Comic Info
Comic Name: Voodoo
Publisher: DC Comics
Writer: Ron Marz/Josh Williamson
Artist: Sami Basri/Hendry Prasetya
# of Issues: 6
Release Date: 2012
Voodoo #3
Reprints Voodoo #1-6 (November 2011-April 2011). Voodoo is lose and working as a spy for the Daemonites among the innocent human population. Her goal is to locate secret government files on the threat of superhumans to the Daemonites’ invasion plans. When Voodoo begins to attract the attention of government officials, her shape changing abilities might not be enough to keep her out of the targets of Jessie Fallon who intends to stop her for the murder of her partner and lover Tyler. Now Voodoo is on the run and facing enemies like Kyle Rayner of the Green Lantern Corps…but the secrets of her own people might be more than Voodoo expected.
Written by Ron Marz and Josh Williamson and illustrated by Sami Basri and Henry Prasetya, Voodoo Volume 1: What Lies Beneath was part of DC’s New 52 relaunch following Flashpoint. The comic was met with immediate criticism but made the first cut of New 52 cancellations only to be slated for canceling after Voodoo #0.
I actually was rather interested in Voodoo and felt like the criticism was unjust. Most of the criticism of the early issues came from the portrayal of Voodoo who works as a stripper. With other portrays of women like Starfire in Red Hood and the Outlaws and Catwoman drawing flack, DC came to the defense on the series, but Voodoo I feel fared the worse. This is too bad because the series was true to the character. Making a big deal about Voodoo being a stripper is weak since the character is over twenty years old and always was an exotic dancer from her first appearance in WildC.A.T.s #1 (August 1992). Flashpoint pushed Voodoo, Grifter, and other Wildstorm characters into the DC Universe.
Voodoo #4
The first stories in the collection could have had more DC crossover and with bigger characters instead of just Kyle Rayner. I know that he’s a Green Lantern but of the four main active Green Lanterns (with Hal Jordan, Guy Gardner, and John Stewart), Kyle is probably the least recognizable to a big picture audience (despite carrying his own title Green Lantern: New Guardians). Bring in a Superman or even an Aquaman to help move the title along. It makes sense to have a Lantern involved, but he should have been involved on a greater level than a one-issue guest appearance.
I like the idea of the Wildstorm characters making it to DC and Voodoo was a good choice…just maybe not for a solo comic. The story is ok (she is a rather strong character), but the events in the story seem to jump around a lot and a bit unnecessarily. I like the art (at points), but other points there seems to be a less-is-more approach to the art and story that doesn’t work. I do think Voodoo is better than some of the other titles in the New 52, but it hasn’t fared well. Voodoo 1: What Lies Beneath is followed by Voodoo 2: Killer in Me.
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