"Tonight, I'm Batgirl"

Last week, I decided that I needed to follow a superhero comic.  I had three criteria:
1) it had to be written by a woman,
2) it had to be about a female superhero,
and
3) Christian couldn't be following it already.

To qualify my criteria, it's not that there aren't good comics about women written by men and it's not that I'm trying to exclude Christian from what I'm reading.  What I wanted was a superhero comic of my very own that I could read and feel good about. 

I think part of the draw of superhero comics is having a fantasy role model to look up to and see parts of yourself in them.  They bring out the kid in us, who still thinks we're invincible and that good always gets back up, and always wins.  As a young girl and as a woman, it's really difficult to find that model in female superheroes who are drawn like sex objects, rather than athletes; women who are written like manipulative bimboes who use sex to further their own objectives, rather than scholars or free-thinkers or even just everyday women who act strong but still feel vulnerable or insecure.

It helps that Christian had read the first three issues of Gail Simone's Batgirl last year and he'd asked me to read them too.  I was reading anything he handed me at that point, mostly because I was intrigued by a world that I hadn't really experienced or discovered yet.  Sure, I'd read Sandman and Maus but I hadn't read any straight-up superhero comics.  So I gave them a try and I really liked them--there were a lot of exclaimations of, "Cool! She is so bad ass! Check out her kick!"  But then Christian stopped following it (I forget why--budgeting, I think) and I forgot about it because I wasn't buying single-issue comics yet. 

So we went to Comic Readers yesterday and I found the hardcover of Volume 1 immediately, then saw that they had Issues 1-5 bundled together.  Issue 6 was nowhere to be found, so I hemmed and hawed, and calculated the money in my account, and picked up the hardcover and put it down, and I just couldn't walk away from it.  So I have Volume 1 and Issue 7 and I'm catching up now.  I was worried that it wasn't going to be as good as I remembered it but, I have to say, IT'S BETTER.

What I love about Batgirl is her insecurity.  That sounds funny but the thing is, she went through a trauma and now she's trying to get back on her feet (no pun intended).  She's been about as vulnerable as a woman can get and she's still getting up and kicking ass.  Her insecurities don't stop her from being bad-ass; if anything, it makes her joy in kicking down bad guys even more poignant and it makes her character incredibly easy to empathize with.  Gail Simone writes Batgirl's interiory amazingly well--there have been more than a few moments when I've thought, "Wow, that's exactly what I would be thinking if I were ever jumping through a window or kicking a gun out of someone's hand."  Seriously though, I cannot praise Simone's writing enough.

I'm really impressed with the art as well--the pencils are done by Ardian Syaf.  Batgirl is always sleek and athletic, never forcibly posed (so far! keep it up!) and her kicks just make you want to fist-pump.  Seriously, how cool are these?

Also, Christian just told me last night about the woman who dressed as Batgirl at San Diego Comic Con in 2011 and went to panels, asking, basically, "Where are all the women?"  I wish I had been there.  I would have been standing up with her and cheering her on.

Here's a description of the event: http://dcwomenkickingass.tumblr.com/post/7985599811/panels

And an interview with "Batgirl" and her view on what went down at Comic Con 2011: http://dcwomenkickingass.tumblr.com/post/8130151171/bgsdccinterview

Batgirl is the perfect example of a comic that women can enjoy and share with their daughters.  If I could cos-play as anyone, it would be Batgirl, because then I could pretend, for a moment, that I'm flying high over everyone's heads, kicking down bad guys, and say, "Tonight, I'm Batgirl!"  I only hope that more comics like Batgirl start appearing on the shelves.

Archer & Armstrong #1: The 1% Want You To Buy This Comic

Archer & Armstrong #1
"Sons of Perdition"
Writer: Fred Van Lente
Artist: Clayton Henry
Colours: Matt Milla

The last new title of the Summer of Valiant has arrived.

Archer & Armstrong is the latest title to be relaunched by the new and improved Valiant Entertainment, but of the four series launched this summer (X-O Manowar, Harbinger, Bloodshot, and this), it's likely to be the most divisive among comic readers.

Tonally, Archer and Armstrong is a complete shift from the other Valiant books released so far. Most of the Valiant titles have been serious, high-concept science fiction for mature readers that takes a  "world outside your window approach" to storytelling. This comic, on the other hand, is completely taking the piss out of the "world outside your window." Opting for silly instead of serious, Fred Van Lente's script is full of broad satirical swipes and at Young Earth Creationists, conspiracy theorists and The 1%.

Obadiah Archer is raised as a part of a paramilitary Christian group who lives in a Creationist theme-park called Promised Land Park, and is trained by his Republican parents to kill "He Who Must Not Be Named," aka the immortal poet and infamous drunkard, Armstrong.

This issue does a good job of establishing Archer as a deluded, but sympathetic character, and Armstrong is a surprisingly capable hand-to-hand fighter despite his drunkenness. The first few pages, revealed in advance previews of the issue, set up what is likely the beginnings of the Valiant universe as we know it, and will likely have repercussions in this series and others in the future.

Clayton Henry's art maintains the level of quality set by the rest of Valiant's comics this summer, balancing realism and clean pencil lines with style, yet the art in Archer & Armstrong has more of a "classic Valiant" feel than any Valiant title currently on the stands. Visually, this was my favourite issue of a Valiant comic so far, and I can't wait to see how these issues look once they're released in hardcover and trade paperback.

Fred Van Lente has said that he wants Archer & Armstrong to be the "South Park" of the Valiant Universe, and that might appeal to some readers, but I'm hoping this series focuses more on its characters, story and action rather than on gross-out humour and broad satire. I liked this first issue, and will keep reading Archer & Armstrong at least until issue six, but this is the only comic released during the Summer of Valiant that I didn't love.

Preview: Bloodshot #2

Courtesy of Valiant Entertainment, here's an exclusive preview of Bloodshot #2!

Bloodshot #1 was my favorite of the Valiant #1's so far, and I can't wait to see where this series is headed next!

Preview Page 1

Preview Page 2

Preview Page 3

Preview Page 4

Preview Page 5

Variant Cover

The Hypernaturals #2: "Oh my Quant"

The Hypernaturals #2
Writers: Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning
Artists: Brad Walker and Tom Derenick
Boom! Studios
August 1, 2012

My feelings about this comic are perfectly summed up by the characters' exclamation, "Oh my quant!"  First reaction: cool; second reaction: wait, what?

I really liked this comic the first time I read it--each issue begins with a "Q-data link," or a little info-sheet about the world you're entering and what's happened in the story so far.  The next page is a "We Want You" ad, except for the Hypernaturals instead of the army.  It's in those ads that the reader finds out more about the main characters and about how the Hypernaturals become a team (they try out! Who knew?).  Each issue also ends with an interview with one of the characters, which are really informative reads because they explain some things that the action in the comic doesn't have time to get to.

However, on my second read-through, there were a couple things that bugged me, in a "something's-just-a-little-off-here" way.   First, we find out in this issue that the "secret" to Creena Hersh's super-speed/acceleration powers is "hyper-metabolism."  What?  Having a fast metabolism gives you super powers?  So, Barbie should be slicing holes in aliens and beating up all of the Ken dolls, if that were a thing.  How is this an empowering model for women?  You stay skinny because you have special powers, unlike all of those other slow, heavy women?  If you starve yourself by "accelerating" all the time, you won't age and you'll stay thin?  She even admits that accelerating isn't good for her body--it could end up killing her if she isn't able to replace the energy by eating.  Did I mention that Creena is also a fashion model?  And their Media Relations Coordinator?  It's like she's just there to look good.

On the other hand, her mask IS pretty cool, she eats bug guts, and she blows up aliens with sonic booms.  Oh, but wait...she's divorced from an alcoholic husband, she's fooling around with a so-called boy-toy, and she STILL teases her ex-husband about their first meeting AFTER finding out that the boy-toy is PROBABLY DEAD. Something's just not adding up here.

The other character who feels off to me is Deedee Cadiz, aka "Halfshell."  She is your stereotypical angry black woman.  Oh, and she thinks she's too hot for the Slave-Leia-bikini-suit that is her uniform.  In what universe do women think they're TOO hot to wear a bikini? 

Halfshell gains points for being a hothead in battle (total bloodlust thing going on there) but loses them for telling the corporate heads that they cut her for being "too hot for [their] squeaky clean corporate profile."  Huh?  Why is the warrior woman putting so much emphasis on how she looks?

The world-building is cool in this comic though.  Don't get me wrong, there are some really interesting, well-thought out, other-worldly devices, aliens, weapons, etc, in this comic.  The writers' strong suits really lie in the world-building, not so much with female character-building. 

Higher Earth #3: Crisis of Infinite Assassins

Higher Earth #3
Writer: Sam Humphries
Artist: Francesco Biagini
Cover B: Phil Noto
August 1, 2012
BOOM! Studios

Higher Earth has been an enjoyable, sci-fi action series with an intriguing premise and a lot of potential. In this issue, that potential finally begins to reveal itself as we learn more about Rex, Heidi and Higher Earth itself.

I had certain expectations heading into this issue: I wanted to see more character development and gain a clearer insight into what this story is about. Until this point, Heidi and Rex have largely remained cyphers to the readers and to each other, and there has been little time for the plot to slow down and explain exactly what is going on and why. Though there remain many mysteries to be explored later in this series, I am happy to say that my expectations were not only met, but far exceeded.

Heidi and Rex begin this issue on Minus Three Preak-Kardov Earth, a prehistoric Earth populated only by dinosaurs and a few humans working to extract the planet's resources by a contractor under the employment of Higher Earth. The same mysterious assailant who has been following the pair since Issue One attacks them, seriously wounding Rex. The attacker is revealed to be Kurt, a version of Rex from another Earth, sent to kill Heidi and Rex for Higher Earth.

Heidi manages to kill Kurt (oh does she ever!), and then forces a wounded Rex to tell her the truth about his mission. The issue ends with the reveal that there are in fact dozens of analogues of Rex, all under the command another parallel Rex, First Councillor Sloane, an agent of Higher Earth.

To say this issue was full of great reveals and exciting moments is an understatement. Sam Humpries script has really delivered on this series promise of high-concept science fiction, and is proving to be just as unpredictable and wild as last summer's one-shot of WTF-ness, Our Love is Real.

Francesco Biagini's art has been great since this title began, but this is my favorite issue he's penned so far. The way that Biagini uses the panels to move with the flow of the action is masterful, and is perfectly demonstrated throughout the action scenes in this issue. I loved the reveal of Kurt within the Raptor suit, and the single page devoted to Heidi delivering her killing blow was a breathtaking page that I read through at least three or four times before moving on just because that sequence of images was so good.

I've especially come to appreciate how Heidi is drawn: she is tough and attractive, battle-scarred and not overly sexualized by Biagini. In the panel where she threateningly holds her sword at Rex's throat will staring directly at him, she looks downright bad-ass. Those of you looking for more strong female characters in comics, take note of this series.

Higher Earth #3 is another issue in what has proven to be a consistently exciting and thought-provoking read. I look forward to seeing what versions of Earth Humphries and Biagini will take us to next. Highly recommended.

Dial H #4: Nelson VS the Nullomancer

Dial H #4
Writer: China Mieville
Artist: Mateus Santolouco
Cover: Brian Bolland
August 1st, 2012
DC

Dial H has been consistently crazy since it's debut issue 4 months ago, but underneath all the randomness of its premise, an theme about what it takes to become a hero has been bubbling beneath the surface.

Finally, in this fourth issue, our overweight, everyman hero Nelson grows a pair, saves Manteau, and fights back against X.N. even without the help of the H Dial.

China Mieville's script has been gonzo from the get-go, but this issue really grounds the insanity with some great character moments and revelations. It seems that our unlikely trio of heroes are, despite appearances to the contrary, much more ordinary than they appear, and once the origin of the Void is revealed he/it seems to be more of a tragic figure or a wounded star animal than an arch-villain from the beyond the stars.

Dial H reminds me of the work Grant Morrison was doing in his early Vertigo days, particularly his run on Doom Patrol. There's madness in these pages, to be sure, but there's a strong meta-fictional undercurrent running throughout this series, an ironic commentary on what it means to be a comic book creator working for a corporation with a pre-existing stable of characters, trying to create something new from that mess of continuity and history, perhaps?

I haven't quite settled on what Dial H is really about, but the meaning is there somewhere amidst the chaos. I'll be honest, Issue #4 is the closest this comic has come to making any kind of sense.

Mateus Santolouco has really done a fabulous job transforming China's scripts into a visually exciting and sense-making work. I can't even imagine how these scripts must read, but Santolouco always seems to get it right. The art manages to capture the humdrum world of Nelson, as well as the unpredictable powers brought on by the H Dial. Santolouco's art in Dial H balances expertly between scenes of the fantastic imaginary world and the dreary malaise of post-industrial culture (a balance this is literally personified in the character of Chimney Boy, one of the super-personaes transferred by the H Dial).

Dial H is one of the most underrated titles being published by DC Comics. It deserves your money and the full duration of your attention span.

What We're Reading: August 2012

Reviews of today's comics will be up later on this evening, but in the meantime, here's an update on what we're reading this month:

What We're Reading, August 2012: 

-Animal Man (DC)
-Archer & Armstrong (Valiant)
-Axe Cop: President of the World (Dark Horse)
-Bloodshot (Valiant)
-Black Kiss II (Image)
-Dial H (DC)
-Extermination (Boom!)
-Glory (Image)
-Hell Yeah (Image)
-Higher Earth (Boom!)
-The Hypernaturals (Boom!)
-Harbinger (Valiant)
-Hit-Girl (Icon)
-Judge Dredd: The Complete Case Files of Judge Dredd Vols. 1-5 (Rebellion)
-Prophet (Image)
-Revival (Image)
-Saga (Image)
-The Secret Service (Icon)
-Super Crooks (Icon)
-Swamp Thing (DC)
-X-O Manowar (Valiant)

And depending what comes out each week, possibly more!