They found a tooth by the shore of a lake in Russia. The things was over a foot long. Naturally they figured that it was a fossil. Nothing in the modern world has teeth that big. Of course...when it turned out to be only a few years old, they figured it was some kind of monster. Naturally, they’re going to be a little scared about the thing. Naturally there’s one person who might be interested in investigating as she goes to one of the coldest places on Earth in Lady Mechanika: The Devil in the Lake #1. The writing team of Joe Benitez and M.M. Cheng return to steampunk adventure fiction under the power of artist  Siya Ouma and colorist Beth Sotelo.

It’s Lady Maria Alexandrovna who contacts the hero. She’s a grand Duchess of Russia. Her friend Elizabeth Fairfield had gone in search of the monster. Hasn’t been heard of since. As luck would have it, she’s also friends with Lady Mechanika. If anyone can rescue someone from the frozen wastes of one of the coldest places on Earth...it just might be the Lady in question. It isn’t going to be easy, though. Lady Mechanic hasn’t had a whole lot of experience with the distinct dangers that face her in Russia.

Benitez and Cheng construct a very solid first quarter for their new series. There are a couple of brief glances back at the story of Lady Mechanika thus far. The extended cast for the current adventure is solidly established in the course of the first half of the issue as the hero begins her journey. The danger locks into place in the course of the second half of the issue as Lady Mechanika arrives in Russia to investigate the disappearance amidst the cold and snow. Benitez and Cheng firmly establish her as being both cunning and caring in equal measure. It’s a promising opening to a new series.

It can be very, very difficult to firmly lock=in the reality of a snowy wasteland in and amidst everything else that’s going on over the course of an script that has a lot of other moving parts. Ouma manage a clever balance between the action and dram going-on in the foreground and the snowy wastes that around it all. Sotelo gives the atmosphere a suitably arctic chill as snow whips around in the background of the action which is occasionally punctuated by blood and danger. It’s very sharp and clever execution all around.

There’s a very smart sense of pacing about the opening issue of the current series. The series of scenes that comprise the first issue have a very compelling sense of forward momentum about them that serves th overall action and drama of the series quite well. Once again, Lady Mechanika makes it to the page in a narrative package that feels distinct and well-balanced from beginning to end. If Benitez, Change and company can maintain the momentum established in the first issue, all should be quite well.

Grade: B+