Ms. Medusa’s Monstrous Menagerie, written by Paul Hanley and Matt Frank, is about mythical creatures, known in this world as mythics. But unlike many stories, mythical creatures here lead everyday lives. The set for this story is the circus; very apt given the context. The plot focuses on Sharon, also known as Laurin, a mythic looking to work at the circus. It also focuses on Gina, the titular Ms. Medusa. In the past, mythical creatures got mistreated in Europe and made their way over to America, which garnered them acceptance. Sharon is trying to get a job as publicity rep. #1 takes place over the course of a day, and by the end mishaps ensue. It would be disappointing if they didn’t otherwise.
Ms. Medusa has an interesting art style, in full color with good linework and shading. The story itself is also interesting, with a very original take on something old as time. The mixture of fantasy with modernity is also fun, and the characters are compelling without seeming too derivative. The story also balances humor and seriousness well. Despite the fantastical characters which populate the story, there is a strong sense of reality to it. The characters feel like real people, and Gina especially stands out. All good circuses need someone with excellent showmanship, and Gina fits that roll to a tee.
While the stakes of #1 are low, there is still a sense of the world at large and how that affects the story. With some context at the beginning of the issue, it becomes clear rapidly that mythics lead a precarious existence. The careful balance of their lives would be easy to topple. Despite the threat of being cast out from the place they call home, the mythics of Ms. Medusa lead ordinary lives, with the same problems that anyone would face. Though they certainly have some additional issues that make the story more lively.
That balance between ordinary and extraordinary appears to be one of the central themes of Ms. Medusa. The setting of the story in a circus increases the symbolism even more. The association here between mythical creatures, the sideshows and performers that used to inhabit circuses back in the day cannot be a coincidence. There seems to be a dual meaning behind this. The story displays mythics with the intent to sell tickets because of their strangeness in comparison with humans. At the same time, they do not need to hide who they are at the circus. They can unashamedly be the people they actually are.
One of the only issues that Ms. Medusa has is that the pacing is a little fast in parts. Also, the story would benefit from introducing the backstory more organically. Although, getting some backstory early on does clear up any questions about the problems mythics face. Other than that, Ms. Medusa is a very solid, intriguing concept with a lot of potential for future issues.
Ms. Medusa’s Monstrous Menagerie is available for preordering on Kickstarter. What sort of mythics do you want to see next? Sound off in the comments or send us your thoughts on Facebook or Twitter!
