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We’re No. 1! is a weekly feature looking at first issues in new comic series, as well as one-offs and special releases. In his reviews, Jeff highlights stories with diverse characters and plot lines Geekquality readers can care about, as well as points out comics that miss the mark.

Although it was a lighter week, there were a couple of real gems in the mix in new comics. The first was a book I was prepared to dislike but ended up not being able to get out of mind. If the title of Absolution: Happy Kitty Special #1 throws you, don’t worry. This is essentially an origin story of the popular character from Christos Gage’s Absolution series, and Happy Kitty seemed a bit of an overused stereotype when I first encountered her. An Asian woman in a school girl/sailor suit with a sword and a gun, killing bad guys? This has been done to death in manga and comics, and feels fetishized nearly every time. This time around Gage and artist Paul Duffield tell the story of a young girl who’s been exploited, and there’s a big difference between exploitative tropes and a narrative of a troubled character. Happy Kitty was a child when her parents were murdered by the Yakuza right in front of her. The head gangster recognized something in the small child, who refused to stop playing Duck Hunt while her parent’s throats were slit. Not only did she seem to lack empathy, she had the gift of precognition as well, giving her superhumanly fast reflexes. Taken in by the Yakuza, Happy Kitty was raised on a diet of violent video games and a lack of human connection, finally bonding only with a large tiger. It’s this one emotional connection that finally pushes her to break the bonds of her captivity, but she may be so broken that she’ll have have a hard time forming bonds with people in the future. Happy Kitty speaks to the concept of the “strong female character” in a powerful way. She is certainly a powerful and capable woman, but she’s not a role model – she’s a fully developed character. A victim for certain, her instability creates a certain sadness for the reader, while her stereotypical look speaks to the troubles of her past. Happy Kitty isn’t not just a fetish to be enjoyed on the surface but a parable for the kind of treatment of women that creates such stereotypes in the first place. Gage pulls no punches in this book, a violent but ultimately sad and well realized story. Continue reading →

We’re No. 1! is a weekly feature looking at first issues in new comic series, as well as one-offs and special releases. In his reviews, Jeff highlights stories with diverse characters and plot lines Geekquality readers can care about, as well as points out comics that miss the mark.

This week sees the arrival of the much-discussed issue of Harley Quinn #0. The book created controversy earlier this year when DC Comics held a contest for aspiring artists to draw a single page featuring Harley in several dangerous situations, including nude in a bath on the verge of suicide. The uproar over the insensitivity led to apologies from DC and series co-writer Jimmy Palmiotti (the creator of another irreverent female comics character, Painkiller Jane). Having seen the completed work (with the offending panel idea replaced with artist Jeremy Roberts depicting Harley astride a rocket) it’s clear that the book is going for a very light feel. Harley is brought to life here by 17 different artists, one page at a time, in a never ending run of absurd situations. She constantly breaks the fourth wall and converses with the audience, as well as the writers directly, commenting on each rendition of her and the talents of the various artists. It is, all in all, a compelling way of letting readers know that this new series will redefine Harley as a character. By wandering about in dozens and dozens of looks and scenarios, she’s illustrating the mental instability that’s always been an integral part of the character, while uprooting any old notions readers might have about her, all in preparation for a new take. We’ll see how she fares when her issue #1 debuts in December. Continue reading →

We’re No. 1! is a weekly feature looking at first issues in new comic series, as well as one-offs and special releases. In his reviews, Jeff highlights stories with diverse characters and plot lines Geekquality readers can care about, as well as points out comics that miss the mark.
Two different publishers feature comics this week by writer Victor Gischler, known for his humorous crime fiction and his work on Comics like Deadpool  and The Shadow. The Black Sparrow, a female thief of Spanish descent takes center stage in one of his new books, Noir #1. Dynamite team up the Sparrow with her former nemesis and another of Dynamite’s pulp legends, the hot headed powerhouse Miss Fury. Issue #1 is all Black Sparrow, however, and tells the story of her theft of a Moonstone, which she now needs Lamont Cranston’s alter ego to help her recover. The book features the sharp dialogue that Gischler is known for, as The Black Sparrow attempts to manipulate The Shadow to her own ends. He’s a no-nonsense sort of guy, while she is all guile and seduction, with a healthy dose of murderous intent. The book gives us an interesting lead character instead of the stock femme fatale villain, as she was in her previous appearances in The Shadow comic, setting up the story for the future. Continue reading →