HYDE STREET #5, by Image Comics on 4/2/25, introduces readers to Miss Glee Goodbody – a beauty-obsessed aerobics instructor who finds herself on Hyde Street after pushing a client too far.
Credits:
- Writer: Geoff Johns
- Artist: Francis Portela
- Colorist: Brad Anderson
- Letterer: Rob Leigh
- Cover Artist: Ivan Reis, Danny Miki, Brad Anderson
- Publisher: Image Comics
- Release Date: April 2, 2025
- Comic Rating: Teen
- Cover Price: $3.99
- Page Count: 36
- Format: Single Issue
Covers:
Analysis of HYDE STREET #5:
Recap:
In It Happened On Hyde Street: Devour (One-Shot), readers get a taste of Miss Goodbody’s special inventory when a woman walks into the soul collector’s shop looking for help losing weight before her big wedding. One pill of the apt-named Devour guarantees the bride would look thin and trim in the blink of an eye. Sadly for the bride, quick weight loss pills from Hyde Street come with a ravenous price.
Plot Analysis:
Hyde Street #5 recounts the tragic, sordid history of Miss Glee Goodbody’s downfall from an over-the-top aerobics instructor to a soul collector on the verge of freedom.
In 1983, Glee Goodbody was the toughest aerobic instructor around. Desperate to separate herself from the weight problems of her youth, Goodbody pushed herself hard to stay in shape, and she pushed her clients harder, disgusted by their “weakness.” One day, Goodbody’s berating methods pushed a client, Trisha, into a lethal heart attack.
Soon, Glee Goodbody’s life falls apart. She loses her job at the gym, Trisha’s sister files a wrongful death lawsuit, and Goodbody’s tenacious grip on self-discipline begins to waiver. Desperate for guidance, Goodbody is drawn to a Tarot Shop run by Sister Hood (a soul collector we’ll meet in a future issue), who explains Goodbody’s troubles will be over with a well-placed dose of poison for Trisha’s sister.
When the deed is done, Glee Goodbody finds herself as the latest soul collector on Hyde Street. Years later, Mister X-Ray enters Goodbody’s shop to discuss Pranky’s sabotaging ways. Glee Goodbody is unconcerned with Pranky since she’s two souls away from meeting her goal of freedom, but her tune may soon change when Pranky ensures Glee Goodbody’s tour of duty takes a wee bit longer.
First Impressions:
Hyde Street #5 is somewhat interesting but not great. Geoff Johns delivers the second part of Glee Goodbody’s introduction with an issue-long flashback to explain how she became a soul collector. However, the tale of woe isn’t particularly shocking, contains no interesting or ironic twists and the horrific bits related to Glee’s schtick were spelled out in the previous one-shot. This issue reads like a half-measure.
Artwork and Presentation:
Francis Portela may be a familiar name to Valiant fans, but this is our first exposure to his work in quite a few years. Thankfully, Portela hasn’t missed a step because an issue that relies heavily (no pun intended) on assorted body types to carry the tragic tale of body image gone wrong looks fantastic.
Art Samples:
Story Positives & Negatives:
The Positives:
With each issue, Geoff Johns crafts a new, original backstory for the cast of soul collectors that gives each one a unique history and motivation to act (or not) and sets the stage for conflict between the soul collectors and the Scorekeeper. Nobody likes a “team” where everyone gets along, so Johns continues to flesh out a world where every character has something to gain or lose, which makes them all the more interesting.
The Negatives:
Compared to the rest of the soul collectors introduced so far, Glee Goodbody is bland and uninteresting. There’s nothing grossly shocking about her past misdeeds, and there’s no ironic twist to her stint as a soul collector. It’s as if Geoff Johns picked the most predictable and forgettable backstory possible.
Final Thoughts:
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HYDE STREET #5 introduces readers (again) to Miss Glee Goodbody – a health-obsessed soul collector who preys on lost souls with body image problems. Geoff Johns’s script is perfectly fine, albeit lacking in twists or surprises, and Francis Portela’s artwork is excellent.
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