I greatly enjoyed this issue and am looking forward to more. To anyone who is interested in history, particularly womens history, this comic is a must. Dark Horses Mata Hari is as beautiful and seductive as its titular character, and I give it my highest recommendation, as both a comic book fan and an early twentieth century historian. Read Full Review

Part one of five, this first chapter in the saga of Mata Hari's life has me not only eager to read the next part of the tale but also wanting to dive into her colorful history myself. Read Full Review

Mata Hari is a fascinating use of a medium to explore its titles perplexing historical figure. Beeby, Kristantia, and Masioni have achieved an engaging read that captivates the attention from start to finish, in the same way the book's protagonist has captivated people one hundred years later. Read Full Review

Good storytelling doesn't always necessitate good theme, but Mata Hari #1 is an intersection of the two. The themes are just as interesting as the character. Mata Hari's story, despite having occurred years in the past, is fresh and full of intrigue. Read Full Review

Mata Hari #1 plays out like the introduction to a biopic in comic form. We jump around to various points in Haris life, we learn what others thought of her, and we get some hints at her as a person. Its intriguing storytelling, and its bolstered by the artistic stylings of Kristantina and Masioni. This comic is recommended. Check it out. Read Full Review

Overall, Mata Hari is set to be an emotional history a controversial figure, compelling to both history nerds, comic readers, and the overlap in the Venn diagram. Issue #1 is a strong start and has us hooked on what's to come next. Read Full Review

With many parts of her story yet to be explored in the next four issues, I'm looking forward to the journey and deciding if any modern versions would also end with the condemned refusing a blindfold, defiantly but demurely staring down her accusers. Read Full Review

Mata Hari's opening issue isn't exactly a linear work as it jumps around a lot and showcases a lot of different places but it delivers a kind of overview of the end while highlighting just how hard it is to pin down who she is. A five issue run isn't anywhere near enough to delve into the character but Emma Beeby feels like she's going to tackle the key things just right by giving us a look at a woman is not going to be defined by just one single thing. Read Full Review

Ultimately though, as an introduction to the title character, her strengths and her flaws, this first issue definitely gets the job done. Featuring a female editor encouraging two supremely talented female creators as they tell the story of one of the most intriguing women in modern history Mata Hari is a new series that comes highly recommended. Read Full Review

MATA HARI #1 is almost as compelling as its subject. If this is any indication of the quality of the next four issues then the entire series will be well worth your time. Read Full Review

In the end, this sets up the storyline well, which is what a first issue should do, but it doesn't grab me as much as I hoped it would and this is mainly due to the time jumps. Still, this is a very timely and powerful story. The final page invokes our post Weinstein climate in relation to the story as the powerless of women is a key part of Mata Hari's story as well. Indeed, it is a part of every woman's life. It will be interesting to see how much this proves. Read Full Review

Mata Hari promises to be a historical thriller full of death, espionage, and sex. Lots and lots of sex. One thing for sure, this book was quite titillating both figuratively and literally. This first issue was heavy on backstory with not much in terms of cloak and dagger. I am sure that's coming in the next issue. Or as Mata Hari would call it- the second act! Read Full Review

It would be easy for a sloppier creative team to turn the tale of a famed exotic dancer into something lascivious, but Mata Hari #1 is a sensuous and thoughtful exploration of the life of a complicated woman. Read Full Review

With excellent art and strong premise "Mata Hari" gets off to a strong start as it examines the life of it's title character. Read Full Review

Mata Hari is certainly an interesting book though it demands a lot of the reader in terms of attention to both the written words and the pictures themselves. You're going to want to read this one carefully and probably more than once. I dont know that it's a great comic book, but it certainly reads like the first chapter of a very good graphic novel. Given editor Karen Bergers reputation for producing many such longer form examples of the medium, it's a bit mystifying to me that Mata Hari is being serialized at all. From what Ive seen it will be a fascinating read when complete but is not particularly well served by being chopped up for monthly publication. That said it was good enough that I'm on board for at least one more installment. Read Full Review

Overall, Mata Hari was something of a slow burn. Yes, her sex life is on display, but nothing much on her spy years. At least, not yet. Perhaps issue two will really bring me into this series. Its a first issue. There's plenty to be discovered. Mata Hari #1 has a hidden intoxicating quality that has yet to be seen. Read Full Review

I'm sure there's an audience out there that will enjoy this book, some might even inflate their thoughts about it due to the parties involved, but at the end of the day, this comic misses all the marks. Our protagonist is underdeveloped, her timeline a confusing mess and instead of being something entertaining and enjoyable, Mata Hari is a boring chore to read. Again, it's not fun to say all this, but it wasn't fun to read it either. Read Full Review