only thing that makes her story important.
2) I feel like the Phantom Stranger wishes he was the Sandman. Also, with the small amount of information that we get about him, I can't figure out how he fits into the DC-Vertigo cosmology/multiverse. That's a little annoying.
3) The idea of the disenchanted wood-nymph is something I *can* relate to. However, I find it frustrating that she is a tempestuous fool that the Stranger manipulates and humors, as her powers are diminuitive in comparison with his. His powers are never defined, which makes them all the more vast. Nimue is like a child throwing tiny jealous magic-tantrums every time the truly powerful stranger shows up.
Wouldn't it be fabulous if for once, there was an earth-powered female heroine who absolutely rocked? With phenomenal strengths and composure, who saw the big picture and acted wisely for the long term? She wouldn't even have to be big and burly. She could be slight in stature, mysterious in features... She might even wear horns and hooves.
But you know what, she wouldn't have to have massive powers to have some Druidic calm and sense.
4) Perhaps the problem is in recycling the same mythos, same characters, same storylines. I hope not. Because it seems that the old stories, be they mythical, historical, or from the realm of comic-book heroes, have a lot of power and a lot to offer. Not least among these powers is marketability - When I fall in love with a story I am inclined to follow it up with whatever sidelines have been penned. However, it could be that Nimue/Madame Xanadu just is not an interesting enough character to merit her own series. From the way this is written, I am not entirely convinced to the contrary.
5) All of the characters seemed flat to me. In Morgana's case, that was fine. In the Stranger's case, theoretically it should have been fine, except he was the real star, and he was a little *too* mysterious for the prominence he was given. Even Death was a little too easily persuaded to break her own laws. But in Nimue's case, it is utterly unforgivable. The plot is super, and I have no doubt that these tales looked smashing on a storyboard. But the execution was too simplistic, and a bit pretentiously worded.
Suffice it to say, my hopes at the outset were slowly deflated. I shall return to my slow-cooking plot to develop a set of female action heroes that are worth their ink, and then some...