Lady Mechanika Volume 6

by Joe Benítez, M. M. Chen, Siya Oum (illustrator)

240 pages, Hardcover

Published May 6, 2025

About the author

Joe Benítez is an American comic book artist who has worked on such titles as "JLA", "Superman/Batman", "Detective Comics", "Supergirl", and "Titans" for DC Comics and "The Darkness" for Image Comics. He also co-created and penciled the sci-fi series "Weapon Zero" and the dark fantasy mini-series "Magdalena: Blood Divine" for Image. In 2005, Joe published his first creator-owned mini-series "Wraithborn" through Wildstorm. In 2009, he stepped in to finish up Michael Turner's run on "Soulfire". Joe is currently working on his steampunk adventure series, "Lady Mechanika".

http://www.joebenitez.com

Reviews

[Larry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! This blew me away! I have read the first 5 volumes of this so I thought I knew what to expect. this was so much better than I thought it would be! the writing is really excellent. Some powerful characterization. More of Lady M's origin is revealed. I was worried when I saw that half of the book is not drawn by Joe Benitez but the second artist - Siya Oum is also GREAT!

[Online Eccentric Librarian · Rating 4 out of 5]

More Good (and no fluff) on the blog http://surrealtalvi.wordpress.com/

This was one of the more satisfying novels in the series as we get a lot more backstory on Lady Mechanika. While the artwork is no longer as detailed or lush as the first few volumes, the visuals are still stunning.

Story: Lady Mechanika visits the local circus with Fred while recounting her memories to Allie's father, the doctor. She outlines a story of misery and torture after waking up mutated. Imprisoned in an asylum with other female 'oddities' she learns to survive while also making friends. But one friend in particular may be a blessing or a curse.

I enjoyed this one, though it did dip further into the horror genre and well away from its steampunk roots. But it also goes a long way toward explaining Mechanika's outlook on life and is a welcome foray into her backstory.

In all, one of the better, if not best, entries in the series. This volume also includes the first volume of the next Mechanika series, which Benitez will not be drawing. Reviewed from an advance reader copy provided by the publisher.

[J Earl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lady Mechanika Volume 6 by Joe Benítez continues the series, which happens to be among the only ones I follow in the area of graphic novels.

Like any series there will be stronger and weaker volumes. I thought this one wasn't so much less strong but seemed to take a slightly different tack, or at least leaned more into one started previously. That said, I still thoroughly enjoyed it.

You don't need to have read all of the previous volumes to read this one. Much of her backstory from the earliest volumes is re-presented here along with some more details that suit this storyline. I would say that if you're coming here for the first time for something more steampunk you might want to start earlier in the series.

I would recommend this to those who like good stories and characterization in their graphic novels. The artwork is still quite good but less pop than I remember from earlier work, but the palette does fit the stories very well.

Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via Edelweiss.

[Chad · Rating 3 out of 5]

A deluxe edition collecting volumes 7 and 8 of the regular run. The Ministry of Hell explores Lady Mechanika's origins after she is found pretty much feral with her metal limbs as a child. She's put in a Victorian asylum with a bunch of other mutants. It's not bad.

The Devil in the Lake sends Lady Mechanika to Russia to investigate some missing scientists and word of a monster in Siberia. Siya Oum steps in for the artwork and her art is similar to Benitez's.