Hex Wives #1 Review

by Hussein Wasiti on October 31, 2018

Writer: Ben Blacker
Artist: Mirko Andolfo
Colourist: Marissa Louise
Letterer: Josh Reed
 
I'm always up for a good Vertigo book, and this has the potential to be something fun and interesting. I had a lot of fun with this issue up until a certain point, because it really nosedived and I had to get through probably seven pages or so until the very interesting ending. Since the issue was slightly oversized I'm wondering if this was editorial coming in and mucking things up, or if Ben Blacker tried very hard to make me care more about these witch characters. Because I don't care for them much at all.
 
A lot of this story is just so vague. There are these reincarnating witches that are constantly hunted by this unnamed, mysterious order of witch-hunters. We don't know what these people are called, or why the witches are hunted down in the first place. Are they a genuine threat to humanity? Based on these characters we meet, they're probably not. They seem to have a lot of fun murdering these dudes, though. At one point the narrator, one of the hunters, says that they even considered wiping out all of the women in the world just to kill these witches, which seems like a massive case of overkill. But… why? Nothing is explained, and that's very disappointing.
 
And I already mentioned I don't care much for these characters. Blacker doesn't do much to characterise them since he's so busy depicting them living in various time periods. These are very short vignettes and don't do much in terms of character work. I don't really care that they move from place to place since they don't show much affection for wherever they are when the hunters come for them. And then they murder indiscriminately.
 
The biggest strength this book has is its artwork. The team of Mirko Andolfo and Marissa Louise, with letterer Josh Reed, makes for a stunning book. This is probably the best Andolfo's art has ever looked, and I've read a lot of her stuff. I'm not terribly familiar with Marissa Louise but I was very impressed with the colouring as well.
 
I do think this is worth checking out. Aside from it being very boring at times, the art was gorgeous and the story starts and ends incredibly well. The next issue will be the true judge as to continue reading, but read this anyway!
 

Our Score:

6/10

A Look Inside