It’s 1242, and in the first few pages, we’re introduced to an Arab woman named Shahida. She’s a scholar, but she also doing a little raiding of a castle to find a certain item. Using her physical prowess, she survives a few tricky situations. Brought to visceral life by Justin Greenwood and colored beautifully by Daniela Miwa, these first few pages set a great tone and pace for the story. Of course, things don’t go as planned, and we’re introduced to a shifting landscape by way of a hidden villain called the Horselord who has someone working for them, a woman of equal intelligence and cunning to Shahida named Ling Hua. Ling is Belloq to Shahida’s Indiana Jones.

And the journey begins, following Shahida into a landscape she no longer recognizes, seeking out allies where there may be none. This story is off to a great start.

First of all, two smart women lead characters: yes and yes. Bringing us into a world that is a perfect blend of fact and fantasy: yes and yes. Really sharp dialogue that expresses both exposition and character: yes and yes. A historical adventure: yes and yes. I’ve grabbed the Fedora I bought from Disneyland and am ready for the ride to commence!


Creative Team: Robert MacKenzie & David Walker (writers), Justin Greenwood (art), Daniela Miwa (colors), Simon Bowland (letters), Eric Trautman (logo and design), Alejandro Arbona (editor), Greg Rucka (presented by)
Publisher: Image Comics
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