REVIEW: ‘Bettie Page: Unbound,’ Issue #4

Bettie Page: Unbound #4 is published by Dynamite Entertainment, written by David Avallone, with art by Julius Ohta, colors by Ellie Wright, color flats by Sheelagh D, and letters by Taylor Esposito. Previously, Bettie found herself on the harsh terrain of Mars wearing an ensemble usually seen on Deja Thoris. After attempting to continue her journey to find the keys to lock out the Great Ones. However, after losing the four keys she previously collected, Bettie is scrambling to not only find the fifth key but get the previous ones back. Now, Bettie is in a new world once again but this time is “fairly” different as Bettie finds herself coming in at a whopping six inches tall with gossamer wings.

Dressed like a more badass Tinkerbell, Bettie Page finds herself face-to-face with Cthulhu, the cosmic entity first created by writer H. P. Lovecraft. After following the famous monster in hopes of finding the final key, Bettie finds herself being attacked by a rowdy group of pirates. Bettie must outwit her captors in order to get back to the matter at hand and save the world.

Growing up frequently going to Disney World and then working for the company for six years has given me a special love of fairytales, particularly Peter Pan. So far Bettie Page has explored some fantastical places but nothing as whimsical as this. Bettie Page taking on Dynamite’s more adult fairy tales is an exhilarating journey that any fan of the original Peter Pan or even Fables will enjoy.

Bettie Page: Unbound #4 is a whimsical and wild adventure. As the series as gone on, Bettie continues to grow and while she was also a strong character, she has become more fearless in the face of danger and impossible odds. Same as every other issue, Bettie’s quick thinking is what keeps her alive even when faced with daring adversaries. Her tenacity is inspiring and extremely fun to watch. Outside of her wit, Bettie is also impeccably drawn. Ohta’s art shines in this issue as so many of the panels are chockfull of action that could easily overwhelm the page. Her fights against Chulthu feel like something out of Godzilla. Esposito’s lettering helps create a lot of the dynamic flow to the panels.

Additionally, Wright and Sheelagh D create an exceptionally bright color palette filled with bold colors that fit the childlike wonder of this world. Compared to the deep oranges of Mars and the dark red in Vampirella’s home, this world feels incredibly different. The pages are filled with fluorescent yellows which contrast with the darker blues of Cthulhu. The coloring in this series has been a key to keeping it from feeling repetitive. No issues look the same, much like none of these worlds look alike. Overall, this issue does a fantastic job of closing the ongoing arc. If you are looking for a wild adventure with just enough whimsy and kookiness, look no further.

Bettie Page: Unbound #4 is available in comic book stores everywhere now.