BETTIE PAGE: THE ALIEN AGENDA #1 – Review

BETTIE PAGE: THE ALIEN AGENDA #1, from Dynamite Comics on March 9th, 2022, begins a new adventure for the world’s most photogenic secret agent as the government needs help finding an alien stockpile hidden somewhere on Earth.

The Details

• Written By: Ani-Mia
• Art By: Celor
• Colors By: Farah Nurmaliza
• Letters By: Carlos M. Mangual
• Cover Art By: Joseph Michael Linsner
• Cover Price: $3.99
• Release Date: March 9, 2022

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Was It Good?

BETTIE PAGE: THE ALIEN AGENDA #1 is the latest adventure to put the 20th Century’s most photographed vixen on a secret mission, using her position as a model for cover. While this is not Bettie’s first mission, this is our first time reviewing the writing of famed spokesperson and cosplayer, Ani-Mia. how does Ani-Mia fare compared to the other Bettie Page writers we’ve reviewed in the past? Pretty darn good.

Dynamite’s tradition of using Bettie Page as a heroine can vary wildly from story to story depending on the writer. Sometimes she’s the ditzy broad who manages to save the day through luck, heart, and divine intervention. Other times, she’s a no-nonsense investigator who stands toe-to-toe against the roughest criminals.

Here, Ani-Mia finds a pleasant middle ground where Bettie maintains a playful charm for appearances in public, and she’s a whip-smart agent during her secret assignments. The mix Ani-Mia uses appears to be the best fit for the character almost as a type of superhero with a secret identity. The Bettie Page everyone knows is the Bruce Wayne-ish front for the Batman-esque secret agent work. It’s a smart approach to the character.

The story (read through to the next section if you want plot details) also fits the type of agent Bettie is set up to be. The government (or military, if you prefer) needs Bettie to track down something alien-related. Rather than put Bettie on an assignment that requires blazing gun battles and big action set pieces, her mission involves globe-trotting detective work in the same vein as Indiana Jones where the government can’t be seen as being involved. Again, it’s a smart choice by Ani-Mia to build out a mission that plays to Bettie’s strengths and uses Bettie’s cover as a model for maximum effect. If it wasn’t clear by now, what stands out most from Ani-Mia’s writing is a series of smart choices.

Regarding the art, this issue was a double surprise. The last time we say Celor’s work it was on the KISS: PHANTOM OBSESSION run, and it was, to be blunt, not great. But wow, what a difference a few months make. This issue isn’t a minor upgrade in the quality of Celor’s work, it’s a night-and-day difference. The lines are clean, panels look finished, the panel perspectives are reasonably accurate, and there’s a generally finished look to the entire issue. In fairness, Nurmaliza’s colors elevate Celor’s artwork considerably, but Celor gets high marks for the most improved.

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 Bettie Page sunning herself by the pool after a long photo shoot. The waiter brings her a drink and a private telegram summoning Bettie to a meeting with her secret agent boss, Colonel Westbrook. After a few strong sips of her drink and a quick change, a private helicopter arrives to take Bettie to a private meeting for her next assignment.

Col. Westbrook explains the events at Roswell ten years earlier were truly alien in nature. No aliens were found in or near the crashed spaceship, but the recovered ship contained a wealth of information about technology and Earth’s past. However, the language is too alien to crack and the government is concerned that artifacts aboard the ship point to a massive storehouse kept somewhere on Earth by the aliens. Concerned it might be alien weaponry, Bettie is assigned to meet with experts to decipher the artifacts, find the storehouse, and recover what it contains without anyone knowing the government is involved.

We conclude the issue with Men In Black, the assembly of a crack team of researchers, and a clue for the team’s next destination.

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