What happens when a goddess of death is defeated and cast out of her own realm? It’s not pleasant, as a deity discovers as she enters her own series in Lady Hel #1. Writer Erik Burnham opens an intriguing fish-out-of-water drama brought to the page by artist Zhengis Tasbolatov. Deliciously atmospheric ambiance is conjured into the visual realm of the story by colorist Salvatore Aiala. The character of Lady Hel comes across with striking power and charisma in the opening issue of a promising new series by Dynamite Entertainment. A goddess of death falters out of power in an energetic action fantasy.

Lady Hel didn’t just lose the battle...she lost her mantle. And now she’s been cast out of her realm...and into a whole new universe. Turns out she isn’t where she thinks she is. Turns out she’s in Tartarus: a realm of the dead ruled over by a death goddess named Persephone. If she’s going to get some answers, she’s going to have to dodge a few angry demons. Lady Hel gets her energy from the souls of the dead...there must be SOME of them lurking around the corners of Tartarus...

Burnham’s writing takes a very simple and enjoyable premise and keeps it fun. Lady Hel is a deposed goddess of death. She looks cool, yes, but she’s clearly the underdog in a world that isn’t hers. So it’s easy to see her as the hero in her own title. Burnham takes Lady Hel’s situation and uses it to give her an appealing set of obstacles to overcome in her first issue. Burnham has said that he’s looking to get into “old school cosmic fun” with Lady Hel’s first solo series. That’s exactly what he manifests in an adventure that finds her running around Tartarus, trying to avoid her own demise.

Tasbolatov is working with character design for Lady Hel that feels a hell of a lot more iconic than it deserves to be. The title character is instantly recognizable. There’s really no reason why the costume should be anywhere near as functional as it is, but Lady Hel IS a goddess, and basic form and function don’t HAVE to make sense. Tasbolatov does stunning work with the action sequences, which involve a lot of hand-to-hand combat. The punches and kicks hit the page with impressive impact. Aiala’s colors are gorgeous. Aiala’s vision of the establishing shot of the sky over Tartarus is beautiful. I wouldn’t want to vacation there, but it’d be a fun place for a Halloween party. Aiala does a wonderful job with characters in the foreground as well...the tiny little symphony of blues plays across Lady Hel’s body in contrast to the deep reds of the demons that are chasing her. It’s visually decadent in places.

Lady Hel could have been a totally menacing vision of evil before the first panel of this series. (And...y’know...let’s be honest: she IS a goddess of death.) That doesn’t matter here: she’s been deposed, and she’s going to go through somebody else’s hell before she can get back to anything resembling her own throne.  

Grade: A