Promethea, Book Three

Comics narrate the story of university student Sophie Bangs as she fights mystical places and spirits to unveil the truth behind mythical warrior woman, Promethea.

With his realistic approach to superhero comics, Moore prompted a minor revolution in the 1980s. Of late he has returned to the genre with a line of new costumed adventurers. Of them, teenager Sophie Bangs, the latest in an age-old line of embodiments of the mystical heroine Promethea, seems closest to his heart. Standard superhero fare (crime fighting, slugfests, etc.) takes a backseat to philosophical and moral issues here, but the stories most reflect Moore's long obsession with magic, mysticism, and the occult; with the Tarot, the spheres of the Kabbalah, and astrology. In this collection, Sophie follows her recently killed mentor, just-previous Promethea avatar Barbara, into the afterlife, where they visit heaven and hell and meet famous occult figures. In Sophie's absence, however, a temporary Promethea is creating problems on Earth. Artist J. H. Williams' intricate, imaginative illustrations, which veer from surrealism to psychedelia, make it all work. Although her costume suggests Wonder Woman, Promethea may appeal to the normally comics-eschewing fans of the wildly popular Sandman series. Gordon Flagg
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