BELLE ANNUAL: DEPTHS OF TARTARUS, from Zenescope Entertainment on November 16th, 2022, pits Belle against Typhon in the pits of Tartarus for the right to bring Belle’s mother home. Can Belle survive Typhon’s challenge or is her Fate already written?
The Details
- Written by: Dave Franchini
- Art by: Julius Abrera, Rodrigo Xavier
- Colors by: Juan Manuel Rodriguez
- Letters by: Taylor Esposito
- Cover art by: Igor Vitorino (cover A)
- Cover price: $7.99
- Release date: November 16, 2022
Is It Good?
BELLE ANNUAL: DEPTHS OF TARTARUS takes Belle on the biggest adventure of her life (so far) with an annual that’s big on emotion but light on spectacle and wow moments. Not every superhero comic needs to blow the covers off a comic, but this one, while bringing Belle’s quest to free her mother to a satisfying conclusion, takes a sedate road to get there.
The absolute high point of Dave Franchini’s script is the emotionally charged final moments between Belle and her mother. Belle’s adventures over the course of this year have led her down a dangerous path of monsters and magic in her quest to free her mother from Hell. Now, Franchini brings that quest to its ultimate conclusion, and the emotional payoff was worth the journey. There are hugs, tears, and a renewed appreciation for life that pays off the last year spectacularly.
However, an adventure in Tartarus (the Greek Mythology version of Hell) is surprisingly low-key. Belle does more sneaking around and reacting as a bystander in a larger drama playing out among the gods than anything else. Franchini’s romp with big names in Greek mythos is interesting, and enough nuggets are dropped to imply Belle’s interactions with the gods are far from over, but Belle seems almost lost in the gods’ story. In fairness, Belle gets her moment to shine with a final battle, but her opponent is dealt a severe handicap before the first blow is dealt, so Belle doesn’t have a chance to rise to the occasion.
In terms of art, Xavier and Abrera’s delivery is excellent. The character designs, especially for Typhon, are excellent. The few bits of action are well done. And the facial acting during the emotional moments is well done.
Keep scrolling for a closer look at the covers, or Click Here to jump right to the story description with some spoilers.
What’s It About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]
We begin with Belle remembering a happier time in her childhood while playing with her brother Alex. Suddenly, Belle snaps out of the memory in the middle of a fight with a Banshee in a cemetery. The Banshee manipulated Belle’s mind as a distraction, but Belle overcomes the manipulation and drives the Banshee off.
Belle resumes her quest to free her mother by destroying a special headstone with her magic shield, forcing open a portal to Tartarus. A mysterious woman greets Belle and shows her the way to Typhon’s throne room. Typhon strangely greets Belle and offers her a deal. If Belle rescues Echidna, Typhon’s wife, from Mount Etna and brings Echidna to him, Typhon will grant the wish of Belle’s desire as long as it’s within his power.
We follow Belle on her rescue mission to Mount Etna, through a surprising discovery, several reunions, more betrayals, and a new view on life.
Keep scrolling for a closer look at preview images of the internal pages, or Click Here to jump right to the score.
Final Thoughts
(Click this link 👇 to order this comic)
BELLE ANNUAL: DEPTHS OF TARTARUS brings Belle’s year-long adventure to free her mother from Hell to a close. The art is excellent, and Belle’s emotionally-charged moments with her mother are powerful. However, Belle sometimes feels like a lesser player in a larger drama between the gods, and the overall comic lacks big wow moments.
We hope you found this article interesting. Come back for more reviews, previews, and opinions on comics, and don’t forget to follow us on social media:
If you’re interested in this creator’s works, remember to let your Local Comic Shop know to find more of their work for you. They would appreciate the call, and so would we.
Click here to find your Local Comic Shop: www.ComicShopLocator.com
As an Amazon Associate, we earn revenue from qualifying purchases to help fund this site. Links to Blu-Rays, DVDs, Books, Movies, and more contained in this article are affiliate links. Please consider purchasing if you find something interesting, and thank you for your support.