Phantom Lady #3 Review!

Phantom Lady #3 (Dec. 2012).
Cover by Stephane Roux.

Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti pick up the pace with a knock-down battle with the mercenary, Funerella. This villainess is a rather good choice for an arch foe. She first appeared in the pre-DCnU era, in Freedom Fighters #4 (Feb. 2011), written also by Palmiotti and Gray.

She's an amped up zombie with absolute control over her undead form, and over those she infects. Funerella's power extends to the ability to deteriorate inanimate matter, too.

It seems Phantom Lady's black light isn't as effective against her, either. In fact it's coldness seems to have an affinity for her. When Doll Man shoots her in the head, it does not kill her—she's already dead.


As the battle rages on the waterfront, Funerella dashes for a full yacht and turns people into her slaves. Phantom Lady uses her black light to slice her up, and Funerella falls into the ocean. Her detached arm, however, flails around the boat and when touched, kills a man—decomposing him instantly! The arm's owner soon reappears, dragging herself out of the ocean.

The biggest surprise in this issue was a cameo by the Ray! In San Diego, he is called to action by Uncle Sam, who orders him to head to Metropolis.

Despite the uptick in action, my initial reservations on this series stand. If these Quality-related projects aren't amped up to the fullest (including the upcoming Human Bomb series), any potential viability for the Freedom Fighters will be dead in the water.

From Phantom Lady #3 (2012). Art by Cat Staggs and Tom Derenick.