When Tenth Muse: The Odyssey came across my desk for review, I didn't know anything about the book or its characters. When I flipped it over and saw that Cindy Margolis -- a downloadable Internet model who proved long before Paris Hilton that you don't have to do anything to become famous these days -- was the model for the title character, I was underwhelmed. After all, when a book tries to sell itself more on the merits of its model than it does its story or art, it's got to be missing something.

It wasn't hard to learn online that Margolis replaced professional wrestler and Playboy model Rena "Sable" Mero in the role. And I started to wonder, what the heck is this book about, anyway? I mean, who cares who the models are; when I read a graphic novel, I want good art and a compelling story. I don't much care who's in the artist's studio when he draws.

Well, after reading the book, I can see why the creative team focused on celebrity over substance. The plot is bewildering. The dialogue is worse. And the art, while focusing on bosoms and such, is so exaggerated that it's never titillating in the least. And they're paying Margolis to use her likeness? With the exception of the cover, the title character (the missing 10th Muse of Greek mythology, who runs around in modern times wearing spandex, brawling and making terse remarks) resembles Margolis only in the color of her hair.

What more needs to be said about a book featuring narration as taut and thrilling as this?

The three most powerful women alive have united for a mutual purpose! Isis, a forgotten Egyptian goddess; 10th Muse, a child of Mount Olympus in search of justice; and Judo Girl, a fast and agile fighter from the 1960s, always looking for fun. Together, these three heroines must search for an ancient book before its power falls into the wrong hands!

Besides, being a Muse, shouldn't this character inspire others to justice? The Muses of legend didn't write their own poetry or music, after all; they provided the inspiration to others. So why is Muse No. 10 running around like Power Girl?

Tenth Muse: The Odyssey is directionless and, worse yet, dull. I can think of no good reason to seek it out.

by Tom Knapp
Rambles.NET
26 November 2005