Comic Ladies

Storm #4

Do you like badass ladies? Do you like badass ladies who were once queens of entire nations, who lead a marginalized and powerful group, and who can control the very fabric of weather? If you like all of those things, you're probably familiar with Ororo Munroe, a staple figure in the X-Men franchise. Ororo's been around since the beginning, and she maintains as strong as presence today, in her recent solo comic, as ever. 

If you haven't picked up issues 1-4, now is the time to start. It started off strong with a reintroduction to a Storm that is tired of having to carve off parts of herself to fit into others' expectations -- whether through being a teacher, a leader, a queen, or nearly a deity, she has taken on the roles given to her, mastered them, worn them as a protective shield. But the Ororo we're introduced to in the first pages of issue 1 is stripped down, quick to let loose of the tight control she's kept close for so long. She, despite of (or perhaps, because of) her status as a mutant, is more human than ever.

She floats, and speaks of her time in the sky, and immediately following protects and entire village from a ravaging hurricane. Ororo is raw in a way that we haven't seen before as readers, and it's a representation that this titular character has long deserved.

And in no issue is she more human than in #4. 

The issue begins with the unseen death of Wolverine, who has secured a relationship with Ororo. And if you didn't ship them before, just read issues 1-3. I promise you will after them. But right after seeing how good it can get, the tables turn, and Wolverine, stripped of his ability to heal himself, is killed. Ororo grieves, filling the sky with beautiful aurora borealis, and, most amazingly -- she perseveres. Though there's nothing wrong with grieving and needing a lost lover, Ororo shows her strength as well as her sadness, having intimately painful moments with those she is close with but refusing to let the dam break.

She even immediately fulfills a role that Logan had left -- dealing with the bosses of various gangs in organized brawls, hidden in the seedy underbelly of the city. And despite her grief, her beliefs never waver -- even when faced with her enemies, with criminals who are effectively waging their own wars and taking themselves out, she cannot sit idly by and watch others be hurt -- even those that live to hurt innocents. 

Unsurprisingly, Ororo's hot head and steely ideals get her in trouble, and the issue ends with a warring group challenging her to a fight by the rules of their agreement, the one that Logan helped broker to keep the peace above ground. Her love for Logan and need to find some part of him to keep close, some ritual, got her in trouble -- but knowing Ororo's penchant for winning, and her inability to give in when times get rough, issue #5 will end with more than a few raindrops drenching her opponents. 

In preparation for the Captain Marvel 009 coming out November 12th, I have decided to do a recap of 008. Also, yay there's going to be a movie!!

Last time on Captain Marvel:

The issue picks up with Captain Marvel trying to protect her cat...erm flerken...Chewie at all costs from pirates (maybe). This is after the crossover with Guardians of the Galaxy when Rocket Raccoon thought her cat was the last living, extremely dangerous, flerken and broadcast it to the Universe (pirates). Turns out he was right, but look at how cute Chewie is with all of her eggs in issue 007:

Back to issue 8. Carol along with Tic and all of the kitflerkens were able get on the shuttle, but Chewie jumps back onto the ship to protect the kitflerkens from Rocket. So Chewie and Rocket are on the ship alone and may be my new brotp. I would be 100% thankful for several issues of Chewie, Rocket, and Carol fighting space crap together. 

There's this black goop stuff that is attacking them and it turns out that the ship attacking is actually a hive. Carol and Tic blast the ship from the outside while Rocket protects Chewie on the inside LOOK:

But it turns out Chewie can take care of herself and Rocket loves it.

Carol kicks that goop crap back into outer space and the gang goes to a refugee center in the Tyvorn cluster to repair the ship and get care for Chewies kitflerkens. Carol tries to pull an airbud with Tic AND Chewie telling them to stay for their own protection and leaves without them. THEN Chewie transports them onto Carol's ship. This means that Chewie is leaving all of her babies to hang with Carol. Is this normal flerken behavior or does she just not care? 

Things we have learned about Chewie (flerken): 

1. She can lay a bunch of eggs

2. Was probably pregnant the ENTIRE time 

3. Can travel through space and time????

4. No one can figure out what she's saying yet

5. She has pocket dimensions????

6. There are tentacles involved

7. She is the cutest little alien kitty

Thoughts- This has by far been one of the most fun issues of this run. I really really enjoyed Rocket having another animal-ish badass companion to kick the goops ass. I hope we get to finally figure out what Chewie has to say, because man what a cool catflerken. Tic is pretty clingy, but Carol doesn't seem to mind, so we will have to see what happens there. Also, I really enjoyed Marcio Takara's art in issue 007 and 008. 

Are you excited for the recently announced Captain Marvel movie? Get ready to be even more excited!

This issue. OH GOD SO MANY FEELINGS.  

In case you haven’t read The Wicked + The Divine yet it follows twelve gods who return to earth every ninety years and then live for no more than two years. It’s a pretty unique plot but what’s even better is that most of the characters are women! It’s not totally a world (or god realm) run by women, but the women far outnumber the men, much like a flip-flop of the traditional man’s world with supporting women characters.

What I really like so far about the portrayal of women in this comic is that the women aren’t one note or overly sexualized and there is a good amount of racial variety. They aren’t your cardboard cutout superwomen at all. (Who knew that women don’t all look the same?!)

Up to this point the comic has been focusing a lot on Laura, a girl that has befriended the gods, and Luci aka Lucifer. I love that they made the devil a woman because that’s not something I’ve seen before, and definitely not like this. She’s awesomely androgenous, short-haired, and very committed to her all white getup, as she should be because she rocks it. Luci is probably the coolest interpretation of the devil that I’ve seen, and speaking of her…

WHAT IS UP WITH ISSUE 5. 5 issues in and this happens?! To a great character that they’ve slowly been letting me fall in love with? This seriously makes me worry about what else I’m going to be put through, since they obviously have no problems killing off characters. UHG so much frustration but it’s so good.

Honestly my only frustration with this series right now is that they reference things that are almost too relevant, likes Vines. I just feel like since things like that aren’t integral to the plot they could be left out to make the series a little more timeless. I know it’s set in current day (2014) but there are other ways to reference that.

Anyways I’ll be here waiting UNTIL DECEMBER to find out what happens to Laura and hoping that maybe somehow Luci will be back. God that ending was good.

This is a continuation of Thor: God of Thunder by writer Jason Aaron. I have not read Thor: God of Thunder, so please forgive my ignorance and let me know if there's anything you'd like me to add/modify. Additionally, lady Thor only appears in this issue, so I'm straying a bit from comic ladies, but hopefully this review will useful for the next release.

Before we get into the review, I'd like to say that I am new to nearly naked Thor and truly, my anaconda don't want none unless you've got Thor's buns:

I did not realize the god of thunder enjoyed running around without a shirt on so much.

The issue starts off with something blue and giant *cough*ice giants*cough* emerging near an underwater facility on Earth (OH NO). Then we cut to Odin visiting crying Thor. Apparently, in Odin's absence his wife, Freyja, took over running Asgardia (Asgard) and Thor became unworthy of Mjolnir.

Thor became unworthy of Mjolnir when Nick Fury whispered something to him on the moon. Now no one from Asgardia, including its' enchanter Odin, can lift Mjolnir from the surface of the moon. This lead to sad sad Thor crying on the moon which was then rudely interrupted by new of the ice giants. After hearing of the ice giants he leaves to go to the hall of weapons.

One thing I have learned from Odin's interactions with Freyja is that patriarchy is alive and well in Asgardia despite the queen ruling all of the shit while Odin was doing whatever. Also, he seems like a dick. After news of the ice giants Odin and Freyja command their people. Freyja seeking war and Odin stating, "this is not our fight." Odin says that her time is up, she starts to fight back, and then concedes that her time is up as ruler.

Now back to Earth where a sexy blue elf man named Malekith the Accursed (sounds like a bad dude right) is talking to the humans and trying to find something for the ugly ice giants. Then *BAM* a wild Thor appears, despite his weakened state, and goes into full battle mode with Malekith. 

Then Malekith unceremoniously cuts off Thor's arm and IT SEEMS LIKE THOR IS DEAD. I REAPEAT, IT SEEMS LIKE THOR IS DEAD.

Cut to someone on the moon saying "there must always be a Thor." Then they PICK up Mjolnir and IT'S a woman that is hopefully going to smash Odin's patriarchy. Who is this woman? Where did she come from? Why is she worthy? How will she handle the powers of Mjolnir? Will she have a compelling backstory? Will she smash the patriarchy with her giant hammer? 

You know that thing in TV shows where they include something really old in the "Previously On" and it almost spoils the episode? 

Our favorite androgynous hired gun is on back. Just look at this cover.

Saga is beautiful. Fiona Staples is a goddess. Brian K. Vaughan has created a wonderful little universe. Not anything new. Saga is consistently excellent but this issue felt so much more fun than recent issues. No marriage drama! No drug abuse! Just ladies teaming up and kicking ass. 

The Brand is looking for her brother's attackers on Quietus and has a chat with adorable little Ghüs (baby seal man who is a walrus herder, damn i love this comic). This chat leads The Brand to the Patent Planet where she finds Gwendolyn, Sophie, and Lying Cat fresh from a successful robbery.

They have been trying to get a hold of a healing potion in order to save The Will. After some explaining ("we did hurt your brother... but we are trying to fix it!"), The Brand decides to cash in some vacation days and tag along to help on the SAVE THE WILL quest. First task: collect dragon semen from planet Demimode. Which is apparently where The Stalk was from...

Wonderful segue to some Stalk and Will coma dream sex. The Will gets scratched in the dream, perfectly mirroring real life, where a nurse is giving him a quick shave. Maybe he isn't too far gone, after all!

Poof, back on Quietus stargazing with precious Ghüs. Yuma arrives to disrupt his reverie. Apparently Yuma was Mr. Heist's wife?! Is this new information? It feels new to me. Anyway, she not there to talk about that. She needs to see if he can track one of his walrus' who is far away. Far away and with Alana, Hazel, Klara, and kidnapper Dengo. Prince Robot, Marko, and Yuma are a posse on a mission. 

And now we wait! Hiatus time D:

  Tell me why Ghüs is your new favorite character. Don't let this little guy down.

Elektra #7 Review

If you're not reading Marvel's new Elektra run, you need to fix that, ASAP.

Elektra hasn't been given her fair share of comic time. Her first run from 1996-1998 had a mere 19 issues, and the second, from 2001-2004, had only 35. However, along with Marvel's initiative All-New titles, writer Blackman is trying to give her another shot at life. Teamed up with famed artist Del Mundo and, starting on issue #6, relative newbie Alex Sanchez (more well known for his work on DC's Katana), Blackman wields a story that pierces straight to what makes Elektra such a complex, engaging character.

Though the artistry is always beautiful (especially with Del Mundo), the plot, especially in the first few issues, is hit or miss. Despite this and many plot holes that are glazed over for the sake of kinetics of the story, Del Mundo's art carries the comic so breathtakingly that most holes aren't understood until a second reading. His pages mix watercolor and ink, and tell the story of Elektra's past in a way that surpasses even Blackman's words. He draws Elektra as appropriately strong, versatile, and elegant; it seems, on many pages, that she is more dancer than assassin, despite her impressive body count. 

After a few issues, Blackman's writing has finally found its footing, and with the re-introduction of Elektra's long-time nemesis Lady Bullseye, another female character worthy of delving into, it seems to have finally gained traction and a speed that makes readers look forward to the next week.

This week's issue begins with Lady Bullseye, brought from the brink of death by an attack on cannibalistic murderer Bloody Lips, turned into a synthetic amalgamation of a killer by the Assassin's Guild own Mengele-esque doctors. This has momentarily given her the ability of intangibility, at the cost of her own life -- she'll live long enough to kill Elektra, and then wither away. Though not quite to the level of painting-artistry as Del Mundo, Sanchez draws out the fight between Elektra and the ghostly Lady Bullseye beautifully and succinctly, climaxing in a brilliant move by Elektra that shows her tactical intelligence.

After defeating Lady Bullseye (perhaps for good -- though, as Marvel fans have learned, Lady Bullseye tends not to stay dead for long), Elektra uses the defeated assassin Sidewinder to search out the Assassin's Guild and enact her revenge, so that they stop hunting down her and Cape Crow's family, the impetus to the entire series. After a battle with more fabricated warriors such as Whiplash and Tiger Shark, Elektra finally gets to speak with delegates of the Assassin's Guild, who promise to never stop hunting her down unless she defects, and joins them once more.

In relatiation, she promises to hunt down the leaders of the Assassin's Guild, the illusive Guildmaster. After some prying, she learns that one of the only people who know the location of the Guildmaster is Lady Bullseye's own idol -- Bullseye himself. After Daredevil v3 #26, Bullseye was left immobile in an Iron Lung and sightless from poisonous chemicals, and left in SHIELD's cells. 

One can only hope that, with tracking down Bullseye to set her sights on the Assassin's Guild, Elektra will also run into her long-time lover Daredevil.