From Action Lab: Danger Zone. Writer, Jason Martin. Artist, Winston Young. Cover Artist, TMChu.

(A copy was provided by Action Lab for review.)

I don’t even know where the hell to start with this book. This collects issues 1-4 of the series. A series that takes place after events of the Zombie Tramp, Vampblade, and DollFace series. I have not yet read those books so it took me awhile to catch up to what is going on. I’m not sure if that altered my feelings while reading the book. I’m not sure that any amount of information going in could prepare me for this book.

A thing that this site doesn’t cover enough is movies. One of my favorite movie going experiences was Grindhouse. Both movies with all of the trailers. Gore, sex, over the top everything, but below an absolutely engrossing story that consumes the eyes and then the entire body. No bathroom break needed, and it doesn’t matter if the seat is uncomfortable. Every bit of focus is fixed on the screen. And that is how I felt reading Amalgama.

I don’t know what was ingested in order to speed up a creative mind to a level that conjures such a tale into the world. But I want some. Amalgama is a combination of Zombie Tramp, Vampblade, and DollFace. All of their strengths, all of their powers, but none of their memories. She’s a brand new being that has similarities to what came before, but a fresh mental slate. Like a baby. A ridiculously powered, brain eating, big breasted baby.

Amalgama successfully falls, fails, and feasts her way through adventures through many planets and all of the space between. When she eats enough brains she gains their knowledge. A helpful thing to understand alien languages and technology. None of that wisdom is helpful to her or the readers for her own technology. Page after page after page of “OMG she can do that?!”  With a great balancing act of not overpowering her. Yes, she’s ridiculously powered. But her weapons can be turned against her. Even the smallest of adversaries have abilities to be feared.

She also loses her clothes a lot. This may seem like pushing some reader’s limits but it’s done to show beauty, not desire. A fine line I know. Sometimes drawing a pretty girl is just wanting to draw a pretty girl. Amalgama is never put into abusive or demoralizing situations. She changes her clothes. It happens. If you really want to see a strong female character put into sub/dom situations take a look at early Wonder Woman. Amalgama with all of her undead naked space powers looks stronger than the Amazon.

Other comic companies can release books with “metal” in the title but this is the most unapologetic full volume heavy metal comic I’ve read in years. I look forward to finding out more about Amalgama as she discovers things about herself. With every bit of grindhouse spice that can be added to the page.