A new story arc begins in Mother Panic #10, and matters are kept vague, for now. Violet Page seems to be on the mend, and a night out reunites her with another “student” from her days at Gather House. Violet’s one-time classmate – is she a victim herself, or a betrayer, or some forgotten link to Vi’s past that only Vi remembers.

Also in this issue, Gotham Radio continues, as talk radio host Cory Edgars continues his verbal assault on Gotham’s crime problem – not just the criminals, but the vigilantes as well. Two elderly listeners tune in, which keeps matters vague, but there’s only so much that can be conveyed in four pages.

Normally, I wouldn’t mention it, but the entire issue is rather cryptic. I started out enjoying Mother Panic, but it’s become emotional drama, and that tires easily. We get it – she has scars from her strict Catholic school internment. I thought we’d left that behind last issue, but clearly not. Y’know, you keep picking at that wound, it’ll never heal. And making her a lesbian might have been a novel idea if Batwoman hadn’t done it first. Or Reneé Montoya before that.

I enjoy Shawn Crystal’s artwork, but I’m not sure this is the right project for it. It almost has an EC/Jack Davis quality, so I’m not sure what would be a better place. Regardless, Mother Panic is on the verge of committing the cardinal sin of comic books: it’s becoming boring. I’d like to see the creative team step things up, lay Vi’s old demons to rest, and stop wallowing in this pit of childhood trauma.