THE RETURN OF ZITA THE SPACEGIRL

After facing innumerable interstellar dangers, Zita finds herself locked in a dungeon. How will the plucky heroine escape now?

Zita has seen myriad adventures throughout galaxies far, far away: planet-destroying Star Hearts, identity-stealing robot clones and the loss of her best friend, Joseph. In this third installment, she finds herself locked in a dungeon on a hidden planet. Despite her captivity, she is determined to escape, and along the way—as she has in all her previous adventures—she stops to help those who need her. Surprises tumble out from behind every corner, through many wordless, action-filled sequences smartly reminiscent of Kazu Kibuishi’s flow in his Amulet series. Perhaps the most wondrous surprise comes at the close of this offering, when Zita finds herself in the place she’d least expect to be. Zita is a modern-day Dorothy fighting aliens instead of the Wicked Witch of the West, undoubtedly one of the spirited and valiant heroines in comics today. Hatke’s storytelling and worldbuilding are top-notch, ebulliently juxtaposed against vibrantly expressive art. The end to this trilogy crystallizes (pun intended) beautifully, adroitly weaving together the threads from its predecessors. Fans of the series: Don’t miss this.

Stellar.