Lady Mechanika #1

The interest in Steampunk continues to grow, and while Lady Mechanika may not be the first comic book to be based in that genre, it may end up being the most successful.

There are a few reasons for that: the title character is sexy, the setting is mysterious, and the art is terrific.

The book is written and drawn by Joe Benitez, and he's at the top of his game here with incredibly detailed art bringing the characters and mechanics to life.

The adventure is set in the city of Mechanika in England in 1879. It's a city designed and built by scientists as a showcase for advanced, steam-powered machines.

It's also home to more than a few mysteries, not the least of which is the woman known as Lady Mechnika, who seems to be equal parts machine and human. She is already a legend in the city, fighting against dangers both scientific and supernatural in origin.

This is actually the second issue in the series (don't get me started on the silliness of comic books that start with issue #0), but it spends most of its time setting up the story.

It starts with a bang, as a girl with strange, mechanical arms is being chased through the woods by a small army of mercenaries. She makes it to the city, where Lady Mechanika enters the story - and that's about it.

But it's a solid starts for the series, and it'll be interesting to see where it all goes from here, as we learn more about this strange alternate world.

It's too soon to render a final judgment on the series - but so far, so good.

Grade: A-