You can’t help but hear the buzz, and V. chimes in.
Responding to all the buzz (including the very important opinion of E.), I was compelled to read Midnighter. It’s a hell of a comic, that is for sure, delving into Secret Six caliber commentary and characterization. Continue reading “REVIEW: Midnighter #2”
V. reviewed the “gay SAGA.”
Sex Criminals and Howard the Duck are obviously comics done by a creator with a sense of humor. I can actually vouch for that humor because I ran into him at HeroesCon last year, and he’s a delightful goofball. I am talking about Chip Zdarsky, and when he announced his book Kaptara at Image Expo – he declared it the “gay Saga.” Continue reading “REVIEW: Kaptara #1”
Where V. is happy that Nonplayer is back and you should be, too.
Do you remember Nonplayer? How could you forget?
Well, it has been four years, so I will refresh your memory.
In 2011, Nate Simpson released the first issue of what is planned to be a six-issue series about a girl who spends most of her time in a “full-immersion” virtual reality game called “Warriors of Jarvath.” The comic is exquisitely drawn, and the story is totally engaging. It was a huge success, critics and fans were effusive.
If it was so awesome, why haven’t we seen a second issue? Continue reading “The Return of NONPLAYER”
L. reviews the highly-anticipated Spider-Gwen!
Having rattled many a figurative comics cage in my blogging time in attempts to get publishers to take notice (and they didn’t), it is beyond gratifying to see Spider-Gwen #1 come to print. Last September, a spidey-powered Gwen Stacy graced the pages of Edge of the Spider-Verse #2 as just an alternate-world character, but the fan response was so overwhelmingly positive that Marvel gave Gwen her own book.
What does that mean? Continue reading “REVIEW: Spider-Gwen #1”
A remix, indeed.
Buddy cop comics really aren’t my thing unless it’s Birds of Prey, and they’re not really cops. Although, I’d totally ready a book that paired up Renee Montoya with Starling. That’d be fun. I digress.
Miami Vice had the ultimate buddy cops. Tubbs and Crockett set trends that have reverberated through the film and television generations. Now, there is a comic. One that I think is totally worth your time, particularly if you were ever a fan of the show. This version has some modern pop culture mixed in and Jim Mahfood’s extravagant art. “Remix” is a perfect moniker.
You can read my full review HERE.
Waid and Samnee continue to create an excellent comic in DAREDEVIL.
Tons of my comic nerd colleagues sing the praises of Mark Waid and Chris Samnee’s Daredevil. So, I have known for like years that I should probably read it, but it’s just one of many books I had not gotten around to reading yet. Continue reading “REVIEW: Daredevil #12”
Consider Lady Killer added to V’s pull list.
Dark Horse Comics kicks off the year with an excellent new comic called Lady Killer by Joëlle Jones, Jamie S. Rich and Laura Allred. I’ve actually been a fan of Joëlle’s style for quite some time now, and you may have seen her selling some of her prints at a con near you. Anyway, her talent is thoroughly showcased in this book. The art is fantastic, you guys. And Laura Allred’s colors are to die for (pun intended). Continue reading “REVIEW: Lady Killer #1”
V. is non-compliant.
How do you take the exploitation inherent to the “Women in Prison” genre fiction and turn it on its head to be an allegory for patriarchal oppression giving way to an unapologetic feminist theme? Continue reading “REVIEW: Bitch Planet #1”
Punk Mambo worked her voodoo magic on V.
I love it when a new character comes along and lights my fire. Punk Mambo would be just such a character. Born in the pages of Shadowman, she is Peter Milligan’s baby. She’s definitely got spit and fire. She’s also got a cavalcade of dark magic that could totally melt your face. The best part about her is that she marches to the beat of her own strange drum. I reviewed the one-shot out tomorrow by Valiant, and this would qualify as a great girl story. You can read my full review HERE.
And in case you missed it, I reviewed the final issue of Azzarello and Chiang’s Wonder Woman a couple of weeks ago. You will not be at all surprised to know that I got a little saucy with it. While you’re there, check Lindsey’s review of Elektra, too.
Gwen Stacy makes a pretty cool Spider-Woman.
Ever since Spider-Gwen was announced, the comic world has been buzzing with praise for her design, cosplayers are popping up at cons and there was an all-around anticipation-high for the character. Jason Latour and Robbie Rodriguez’s Edge of Spider-Verse #2 features Gwen Stacy as the unwitting soul who got bit by a spider in all her tenacious glory. It’s a strong start and a great (girl) character. You can read my full review HERE.
Where V. talks to Kelly Sue DeConnick about Barbarella.
If you appreciate the cultural significance of comics, then Barbarella should be a part of your repertoire. Mind you, I didn’t know this until about two months ago. I hope to save ya’ll from such ignorance.
If you don’t know, Barbarella is a French comic from the early sixties by Jean-Claude Forest. Apparently, France was (and possibly still is) where it’s at for progressive themes in comics, particularly for women and the expression of their sexuality.
While Barbarella was busy being a women’s sexual liberation icon in France, Grove Press published an English version of the comic on this side of the pond in the mid-60s. But that translation is dated.
Humanoids Inc partnered with Kelly Sue DeConnick to do a contemporary take on the original French version. I had the privilege of reading Kelly Sue’s adaptation, and guys, this comic is a game-changer. Continue reading “Barbarella, Kelly Sue and Unapologetic Lady Sex”
When V. gets bored, she plays dress-up.
What is a girl to do when she gets home from work and her WiFi is down? She tries to do a real-life recreation of one of her favorite comic book covers, naturally.
Which comic book cover do I speak of? That would be Jamie McKelvie and Matt Wilson‘s utterly exquisite The Wicked + The Divine #1 variant cover featuring the enigmatic Lucifer.
So, how’d I do?
Where V. drops some knowledge and asks for some in return.
This one time when I was at the bar (and by one time, I mean Tuesday night), I got into one of those taboo conversations about feminism and the treatment of female characters in fiction. The conversation inevitably made its way to comics; I mean this is me after all. Then my nemesis, we’ll call him Baby Bird, made the obvious and seemingly inevitable hasty generalization that men are just as objectified as women in comics. And well, that kicked me into high gear with points about inequity, marginalization and visual representation (see Kelly Thompson’s articulate essay that inspired my vein-popping rant).
Baby Bird may not have been up-to-speed on the gender bias prevalent in comics and fiction in general, but the discussion on the topic has grown exponentially over the past several years. Much of that conversation is spent calling out the bullshit. Rightfully so. While I live for a good row just like the next girl, I think it is pretty clear what the problems are. So how do we fix them? Continue reading “How Do You Build a Great Girl Character?”
Heroes puts the comic in con.
After several repeat performances at DragonCon and two rounds of MegaCon, this girl was looking for a new adventure. I had heard through various social media that HeroesCon was the favorite con of many a comic artist, writer and other industry types. A tweet here and a status there that compared to so many other conventions, it’s said to be an authentic experience no matter what side of the table you are on. Color me curious. Continue reading “5 Things I Learned at HeroesCon 2014”
V. is so happy with the commission she got from Cliff Chiang. It is now one of her most favorite things.
