The older I get, the more I am convinced that it’s rare to feel normal. Too smart, too stupid, too hairy, too pale, too dark, too clumsy, too graceful…everything in life is stacked against everyone, honestly.

But it’s obvious to anyone with eyes and ears that some groups bear the brunt of systemic bullying. Kids are a horrible little microcosm of humanity, without the filters and buffers we (presumably, hopefully,) develop as adults.

Awareness of bullying – and of the depths to which bullying destroys people’s humanity, whether they are victims or bullies, is increasing and increasingly reported.  Not surprisingly, comic artists respond to this crisis by creating comics that are designed to take on issues surrounding bullying.

Rise: Comics Against Bullying, is a so-far two-issue anthology series published by Northwest Press, full of shorts designed to make people feel less alone, to explore all the facets of being  a bullying victim or a bully and, most importantly, to increase empathy for others. In addition, proceeds of sales benefit organizations including GLAAD, Prism Comics, and Stand For The Silent.

Taking a look at people suffering from bullying as children, adults, and for any number of reasons, from health issues to cluelessness, these comics also address bullying of children by teachers, and the kind of bullying that develops in adult groups when scapegoats are chosen. Some stories included apologies later in life and others did provide closure of one kind or another – at least for the reader. Whether that closure would be sufficient in the real world when a child is being bullied by a parent or teacher is left unexplored.  Like all Northwest Press comics these issues are available in print and digital versions.

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Volume 1 and  Volume 2 include stories that take a fanciful perspective on bullying such as children geniuses calling out a brutal teacher, or a woman with health issues who channels her migraines into superpowers.Other stories stuck with the tried and true issues of bullying of gay kids or kids who like geeky stuff in school. These also took a moment to remind us to have empathy for those bullies who are themselves abused, neglected, fearful or scared.

These stories are presented in a way that “ought” to be palatable to any young person, but I don’t know how many kids who are being bullied will feel better reading a comic about it.

Ratings:

Overall – 9  Art and content are variably of interest to each reader, but very good as a whole

Thanks to Northwest Press for the review copies! As a bit of feel-bad-to-feel-good comic storytelling, Rise does two things – remind us as we are not alone and help us support causes that give marginalized people voices. And that is something I can get solidly behind.

Not too long ago, Alison Green was a “superhero.” That is to say, she is a “biodynamic” person, whose chromosonal instability gives her what we refer to in common parlance as “super powers.” But, honestly, Alison’s had enough of “fighting crime” with her super strength because it really isn’t helping anything. She’s as likely to destroy a building while saving the people inside…and she’s sick of it.

So Alison chose to unmask herself and try to be normal. It’s not working all that well, but she’s doing her best. She’s always done her best – at being a good guy, at being a good person, and it’s becoming more and more obvious to her that doing her best just isn’t really enough.

And with this, my dear readers, we are introduced to  Volume 1 of Strong Female Protagonist by Brennan Lee Mulligan and Molly Ostertag, the first collected volume of their ongoing webcomic which was funded through a Kickstarter campaign.

If there is a single word that I would use to describe this series, that word would be nuance. Alison is old enough and smart enough to see all sides of the issues her biodynamic powers bring up…and she’s intelligent enough to see that there’s not all that much that separates her from the bad guys.

It’s not an easy read, especially in places where Alison is brutally honest about the not-always-positive outcomes of her exploits as Mega Girl. The chapter where she learns that an erstwhile ally is making a sacrifice that is almost inconceivably horrible and sublime is especially difficult. But that is exactly why you all ought to read this comic. These characters are human, whatever their powers are.

The comic has one tic I’m still not entirely sure if I liked or not. Author and artiss comment on individual pages at the bottom. In some places it feels comfortable, like we’re in the middle of a conversation, or as if I’m listening to the commentary track, in other places it catapulted this reader out of the action and actually ruined the flow of the story. This kind of light commentary worked well in light moments, but was slightly intrusive in the heavier moments.

I did not actually expect any LGBTQ content, but there is some. While Alison is not gay, the most complicated character in the volume, Feral, is. She hit on Alison when they first met, and although it didn’t go anywhere, she still quite likes Alison. In a surprising use of this old chestnut, the well-worn trope adds to Alison’s respect and affection for Feral, rather than diminishing it. (Thinking about it, it recalls to mind Paula from Red Garden and her unreturned, but also unscorned affection for Kate.)

Overall, however, the entire story is so tightly told, so well-rendered, that I was enrapt, and read it in one sitting. Refreshing, nuanced, smart and emotional, Strong Female Protagonist is the superhero comic we need.

Ratings:

Art – 8 Solid, pleasant, easy to follow
Story – 10 Exceptional in concept and execution
Characters – 9
LGBTQ – 3

Overall – 9

This comic understands the human condition and nuance and does a stellar job of balancing the beautiful and the ugly. Most importantly, it doesn’t jettison the happy just to wallow in the gritty.

We are many things here at Okazu. We focus on lesbian-themed works, but are queer, female and minority creator – friendly. There are a lot of good works that we look at that don’t fit snugly into the “lesbian” category. However, that doesn’t mean that I am without bias. I’m human…of course I have some bias. ^_^ There is one critical and important facet of female existence that I basically ignore completely – motherhood. There is no good reason for this lacuna, except my complete, total and utter disinterest in stories of motherhood.

Today, we’re going to work outside my comfort zone and talk about a unremittingly middle-aged comic by a white, straight, American mother. Jennifer Hayden‘s Underwire is published by Top Shelf, and is a collection of her comix about life. Her straight woman’s perspective is, to me, as nearly alien as anything wholly fictional, so when  I say to you with all honestly that I loved this book, trust me, it’s as big a surprise to me as it might be to you. ^_^

To clarify, I know Jennifer and like her loads, and love talking with her, but still, our life experiences are vastly different. I knew I’d like her comics, as I’ve been reading her comic blog, Rushes, since we met several years ago. But, this book was so deeply rooted in her life as a mother, the wonder with which she watched her children becoming people and the connections she was making between her past and their future – things I know I will never experience – that it held an almost fantasy-element for me. “OH, so that’s what it’s like when you suddenly look at your baby and see the adult they will become.”

The art is as unlike manga at as possible. Everything – backgrounds, textures, shading, is all done with pen, by the author. There’s no team of assistants here, no house style. I found it to be very American and very comix. ^_^

My summation of Underwire is this: After reading a number of for-adults-but-rather-infantile comics (I’m looking at you, Rokujo Hitoma no Nekogami-sama,) Jennifer Hayden’s Underwire is almost breath-robbingly adult. Women who read comics, you should read this one. It’s for grown ups.

Ratings:

Art – 9 Skilled comix will always have a place on my shelves
Story – 8 Extremely personal, but more random thoughts than memoir
Characters – Real people that I’m glad to lunch with

Overall – 9

If you have a family member, friend or neighbor with a tween who loves comics, run right away and order Fantasy Sports No. 1 by Sam Bosma, then sit back and know that you are the coolest aunt/uncle/friend/neighbor ever. Don’t forget to read it first (or buy yourself or your library an extra copy) because it is that good.

In a world with pyramids and magic and viking ships and vaguely medieval cities and all sorts of cool adventure novel trope-y locations, Wiz Kid is an Intern at the United and Ancient Order of Mages. Unfortunately, Wiz and her boss, Mean Mug, are not getting along.  The Archmage is aware that the problem is Mug but, she points, out that Wiz is their most qualified intern, so she sends them both back into the field together.

Their task takes them to a mausoleum filled with puzzles. While Mug contents himself beating up the skeleton guards, Wiz befriends one and gets them into the tomb, where they will face off with an undead conqueror in a battle of wits and basketball skills.

I was fully hooked, lined and sinkered, when Wiz befriended the remaining skeleton guard over a cup of tea and he turned out to be a really nice guy. ^_^

The art is colorful, playful and bold, with an interestingly muted palette – no primary colors here, but the sense of monstery garishness still is clearly communicated.

Wiz Kid is a girl, but her sex is never, not once, a focal point of conversation, either overt or implied. She wears traditional non-gendered “scamp/thief” clothing, and is a person of color. She’s got smarts, strong magic and is an absolutely delightful protagonist. I hope like heck the “No. 1” of the title is not a tease. I want to see more of Wiz Kid! I am convinced that if you read this book you will too. It’s just that much fun. The book has a July 2015 release date.

Ratings:

Art – 10 Fits the story so well
Character – 10
Story – 10

Overall – 10

Giant robot evil undead conquerors, wizards, treasure, skelton hordes, tea, adventure, puzzles, and basketball. Gosh, this book was so wonderful.

Thanks Nobrow for thinking of me and sending me this review copy. It’s like you saw into my heart. <3