Skip to Content

‘Swords of Sorrow’ # 3: A Mixture of Genres

‘Swords of Sorrow’ # 3: A Mixture of Genres

SwordsSorrow03-Cov-A-Lotay

Swords of Sorrow #3
Writer: Gail Simone
Artist:Sergio Davila
Colorist: Jorge Sutil
Publisher: Dynamite

Swords of Sorrow # 3 is part of a collection of works being established by a groundbreaking team of all female writers at Dynamite. The comic works to bring together many different heroines from the Dynamite comics. Swords of Sorrow#3 has mixed genres, time periods, and beautifully rough artwork. Writer Gail Simone has this issue focus on Miss Fury and Black Sparrow in New York during 1939 alongside a subplot with Dracula and his daughter. Artists Sergio Davila and Jorge Sutil support Simone to their fullest with different colors from the various time periods and costume designs. If any flaw is to be found in the artwork it would be the heroines’ costume designs due to a lack of variety and some images lack the feeling of motion. All together, Swords of Sorrow #3 will give the reader a fast paced read with well blended changes in genres.

The plot of Swords of Sorrow # 3 begins with Miss Fury and Black Sparrow attending a radio play about themselves. The show does not meet the two ladies’ fancy has it portrays them as racist and sexist stereotypes. As one of the heroines stands to demand the swift end of the radio play, villains come in and attacks the theater. In a different time and place, the subplot of Dracula and his daughter, Eva, picks up with the two meeting together. Together, father and daughter discuss an ancient artifact known as the Philosopher’s Stone. The story cuts away to the antagonist, Prince, receives a message from the Traveler. Over the span of the main plot with Miss Fury and Black Sparrow and the subplot, tensions build, and the story comes to its climax. It all comes down to action and time blending events.

Simone flows the narrative from a pulp fiction setting to horror with ease. The plot goes between Black Sparrow and Miss Fury to Eva and her father with quick pace. One moment the plot is kicking butt with the two heroines, the next Eva and her father are talking over plans of ruling. The writing of Swords of Sorrow #3 stands strongest on its banter between the heroines. Simone’s dialogue between the heroines adds depth and insight into their relationships. Black Sparrow and Miss Fury show a special type of friendship in their banter, such as when they use lines from the radio play to speak to each other. Miss Fury refers to Black Sparrow as her “sidekick”, and Black Sparrow smiles back at her with a threat of getting her back. This allows the reader to understand they are good friends and they can work well with each other. Furthermore, the dialogue goes with  a sense of the chaos in fighting villains is an everyday sort of thing for these ladies as they playfully chatter with each other. Simone’s writing gives it an extra little edge to make it special.

Davila and Sutil combine color and artwork to help the comic divide its storyline. Davila and Sutil gave 1939 a warm color scheme with bright colors and dazzling costumes. The artwork lives up to the 1939 image of glamor and awe for a big city feel. The attention to the theater’s crowd outfits fits the time period time. Alongside with background having buildings with well throughout design and details. In contrast, the Piramide de la Luna has the ruins in very bleak coloring with the only bright or warm colors being red. The mood in Piramide de la Luna is foreboding and cold, a perfect meeting ground for vampires. The flaw in Davila and Sutil work could be found in the lack of variety in the heroines’ outfits. During action scenes it becomes hard to tell which of the ladies is doing what action without a careful eye.

Swords of Sorrow # 3 offers a nice bit of rising action in the plot. The banter gives insight and humor to scenes. The artwork fits the mood and tone of the writing just right. The comic will leave a reader wanting to more about what is to come for the heroines, and what exactly is at play for the villains.