Month: June 2020

Doctor Aphra and the Enormous Profit

Kieron Gillen course corrects everything I complained about in volume one and delivers a solid, satisfying and very fun Doctor Aphra story. A few events have clearly happened between volumes one and two (issues 7-8 were crossovers with other events and aren’t included in this arc), but most importantly, the evil gang’s back together and Aphra has her hands on a sentient crystal, housing an immortal Jedi, who can also control technology. (I know it sounds weird, but it works.) What she does next, of course, would make Han proud – get all the galaxy’s baddies in a room and sell it to the highest bidder!

This is a great Aphra story because it effortlessly leans into the gray area between hero and villain that Aphra occupies, while showcasing her smarts, improvisational skills, and humor, especially when things escalate beyond her control. We also get some real funny robot dialogue with Triple Zero (aka evil Threepio), who is tremendously bored from not killing anyone in a while and throws a few wrenches into Aphra’s plans. Apparently, droids can have excellent character development too. Kev Walker, Marc Deering and Antonio Fabela’s art continues to meet expectations, capturing the kinetic Star Wars feel and color palette, even though we don’t see much planet landscape or space scenes. I also appreciated that while Aphra gets herself all dressed up for an issue or two, she isn’t sexualized.

Aphra, a wild card who lives in the gray area, is necessary to the Star Wars universe – a queer woman of color who isn’t defined by her minority statuses, especially – and so is a purely fun Star Wars story, which is exactly what I want in a Star Wars comic. Stories with Leia, Han and Luke often get boring or repetitive, because we know they can’t die or have character growth after a certain point. But Aphra, Triple Zero and Krrsantan? New, compelling characters and their endings are total fair game. And sometimes, stories where “the fate of the galaxy” is at stake gets tiring. But an immortal Jedi possessing a droid and shooting up a bunch of villains? Sign me up.

My only complaint about the book is that the only (female coded) woman other than Aphra in the entire arc dies. I’m not going to complain about the entirely male creative team every volume, but….no wait, I think I will. (Looking forward to finally getting to Alyssa Wong and Marika Cresta’s run on the character which started this year.) Excited for volume three.

Mini Reviews 5 [POC & LGBTQ Edition, part two]

Rounding out my June reads, where I committed to reading only POC and LGBTQ books (both content and creators). I’m both optimistic by how relatively easy it was to find POC/LGBTQ books, but minority folks are still woefully underrepresented in comics, especially women of color.

Ironheart Vol 1 Ironheart: Those with Courage
by Eve L Ewing, Luciano Vecchio, Kevin Libranda, Geoffo, Clayton Cowles
collects Ironheart #1-6
volume reviews one | two [complete]
This creative team’s first arc with Riri Williams is a home run. Everything missing in Bendis’ introduction of her character is here, and more. Vecchio, Libranda, Milla, Geoffo and Cowles absolutely 10/10 with the pencils, colors and lettering, it’s gorgeous, expressive and consistent. And Ewing’s story feels to be setting up for a long game with an underground organization, an intriguing new villain, but at the heart of all of this is Riri, who is such a strong and easily likable character. I loved how Ewing doesn’t shy away from Riri’s weaknesses as a loner who prefers machines to humans, and who clearly still has grief to process (on that note, I wanted to see more of that from modeling her AI after her deceased best friend). The pacing between superhero-action, calmer dialogue scenes and Riri’s growth is beautifully done, and I especially loved the scenes with her mom and Xavier. There are a few wordy scenes where Ironheart explains her technology as she uses it (kinda like 80’s speak), and the villain goes monologuing at one point – but these are minor complaints and are sure to improve with time. This was an easy 5 stars and excited to read more.

undefined The Fire Never Goes Out
by Noelle Stevenson

“Love your younger self, then let them die.” A personal and moving memoir from Noelle Stevenson that lives in a comfortable mix of prose, comic and doodles from the past 8 years. This memoir is probably best appreciated by those already familiar with her work, who might also find some doodles and posts familiar. This isn’t meant to introduce us to Nimona, Lumberjanes, or her other works, rather it takes us behind the scenes as Noelle moved coasts, achieved wild success as a young adult, explored romantic relationships, and, in a surprising and deeply personal penultimate chapter, came to terms with her mental health. Her memoir feels like Noelle wrote it to herself – and she actually speaks to her younger self in a few passages – and it feels very authentic in the best way, though sometimes I felt like I shouldn’t be reading it! As a longtime fan of Noelle’s work I loved reading this, and I hope we see a second one in eight (or less!) years.

undefined Black Panther: Long Live the King
by Nnedi Okorafor, André Lima Araújo, Mario Del Pennino, Aaron Covington, & Tana Ford
Collects Black Panther – Long Live The King #1-6

Who better to write Black Panther stories than Afrofuturist writer Nnedi Okorafor! She’s joined by fantastic penciller André Lima Araújo for an excellent story with plenty of action and science fiction. (It’s an improvement from Coates’ Black Panther; I love his nonfiction writing but couldn’t get into his BP series.)

While Okorafor’s arc deals with sentient vibranium and a no-name town outside Wakanda, the story is interrupted by a secondary narrative, from Aaron Covington (BP film writer) and Mario Del Pennino, about the return of M’Baku and the white gorilla cult. It felt like a volume crammed into two issues, and was even more confusing in between another arc. The finale of Okorafor’s story lost all its momentum behind it, and I wish I had read these issues out of order.

The final issue is a one-shot about Ngozi, who is somehow Venom and Black Panther. I was confused by her place in the Marvel universe (I later found she’s an original character from Okorafor in a Venomverse story), and I didn’t get to know her character well enough to feel invested. I didn’t enjoy Tana Ford’s pencils as much as Araújo’s, though Ford was the artist for the first story.

Regardless I really enjoyed Okorafor’s Wakanda stories and we need more Black women writing comics.

undefined March Book Two
by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin & Nate Powell
volume one | two

Required reading for all Americans. Our high school history books are woefully inadequate, glossing over the years John Lewis and hundreds of other youth (and children) risked horrific beatings, arrests and death during the Civil Rights Movement. Aydin and Powell continue their extraordinary work of bringing Lewis’ experiences to life. I was especially struck by Powell’s phenomenal use of lighting in black and white tones, and the chilling lettering in places.

This volume focuses on 1960-1963 and the Freedom Riders who challenged segregated busses and bus terminals, as well as the March on Washington DC. It’s difficult to see the hatred and brutal violence from white people, including powerful politicians, knowing many of them are still alive today. I appreciate how while we see well known figures like MLK and JFK, Lewis also highlights the work and sacrifice of many others who risked everything for freedom. Interjected throughout Lewis’ retelling are scenes from Barack Obama’s inauguration, a feeling of hope and progress – I wonder if Lewis would have still chosen to use these scenes if he were writing March today, and not in 2015.

Looking forward to rereading volume three.

undefined America vol 2: Fast and Fuertona
by Gabby Rivera, Joe Quinones, Annie Wu, Jen Bartel, Jordan Gibson
volume one | two (complete)

The conclusion of America Chavez’s solo run is somewhat fun, but not enough to overcome how nonsensical and illogical it is the more thought you give it. Exterminatrix overtaking the Sotomayor school for interdimensional domination is as eye-roll inducing as it sounds, with several unnecessary filler issues that made the whole thing lag, as well as a huge missed opportunity to give Prodigy and X’iandra any further character depth. America was strongest when paired with her grandmother, but then the plot quickly devolved into weird scifi/fantasy with celestial beings, sentient crystals, and a very silly conclusion to the “La Legion” villains. Oh, and also, America wasn’t nearly queer enough. No character’s sexuality should be the one defining factor of who they are, of course, but it’s frustrating when queer women of color are given flirty chats and not much else to work with.

Joe Quinones and Jordan Gibson do phenomenal art here with saturated colors and a very modern look. I was less a fan of how the art changed in later issues, though it’s unclear what changed hands according to the credits in the Marvel Unlimited issues.

Not the worst comics I’ve ever read, but America deserved far better – and two medicore volumes should not have meant the end of her series. It sucks that Marvel gave her the axe, when there have been far more, say, terrible Captain America or Superman storylines, yet cancelling them is just out of the question. She’s a damn great character and I hope this isn’t the last of her solo adventures.

I will not tolerate sexual abuse in the comics industry.

This is a short note, to interrupt my reviews, that I fully believe and support the women (and some men) who have recently come forward (and the 30+ doing so anonymously) with allegations against Cameron Stewart, Warren Ellis and others, of grooming young creators with intent of sexual abuse.

I was unaware of this abuse, but apparently it has been known and accepted in the industry for decades. This is unacceptable. I can only imagine the pain and trauma of coming forward with these experiences, not to mention the risk to their careers and livelihoods by doing so.

These creators (not the victims) must be held fully responsible for their actions, no matter how long ago it happened, and no matter how many women come forward anonymously. (And others, I am sure, who aren’t ready to come forward yet.)

All titles by these creators are coming off my shelves and my “to read” lists. I will do everything in my power as a fan, through my voice, reviews and dollars, to see an industry that ensures every space is a safe space for all of its creators, and not gatekeepers who abuse their power and influence.

Update: I’ll also be going through past posts and removing any links from Bleeding Cool.

America: The Life and Times of America Chavez

by Gabby Rivera, Joe Quinones, Ramon Villalobos, Joe Rivera & Paolo Rivera, & Jose Villarrubia
volume one | two (complete)

America is one of my favorite characters from Young Avengers and West Coast Avengers (which she joined after this series wrapped) and I can see where the low reviews are coming from. More on that in a second. But first – Riri Williams’ introduction (above) was fantastic, and it was written by a veteran in the comics industry – a white dude. A Jewish dude who adopted children of color who I’m sure is a wonderful human being, but still a white dude without the lived experience of being a POC. “Fantastic” meaning, Riri’s books fit my expectations and standards of what we expect a superhero’s origin to be. And that expectation was formed by, drumroll please…yeah you know the answer to that one.

Now, America Chavez’s first volume (though not her intro). How often does a queer Latinx woman of color get her own goddamn series in the first place? And how often is said introduction entirely created by Latinx folks, down to the inkers and colorists?! How often. Does this. Happen. NEVER.

And while, yes, this first volume of America was rocky, with a muddled plot, (fratty cyclops college students? A university between dimensions named after Sotomayor? Multiple dimensions and time periods? “Beaming” as a social media verb?*), and some very off putting dialogue (“holy menstruation,” America and Kate less talking to each other, and more quipping violently at**)….there’s still a lot of good, and that is America herself. Her character is emotionally grounded. She’s a survivor who had to get by without a family or a home, and whose triple minority status are not decorations, rather she’s one fully authentic human. And so the theme of drawing upon one’s ancestors is powerful in a way that most white folks like me can barely even conceptualize.

*I’m not against the verb per se, but it feels out of place when I haven’t seen Beam used in literally any other Marvel books.
** I adore Kate and America’s relationship in other books, but it felt very forced here, especially since we barely get to see America in a romantic relationship.

Plus, bringing in Prodigy (another queer character of color), Storm, and Lunella, along with introducing the excellent X’iandra, makes this comic one that celebrates and fully lives in Marvel’s diversity, some of which has been accepted into more mainstream Marvel titles, and some that remains on the fringe (and shouldn’t).

And Joe Quinones’s beautiful line art with Riveras’ light, colored ink and Villarubia’s colors is really a stellar combination. The art feels light and modern without being too stylish, and Chavez’s power and strength is clear visually with some really satisfying perspective work. I wasn’t as much of a fan as Ramon Villalobos’ work in the last two issues – it was a bit harsher and sketchier than Quinones’.

I realize that to some, my lack of harshness compared to others’ reviews might come across as pity or being generous with a review simply for diversity’s sake. This is not that. What I’m saying is this – maybe we would read this book better if we tossed out the expectations of comics baked into us by the majority, and be more open minded to creators of color who go against that grain. And maybe, because I’m not Latinx or a people of color, I was never meant to speak this book’s language. And in the still not diverse enough world of superhero comics, that should be MORE than okay.

Mini Reviews 4 [POC & LGBTQ edition, part one]

June has been an exhausting month to say the least. Most of my free time has been spent out on the streets protesting with the Black Lives Matter movement in my community, and reading/watching resources to better educate myself on systemic racism, my white privilege, and police brutality. It has been exhausting and completely necessary. I am willing and fully committed to being an ally long after the hashtag stops trending. It is also Pride Month, but the month feels less celebratory as we continue to mourn black trans sisters lost to violence, and as the Trump administration rolls back healthcare protections for transgender Americans.

This month I am committed to only reading comic books about BIPOC and/or LGBTQ characters, and/or created by BIPOC a/o LGBTQ writers and artists. Unfortunately my accessibility is rather limited due to COVID-19, so a majority of these books will be from Marvel, since I have their online subscription. However, whenever I make trips to my LCS, I’m also purchasing some of these books to support them as well.

Part one:

Invincible Iron Man: Ironheart vol 1: Riri Williams
by Brian Michael Bendis & Stefano Caselli
Collects Invincible Iron Man #1-5

I really enjoyed this introduction to Ironheart aka Riri Williams, 15 year old super genius from Chicago! Brian Michael Bendis is *so* talented at introducing new characters with strong personalities and an emotional backstory, and Stefano Casselli’s work is fantastically polished and consistent. Although I still would have preferred a Black female writer and/or artist (…actually, let’s stick with “and”) on this title.

It’s easy to get invested in Riri quick and root for her all the way. Aside from AI Tony, this book is almost fully centered on women – Riri, her mother and best friend Natalie, Pepper Potts, MJ, Amanda Armstrong, Friday (okay, a female-identifying hologram, but she also has the best line in the book) and others. Only real downside is that the villain (also a woman) is very one dimensional – but it’s kind of necessary to fully focus on Riri’s development. Excited for volume 2.

Invincible Iron Man: Ironheart vol 2: Choices
by Brian Michael Bendis & Stefano Caselli
collects Invincible Iron Man #6-11

Hm. Well, I didn’t hate this second volume of Ironheart, but I wasn’t crazy about it either – definitely not as much as the first one. After building a lot of foundation with Riri’s past and setting up major characters and more than one conflict, this felt pretty…blah. Riri’s personal issue of where to go – teaming up with the Champions, re-enrolling at MIT, or full time at Tony’s lab – is continually distracted by other issues, instead of those issues informing her decision, so it felt less character based and more plot muddling. (This is even more confusing, since a huge choice she makes would derail said decision.)

There’s a whole lot of time spent on minor villains (and quickly wrapping up who I thought would be the series villain, too), a strong reminder of Miles’ second volume. Caselli’s art remains a gorgeous choice for this book, I truly have no complaints, and his phenomenal work is all the more striking when he switches off with other artists for the final issue, and wow is it jarring. This is a stepping stone to more Riri, so I won’t complain – but not my favorite book.

March volume 1
John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, Nate Powell
volume one | two

This is a reread from several years ago, and it remains just as timely as it did then. This isn’t a real review, because as far as I’m concerned this book is perfect, weaving Rep. John Lewis’ experiences in the Civil Rights Movement with the morning of Obama’s inauguration; the black and white (of course) art is spectacular, visceral.

This is required reading for all Americans. If you think the Civil Rights Movement was just Rosa Parks sitting on a bus and peaceful marches – you are wrong.

Totally Awesome Hulk vol 1: Cho Time
Greg Pak, Frank Cho, and Mike Choi
collects Totally Awesome Hulk #1-6

This first volume introducing Amadeus Cho as the new Hulk was a big scoop of fun, even though I wasn’t crazy about the villain. While Cho was originally introduced in Champions team book (which I have yet to read), Greg Pak does a great job in his first solo series. He introduces us to Cho, his sister Maddy (they have great banter), with flashbacks about what happened to the “old” Hulk, Bruce Banner, and how Cho became Hulk (though not fully revealed yet). Cho and Choi’s artwork is beautifully done and saturated with color, emphasizing some fun humorous moments too. I always am impressed by artists’ ability to show such a huge character’s size while still managing other characters, surroundings and word bubbles. With some fun Miles and She-Hulk cameos, this first volume is a very strong and enjoyable start. I’m loving all the diversity Marvel is bringing to the table.