Review: Black Widow: Deadly Origin #3

I’m going to start off by saying that I don’t exactly know a lot about Black Widow. Well, the Natasha Romanoff version. While I did read a lot of Avengers stuff growing up, it was far more for Wasp and Ms. Marvel than it was for Black Widow or Scarlet Witch. I’ve sampled a few of her series here and there, though I found myself drawn more to the Yelena Belova incarnation of Black Widow than I did Natasha. Maybe it’s because of all of baggage that Natasha comes that I’m as yet unfamiliar with, or maybe it’s because I just preferred Yelena’s character journey. Who knows?

In any case, I’m finding Black Widow: Deadly Origin to be an interesting story. I’m still not pulled into Natasha’s world, nor do I find myself caring all that much for her, but the position she’s in – the predicament that she faces – well, it’s certainly an interesting one, and one that I’m interested to see play out. The writing is definitely solid and the arts good as well – the switching back and forth between the past and now is incredibly well done, which is saying a lot for me because I’m generally not a fan of Tom Raney’s art. He’s done a nice, clean, crisp job here though.

I know that this mini has gotten me interested enough in checking out the Black Widow ongoing that starts this April.

Overall, I’d say that I give this issue a **1/2 out of five.

Review: (Blackest Night) Catwoman #83

This was probably one of the books that I was really looking forward to this week. I’ve been a huge Catwoman fan since Julie Newmar pranced about in Lurex back in the sixties (though I didn’t discover her until the 80’s, when I was a wee child.) That the Catwoman series was cancelled in favor for Gotham City Sirens is a sad, sad thing because Catwoman was a pretty good title in its own right – though it admittedly was becoming lacklustre – and GCS still needs to prove itself as a decent series, despite being written by Paul Dini, whose issues of Detective Comics were second only to Greg Rucka’s run on the title with Batwoman this past decade.

First off, this wasn’t so much an issue of Catwoman as it was an issue of Blackest Night Gotham City Sirens, but it was an interesting enough issue. I’m not sure why there were four artists assigned to the issue, but there were moments where it was obvious that the artists had changed. Still, it was a definite solid effort.

While it’s interesting to see Catwoman refer to Ivy and Harley as her sisters, no matter how ironically or sarcastically, I couldn’t help but wonder what happened to Holly Robinson, who had close ties not only to Selina but to Harley as well, and who was as involved with the surprise character in this.

The plot was fast-paced and fast, a little predictable, but sometimes, in a one-shot like this, the plot has to be. It was well-written and solid, but this is Tony Bedard we’re talking about. He’s far, far from being a bad writer. I’m not such a fan of the twist ending, but I am intrigued enough to actually want to pick up an issue of GCS to see how it plays out.

A definite *** out of five.

Review: Batgirl #6

I’m going to preface this by saying that I’ve always been a fan of any young woman who’s worn the bat emblem across her chest – or belt, in the case of the original Bat-Girl, Betty Kane. There’s always been something about the frak you attitude about the Batgirl name because, more often than not, it’s been a girl who’s slipped on the costume to fight crime while giving the Gotham boy’s club a huge middle finger.

So far, Stephanie Brown’s been much of the same, finding mentorship in the classic Batgirl, Barbara Gordon. It’s a match made in heaven, and a partnership that, in many ways, feels so much more right than the former one between Cassandra Cain and Babs.

This was another well written issue, and I have to say, I’m completely loving Bryan Q. Miller and Lee Garbett’s take on the Batgirl mythos here. Stephanie has a long way to go and a lot to learn, but so far, every issue, she’s showing growth in that area. She’s just had her second near-death experience, but she still manages to keep her wits about her, slip into costume, and get some nice detective work in.

If there’s one thing I wanted to complain about, it was the inclusion of Robin, but I understand why he’s important to the story, and frankly, under Miller’s able hand, he’s a good bit less annoying and a nice throwback to the Babs-Dick rivalry from way back when. I just hope that this continues on as a surrogate brother-sister relationship, nothing more. Having said that though…while I’ve always championed the Steph-Tim romance, I’d like to see her branch out a little and find someone new in her life. A lot of the times, Tim’s acted as a total douchetard towards Steph, and she doesn’t deserve it at all.

The bits between Barbara and Dick are nice and it makes one want to see them patch things up and eventually get on together. There really isn’t a more perfect couple in Gotham City, I don’t think.

As for the villains…I love Roxy Rocket, and it was a real pleasure seeing her appear in this issue. While I didn’t expect the twist at the end with the surprise villain…well, it was a welcome twist, and it’ll be interesting to see how Babs, Steph, and Damien deal with the odds stacked against them.

Not a great issue, but a really good, solid one.

A definite ***1/2 out of five.

The Brave and the Bold (And in this case; the Beautiful!)

I’m excited. Why? Well, partially because I now have the time (and the computer, thank you) to devote time to this blog which I have wanted to get back to ever since my computer died a grisly death back in November, but also because there’s been a lot of great things happening in the world of comics – specifically pertaining superheroines. Batwoman is going to be launched into her own book. Black Widow is getting her own on-going. The Birds of Prey have returned! (See, I knew I was sacrificing those lamb chops for something!) It’s really just great stuff all around, and I’m so glad it’s happening at a time where I’m all comics involved.

I think the big happy that I’m feeling right now is mostly thanks to the preview for DC Comics’ 2010 April stuff – most specifically Brave and the Bold #33 - written by JMS (who’s work in Spidey and Thor rocked, I think) and with art by Cliff Chiang (who, along with Aaron Lopresti, I want to see get more work at DC. Can you imagine Lopresti on Dini’s Zatanna book? Wow. If only that would happen.)

Anyway, before I get ahead of myself, herein is the solicit and cover image:

BRAVE AND THE BOLD #33
On sale APRIL 21 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US
Written by J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
Art by CLIFF CHIANG
Cover by JESUS SAIZ
Oh yes, it’s ladies’ night! Batgirl, Wonder Woman and Zatanna enjoy a nice, peaceful evening on the town that absolutely won’t be interrupted by any kind of superheroic hijinks whatsoever... and if you believe that, there’s a giant bronze globe in Metropolis we’d like to sell you!

 

 

Zatanna. Wonder Woman. Batgirl. They are three of my favorite DC heroines, and the fact that JMS is going back in time to tell a Silver Age-y tale of the three of them having an adventure? Classic. Many, many flavours of classic. These are three heroines who we haven’t gotten to see interact with each other all that much, though they were powerful, popular heroines in their own right back in the Silver Age – much as they are now. Wonder Woman is having her own renaissance of sorts under Gail Simone’s amazing hand in her own title, Zatanna will finally have an ongoing written by none other than Paul Dini; and Barbara Gordon’s getting some great treatment at the hands of Bryan Q. Miller and (soon!) Gail Simone in the pages of Batgirl and Birds of Prey respectively.

I know I can’t wait to see how this issue turns out, and April seems impossibly far away for me to wait. While this issue obviously doesn’t fall under the Brightest Day banner that DC will have going on around that time, I know my day’s been brightened considerably only by looking at that cover and solicit.

Review: Marvel Divas #4

When Marvel first announced Marvel Divas a few months ago, I felt a many number of things. Okay, no, I felt two things. One? I felt excitement. I love Black Cat and Firestar. Hellcat is someone who I’ve recently discovered through the Patsy Walker: Hellcat mini and who I thoroughly adore. After the first few moments of excitement passed, though, I felt terror. Pure, vibrant terror. I mean, for one thing, the series was called Marvel Divas. Marvel. Divas. The title terrified me, and that terror only grew stronger when they announced that it was to be a Sex and the City parody.

Now, “parody” isn’t quite the word I would have used to describe the mini-series. I mean, from the first issue onwards, we were kind of hit over the head with the fact that this was a shallow attempt at remaking the sort of magic that Sex and the City had. The only problem with that is that these things work best when they’re homages, not paper-thin formulas used solely to attract a female audience, which is essentially what happened here.

The series started out with many of the characters – Angelica Jones especially – acting somewhat out of character. The ties of friendship between these women also felt extremely forced. I mean, speed-dating? Really? Why on Earth would women like Felicia Hardy and Patsy Walker need to go speed-dating? Or even want to?

The sad fact of the matter is that Marvel Divas was, from the get-go, ill-conceived and shallowly put together, and that brings us to the final issue of the series, which was unfortunately as fulfilling as a morsel of carrot cake. The slightest hint of a flavour, but not much else.

*SPOILER ALERT*

When we last left our, uh, “Divas”, Patsy had just agreed to go to Hell for one night with Daimon, on the promise that Daimon would save Angelica’s life for good, ridding her of the cancer that was eating away at her.

At the beginning of this issue, we’re treated to what was honestly one of the cuter moments in the miniseries. A little farfetched? Sure, but adorable nonetheless. We open up on a Saturday morning zen yoga class, led by none other than Danny Rand – Iron Fist. The class is filled with a multitude of Marvel’s super-women, from Invisible Woman of the Fantastic Four to She-Hulk to Crystal of the Inhumans, amongst a bunch of others. Of course, Felicia “Black Cat” Hardy and Monica “Photon” Rambeau are there was well…without two of their besties – Angelica and Patsy.

Angelica – dressed in her Firestar costume – appears outside the large window and apologizes to Danny to for interrupting class, and then pulls both Monica and Felicia out of class to tell them what we already know – that Patsy’s been kidnapped. Patsy, the smart thinker that she is (and a far, FAR cry from her characterization in Patsy Walker: Hellcat, I might add) has written a note on her ever-present laptop (she’s been writing about Angelica’s ordeal for her, and since she’s the Carrie Bradshaw template of the group, she’s always writing anyway) that Daimon’s taking her to hell.

Segue to a scene where we see Patsy and Daimon cage-fighting, while Daimon tries to convince Patsy to give up. (Really? Cage-fighting? I mean, kudos for not trying to make Daimon some creepy rapist dude, and kudos for him not mind-controlling her…but cage-fighting? That was just…all kinds of bizarre.)

So of course, the girls rush off to rescue her, using the monkey’s paw that Monica helped get for her flame – the newly minted Sorcerer Supreme, Doctor Voodoo.

From here on out…the issue just falls flat. The, er, Divas Three are transported to Hell, right outside Daimon’s hell-palace. As they plan to storm in on Daimon and Patsy, we find Patsy (who’s been tied up to a chair at the other end of a long, elegant dining table) having dinner with Daimon, while he taunts her and finally admits that he’s butthurt because Patsy barely mentioned him in her first book, Cat Outta Hell, which is why he’s going through all these extremes to harass her. Yeah…

The women bust in and Monica – former leader of the Avengers – starts spouting out orders, natch. Felicia gets Patsy out of her bondage scenario (the cats gotta stick together, y’know?) and we’re treated to a verbal show-off between the Son of Satan (or is he the Son of Satannish? I was never quite sure on that) and the (ugh) Marvel Divas. Patsy cuts a deal saying that, in the paperback reprint, she’ll add a chapter about how she’s still not over him, which Daimon bargains up to being two chapters. Patsy, desperate to get away from him, agrees. Daimon, trying to play his last hand, tells Patsy that they’re not done yet, and that if he does let them go, then Angelica goes back to playing the odds with her health and the cancer, which Angelica agrees to, preferring to battle the odds with her health instead of letting her friend suffer.

As a wrap-up, we find that Angelica’s tumor hasn’t spread, but she’ll have to hope that her cancer won’t recur for the next five years. Felicia makes a deal with the Kingpin to start Cat’s Eye Investigations and breaks it off for good with Puma. Monica breaks it off with Doctor Voodoo, and Patsy, close to completing her book, calls it “Super Vixens.”

The End.

Thankfully.

This series, I think, had so much potential, but the story spread out through these four issues could easily have fit into two issues. I would have loved to see Felicia deal more with her internal conflict regarding whether or not she should go back to a life of crime. I would also have loved to see how/why she ends up going to Wilson Fisk of all people. Seeing Angelica deal with her illness would have been great, as would have an appearance or two from Vance Astrovik. With Monica…I’m honestly not sure how much of a point there was to having her in the story, other than trying to make her a Miranda Hobbes type. And Patsy…well, that story was just one hot, steaming mess.

On the bright side, the art by Tonci Zonic (and seriously, that might be one of my favourite names in comics) was really, really nice in some aspects. Fresh, a little toony, but nice. I’d like to see him do more – maybe an all-ages Marvel Adventures Dazzler series or something.

** out of five.

Marvel Women

Marvel announced this morning that, starting in March (which here in the United States is Women’s History Month), they are going to start a year long program celebrating the women of the Marvel Comics universe, starting off with a series of one-shot comics featuring female superheroes who might not have their own series as of yet, and then moving on from there to a Young Guns program that will serve to promote female artists, as well as a program called Write Stuff, in which they will pick four or five female writers and promote them all through the year. Along with this, Marvel will also be doing variant covers (starting with the First Lady of Marvel Comics, the Invisible Woman on Fantastic Four #575) beginning in January, followed by the outrageously sexy Punk Storm in February. All of this will be followed up with omnibus runs of various Marvel titles that have featured superheroines like Night Nurse, Hellcat, and a few others. At some point, during the summer most likely, Marvel is aiming to do an event that takes all of the superheroines of the Marvel U and places them in one story. (The story was originally reported on Newsarama. Click for the full story.)

Now, I have to say, I’m equal parts excited and horrified about this for any number of reasons, but I’m going to start with the good stuff first, because I have to admit, this was great news to wake up to first thing on a cloudy Wednesday morning.

Marvel has such a great cast of strong, powerful female characters, starting with the Blonde Phantom and Venus and coming all the way down to recently created characters like Layla Miller and Pixie, and it seems as though in a lot of these cases, the characters’ true potential has remained greatly untapped. It’s not that surprising, really, when you consider that comics starring female superheroes don’t seem to sell as well as those starring male superheroes. Not surprising, but incredibly sad. Given the right writers, these women can support titles just as well as their male counterparts do, and – as proved by DC’s Birds of Prey when it was in the extremely able hands of Gail Simone – be just as smart, compelling, and fun as any title featuring a Spider-Man or a Wolverine. Personally, I’m hoping for one-shots or minis featuring Dazzler, Blonde Phantom, all of the Spider-Women (from Jessica Drew and Cassandra Web all the way down to Mattie Franklin and Araña), Satana, all the way to characters who seemingly have disappeared off the Marvel Universe map, like Nina Price – Vampire by Night and Southpaw from Dan Slott’s She-Hulk run. Marvel should truly celebrate these characters.

My worry, though, stems from the fact that, lately, Marvel hasn’t fared too well when they’ve tried to market comics towards women, and I think a major part of that is because of how they’re marketing them. Models, Inc and the unfortunately named Marvel Divas are both books that are obviously created with a female audience in mind, the former borrowing a title from the spin off of the Beverly Hills, 90210 universe and the latter an obvious (if incredibly late) homage to Sex and the City. But I look at these books, and the first thing that strikes me is just how utterly wrong these books seem. For the longest time now, comic book superheroines have been around to serve as moist, delicious cheesecake for the majority male readership of comics, and so when trying to appeal to the opposite sex, it feels as though Marvel’s trying to go the stereotypical route with appealing to the female fanbase. What we end up with are books that seemingly mess up these characters that the fans respect, taking them away from the core of who they are and turning them into characters that people will think girls like to read. The problem with this is that women in their teens and early twenties and beyond – women who’ve grown up loving comics, don’t have the boys-have-cooties-pink-is-for-girls kind of mentality. More often than not women are just as drawn to shows like Lost and Castle as they are to shows like Gossip Girl and Melrose Place. What I honestly and truly hopes Marvel does is treat these superheroines as characters and superheroes first and foremost – as people – and then take into consideration that they’re female. The books shouldn’t be made unnecessarily “girly” because they’re aiming for that specific market, nor should they try so hard to make the women sound like stereotypical “girls”. Women in general have come so far beyond that kind of stereotyping, and if Marvel’s truly serious about honoring females and women’s history, it’d be in their best interest to treat their superheroines as humans for this event, and not sexual stereotypes.

Introduction

It’s only fair to start off by saying that this blog was heavily inspired by Mike Madrid’s The Supergirls: Fashion, feminism, fantasy, and the history of comic book heroines published by Exterminating Angel Press earlier this year. It was the moment that I realized that I wasn’t alone in my deep, long-lasting love affair with the comic book superheroine, and the moment that I realized that there were others out there like me who had perhaps waited for a book that could help them celebrate their joy of characters like Black Canary, She-Hulk, Promethea, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

For as long as I can remember, I’ve been a huge superheroine fanboy. Growing up, I was first introduced to strong female characters like She-Ra, the Princess of Power; Cheetara, the fastest of all the Thundercats; the plucky and brave Rainbow Brite; the sassy and intelligent Spider-Woman; the sensational Wonder Woman; and the sexy, manipulative Catwoman. I loved this characters in a way that I simply couldn’t explain. Their male counterparts – He-Man, Lion-O, Spider-Man, Superman, and Batman – were interesting enough, sure, and they were very attractive in their spandex and their furs and their bare-chested-ness, but I wasn’t having any of it. For me to be drawn into something, I needed a strong, female force in the middle of the action, leading the way. And that continued into everything I read or watched – comics, movies, television shows. It seeped into my writing as well – everything I wrote in English class always had a strong, spunky female as the protagonist.

I can’t explain why I was so drawn to them, except maybe to explain that a part of me saw something of myself in them, something relatable which I couldn’t find in the male heroes, no matter how hard I looked. But I love them dearly and completely, which is what brings me here, to starting this blog.

What is The Brave and the Beautiful? Simply put, I envision it as being the hub for all things super-heroine, from reviews on comics starring some of the greatest superheroines out there (and there’s a good number of them out there now) to discussing different aspects of superheroines in comics today and yesterday to news about upcoming movies, books, and television shows about these fantastic females.

Simply put? It’s an ode – a love letter – to all of the amazing female superheroes out there.