Xena, Warrior Princess: Slave
Stories by John Wagner
Pencils by Joyce Chin, Clint Hilinski, Fabiano Nieves and Mike Deodato
Inks by Walden Wong and Mike Deodato
Colours by Dave McCaig and Bodhi Tree
Lettering by John Workman and Amador Cisneros
Published by Titan (for Dark Horse)
Paperback
Priced £9.99
Buy from Amazon

In the past, the Xena comic books haven't been a great deal to write home about. Now, with John Wagner (co-creator of Judge Dredd) writing, this book has finally done Xena some justice.

The artwork is variable, with the colourists giving it at least a semblance of continuity. Don't expect good likenesses. In fact, you will at times only be able to see who is who from their outfits. For real Xena fans, the continuity will be a little suspect also; Gabrielle has the short hair and sai, a pregnant Xena the chakram with the bit in the middle, and yet Cleopatra, who met Xena in early episodes of the TV series, doesn't recognise our hero. Apparent ages shift and change (Xena looks variously fifty, thirty and twelve), breasts shrink and swell ridiculously, and waists diminish to preposterous proportions.

Somehow, though, it doesn't really matter. There are two stories in this book. The main one, Slave, concerns Xena's efforts to save a pregnant slave girl from sacrifice to the Egyptian god Set. The second tale, Ghost, is shorter and, although a little busy, is better drawn. Ghost is a fun story in which Xena must convince a Roman centurion to leave a village and its treasures behind.

Both tales are dynamic, the dialogue in keeping with the show, and the action unrelenting. The pace carries you along, allowing the failings of the book to be largely ignored. Exactly like the series. If you can't stand the TV version, you won't like this.

Xena, Warrior Princess: Slave is good fun, and will keep fans of the series happy.

7/10 0

Review by Iain Lowson