Danger Girl: The Ultimate Collection - Hardcover

Hartnell, Andy; Campbell, J. Scott

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1563896567 ISBN 13: 9781563896569

Publisher: Dc Comics, 2000

Synopsis

Abbey Chase, an expert in rare antiquities and an adventuress of the highest caliber, is recruited by Deuce, leader of the ultra-secret spy group known as Danger Girl. Chase's expertise is needed to assist in the recovery of several mystical artifacts coveted by agents of the sinister Hammer Syndicate, a fascist organization whose final objective is world domination. What part these artifacts play in the equation is unknown, but the Danger Girls will do whatever is necessary to find out. Abbey, accompanied by fellow team members Sydney Savage, Natalia Kassle and Silicon Valerie, along with brash secret agent Johnny Barracuda, navigates a trail fraught with intrigue, betrayal, deception, and, most of all, danger, as they strive to make the world a safer place.

About this title

Review:

J Scott Campbell and Andy Hartnell had the purest of intentions when creating Danger Girl: to create an adventure comic in the vein of James Bond and Indiana Jones, swapping superheroes for an all-female team of elite spies and secret agents. And, at its best, it works. Campbell's artwork is crisp and dynamic, with clear influences by Arthur Adams and Todd McFarlane, and the stories are fast paced, following the newest recruit to the Danger Girls, Abbey Chase, who left behind her life as an adventurer, explorer and freelance troubleshooter in the high-stakes world of international espionage. With her new team-mates--Russian knife-expert Natalia Kassle, Australian mistress of the bullwhip Sydney Savage and British computer genius Silicon Valerie--Abbey uncovers a world-conquering plot by the evil Hammer organisation. Along the way, the team fight mad scientists and Nazi supermen with the aid of allies such as Deuce, Johnny Barracuda and Agent Zero, before facing treachery and a climactic confrontation on the Hammer's island headquarters.

It's easy to tell that Campbell and Hartnell had fun with Danger Girl--the stories hearken back to the matinee cliffhangers from the golden age of cinema, and this is clearly a labour of love from both creators. And it's always refreshing to read a comic that doesn't feature superheroes. It's just unfortunate that they swapped one comic book cliché for another: all of the female characters look like they were drawn by somebody who's never seen a real woman before (and this in spite of the fact that Campbell is married). They have waists that could comfortably fit through a Polo mint, and breasts that are just ludicrous (one wonders if the Danger Girls have ever seen their own feet). This is a book about strong, confident women, but it was written for teenage boys who learned everything they know about women by playing Tomb Raider. --Ted Kord

About the Author:

J. Scott Campbell is currently one of the hottest artists in comics today, having wowed comics readers with his dynamic, not to mention curvaceous artwork on Gen 13. Danger Girl is his first creator-owned work.

About this edition

• Publisher: Dc Comics
• Publication date: 2000
• ISBN 10: 1563896567
• ISBN 13: 9781563896569
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 254
• Editor: Campbell J. Scott, Hartnell Andy, Garner Alex, Major Guy, Starkings Richard