Faith: Dreamside finds Faith framed for murder and hiding from the law with her secret identity. When Animalia asks Faith for help, Faith and Animalia set out to find Dr. Mirage. A trip to the Deadside is in order as Animalia is haunted by more than just the ghosts of her friends. A great team up full of action and adventure, Faith is all that is good and true among superheroes, once again proving she will go up and beyond for her friends or anyone in need. The story flows smoothly and keeps your attention while the art is expressive. I wish the color was a little brighter but the art is still pleasing to the eye. Faith is, as always, a feel good character that makes you want to believe in good and doing right by the people who need you- another winning story line in the world of Faith. My voluntary, unbiased review is based upon a review copy from Netgalley.

Faith Sneaks Up On You

I started this with the attitude that I can take or leave the character Faith, but I was curious about what was new with Dr. Mirage. By the end I had come around to rooting for Faith, and maybe appreciating her a bit more.

Faith starts out here a bit, no a lot, angsty because she's hiding her superheroeness after being framed by an alien for murder, (earlier book). Faith comes out of "retirement" to help one of the renegade psiots who's being tormented by evil spirits/ghosts. Since Faith doesn't know anything about the spirit world she turns to Dr. Mirage for help. This takes up about half of the volume; for the rest of the book Faith, Mirage, and the psiot have crossed into the "Dreamside", (a death plane), to figure things out and kick a little eeeevil butt.

This is a more cerebral than physical adventure because the Dreamside is a head-trip sort of place where facing up to your lost dreams is the real challenge. As it turns out, Faith is a more substantial, mature, and decent superhero than most, and by the end of this I finally began to see her appeal. That might all be a bit angsty, but there's just enough humor, deadpan dialogue, and hero throwaway lines to keep the story energetic and moving along.

The drawing is fine; I didn't think of it as inspired, but it certainly supported the story and had its moments. This volume collects the four issues that make up the complete Dreamside story arc, so no cliffhangers. Bottom line? Faith is an interesting and unique superhero with sneaky appeal. Worth keeping an eye on.

(Please note that I received a free advance will-self-destruct-in-x-days Adobe Digital copy of this book without a review requirement, or any influence regarding review content should I choose to post a review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)

In this volume Faith enters the deadside in order to rescue one of the psiot renegades.

As she does so she comes to terms with the death of her own dreams of superhero stardom. Faith is still wanted by the police because she was framed for a murder she didn't commit.

This is another enjoyable episode in the Faith series and she is joined by Dr Mirage. The artwork is good as it always is with Valiant comics, and there is plenty of action, mystical creatures and the deadside!

Copy provided by Diamond Comics via Netgalley in exchange for an unbiased review.

A cool graphic novel with a good body positive message. I think some of our Young Adult readers and parents will get into this series as well.

My review covers the combined reading of all four parts of Faith: Dreamside. #1, #2, #3 and #4.
I hadn't read anything of Faith previously. This is a follow-on story, re-launching her into the void she has left in comic books. Yet original to gather a whole new fan base.
Faith Herbert was your average super hero fan, loving all things superhero based and pushing the boundaries of SCI-FI. Like all kids she dreamed of being her own super hero and spent many a hour thinking about what super powers she would like to save the world.
She became Zephyr with the ability to fly. Busy making a difference she didn't realise that some looked upon her skills with envy and so plotted and succeeded to frame her for a heinous crime. Worse than a costume malfunction for a super hero is filmed humiliation and kids seeing their heroes as villains, recorded before their eyes as a low-life fraud and murderer.
The public turned against her, law enforcement agencies had her on their most wanted. Forced to hide and resume her alter-ego, Summer Smith, hoping for the chance to redeem herself and prove her innocence.
#1 Shows Summer learning to live without super powers and frustrated she's unable to help. When a freeway pile-up delays her journey home she lets her guard down and is arrested.
#2 Listening to the cops tell of their former respect for Zephyr, which is replaced with open hostility towards her. She goes quietly, ready to face justice for a crime she did not do. The intervention of a mythical beast provides her with a chance to escape.
#3 Provided with a problem greater that her own circumstances Faith is able to focus on helping her friend before facing up to her own situation. However, she first must enlist the help of someone better equipped to face the dangers ahead; but who would trust, let alone help a disgraced exhero.
#4 The battle is engaged; self doubt being overcome by remembering her initial pledge to serve and her simple dreams to make a difference. New belief and determination empowers her, banishes doubt and fear, enabling her to take the fight to the enemy.
Full of comic asides and a nod to the simple love of all things superhero led, the story has meaning and value as much as it has meanace and action scenes. I loved this balance of danger and fun, risk and normality.
The story is very clever and revealing, with a wider meaning than good coming out ahead of evil.
Lots of madness and outrageous concepts which are wonderfully lifted from the page with fine illustrations that prompt the imagination as much as informing our eyes what to believe.

That Faith may fly again is a worthy strap line and one I'd like to see happen.