Review by Frank Plowright

Over the course of two previous graphic novels Gail Simone turned Domino’s title into a team project, and that’s now recognised with Soldier of Fortune’s continuation reducing Domino’s name on the cover to small type while prioritising the new Hotshots title. She’s also continuing to add to the team, with South Korean hero White Fox and Black Widow joining, despite the world believing the latter to be dead.

While a fair collection of power and talent is assembled, Domino and her allies don’t appear a good match for the Celestials, the all-powerful beings older than the stars to whom millennia are nothing. One of their devices falling to Earth, then, is not a good idea, and Domino’s attempts to destroy it before it can be misused are hampered by a lack of trust in her more recent team-mates. Do they still prioritise loyalties to a country?

As he did in the earlier Domino graphic novels, David Baldeón shines, giving clear storytelling, charming personalities and interesting designs, with some great nods to Jack Kirby, creator of the Celestials. As has been the case before, he shares pages with Michael Shelfer as the story continues. Shelfer’s moderately less distinctive and imaginative, and breasts enlarge under his watch, but there’s no great downgrade and their pages slot smoothly together.

While there are some big issues at stake, Simone’s primary instinct is to provide fun. A couple of other known faces make an appearance, and a few ethical dilemmas manifest, while Domino’s saddled with new allies who don’t entirely mesh in terms of personality, which provides tension. By the end, however, everything has been very neatly and unexpectedly resolved, and we’ve all had a good time. It’s the end of the line for Simone and Baldeón on Domino, which is a shame, but they’ve left three thoroughly enjoyable graphic novels.