Archive for the Western Comic/Comix Category


Summer Reading: Strong Female Protagonist and Khutulun, the Wrestler Princess

May 31st, 2013

I’m cleaning up around the house (again) and I find I have piles and piles of books I picked up at MoCCA, TCAF and various doujinshi from last year and I haven’t really had a chance to tell you about much of it. Not all of it has a place here, like Lance Tooks’ The Student  (Or, Nude Descending a Staircase…Head First), but at least some of it does.

Last summer I read and reviewed classic literature that I had somehow missed reading in my youth. This summer I’m going to look at the future and review some of the stuff that you should know about.

Today we’re starting off with a major contender for someone you should know about.

Molly Ostertag is a name I’m seeing more and more in the comics news. She’s another graduate of the SVA, and another smart, talented young woman doing stuff of interest to me. ^_^

sfp-coverIn Strong Female Protagonist, created with Brennan Lee Mulligan, we are introduced to Alison, a typical NY college student…only she’s not. She’s a former super-hero, now retired, facing pressure to be what she was from her former allies, to be what she can be from her former enemy and a desire to be who she is now, from herself.

Mulligan and Ostertag deftly lay down Alison’s life in the middle of contemporary socio-political  issues, and layers it with superheroes and villains, then neatly twists it into a conundrum with a nasty stick in the spokes. Like Alex Woolfson’s Young Protectors, relationship and sex are a part of the labyrinth Alison has to navigate, but moral compass and being in and of the world take precedence.

Alison is not alone in this. She has friends (who don’t *quite* seem to understand her,) an older woman who is her government-appointed doctor and, when Alison is ready, friend and confidante – and there is another. But no spoilers. You’ll just have to read it for yourself. which you can do, as it is a webcomic and also available on her shop.

Strong Female Protagonist and The Young Protectors are the next wave of superheroes, dealing with life without the hyper-angsty constipation of their Big Two ancestors.

khutulun cover smallWhile at MoCCA, I also picked up Ostertag’s Khutulun, the Wrestler Princess, a short biography of a real -life 13th century Mongolian Princess who was eventually respected for her abilities as a soldier and an athlete.  If you’ve read Paros no Ken, you’ll recognize the narrative, but the ending here is more conventionally acceptable. Where Erminia wanted to shed her duties completely for a different life, Khutulun wasn’t seeking to topple a gender paradigm or her societal responsibilities, she merely wanted to be herself. (Interestingly, SVA alum Marguerite Dabaie is working along the Silk Road into China, for a graphic novel about life in 7th century Pajikant. So clearly the steppes and the plains are calling to the comic artists of NYC. ^_^)

If you’re staring at your comics/manga collection, wishing there was something fresh to look at, click the links in this review. Ostertag (with and without Mulligan), Woolfson,  and Dabaie are all writing the stories they – and I – wanted/needed to read…and hopefully you will as well. ^_^





Welcome to Hereville – Keep your wits about you (English)

April 7th, 2013

mswordIn 2010, I introduced you to the absolutely fabulous Hereville: How Mirka Got Her Sword by Barry Deutsch. This is what I said about it:

When I was growing up, I consumed a lot of Jewish folk stories. Actually, I read a lot of folklore and myths, full stop. But Jewish stories always fascinated me because the heroes were rarely strong, but they were always smart. Didn’t matter if they were men or women, wit almost always won the day. Not being strong, but being endowed with a full measure of sarcasm and wit as a kid, I could totally get behind that. Hereville is set in a fantasy Orthodox Jewish village in Somewhere, Anywhere.

Mirka is one of a number of daughters, who wants more out of life than knitting and cooking. She’s smart, but not stupendously so, and has a terrificly snarky step-mother. Mirka gets involved with a magical pig, a witch and a troll, providing her all the adventure she ever wanted and more.

Hereville captures the feeling that I got as a kid reading stories of the Golem of Prague or of the townspeople of Chelm. That Olde Worlde Europe Jewish life that I was glad to have stories of, but was even gladder that I didn’t have to live.

I can’t think of a better book for a young me. 11-year old Mirka would have been a fine companion in my desire for adventure and magic and a chance to use my wit against the odds. If you know a young girl with an open mind, and interest in folk tales and a desire for a sword, Hereville would make a terrific, totally-not-what-they-expected, gift.

mmeteoriteNow I want to call your attention to the absolutely fabulous sequel,  Hereville: How Mirka Met A Meteorite, which was just as  enjoyable, with a full measure of sarcastic-smart stepmother and a deeply Chelmite punchline. (‘Chelm’ is a fictitious town in Poland peopled by the stupidest humans on the planet, with names like Schlemiel and Mensch. They did things like buy a bag of bagel holes and capture the moon…in a pond.)

As tween sequential art literature goes, this series is top-notch. But not because Mirka is a “strong female protagonist.” If anything, it is so incredibly good because, she isn’t.

Just so we’re talking about the same things, on Quora I defined a “strong woman” as Women in control of their circumstances rather than just bearing up well in bad circumstances. Anyone might find themselves able to fight to the last breath in desperation, but the best make sure they never have to.

Here on Okazu, I have elaborated, Women who are perfectly capable living in a world populated by men and women; women who can take command of both men and women and be respected as leaders – and who are not judged by a set of standards that are skewed so they can only ever fail. Women who can find their own solutions to issues, not to have to excel at men’s thinking or men’s skills to be considered a success.

My Friedman Addendum to the Bechdel Test helps us identify if the female lead is more properly seen as a female-shaped male hero.

But let’s take a step back here. While other tween heroes may have been imbued with amazing magical skills, Mirka is a mere mortal. She is not a born leader (although if given the opportunity to learn to how, she might become one one day), not tall, not strong or especially skilled. And yet, she wins.  It’s nice to see the average kid win sometimes – it gives one hope. No, we are not all talented, strong, magical, but we can all win the day, sometimes. Especially when our siblings are sharp.

Ratings:

Art – 8
Character – 8
Story – 8

Overall – 8

In the middle of the Sachikos, the Hermiones, the Korras and the Bandettes, we need to have Yumis and Mirkas, too. Every girl deserves her day of triumph. ^_^

 





LGBTQ Comic: No Straight Lines: Four Decades of Queer Comics

March 19th, 2013

nsl4dqcComix: The doujinshi of the western comics scene.  Small press or self-published, comix are typically tales told of underground or fringe “lifestyles.” Very often intensely personal, they are a window into a life that may be yours.

I never read many comix or indeed many comics. When I did read comics (back in the Stone Age) my choices were superhero comics or Richie Rich and Archie. (Archie definitely deserves a read these days, as they lead American comics in positive presentation of gay characters.) I knew comix existed – there was a Spencer’s in my local mall, after all – but the whole sex, drugs and rock and roll of them didn’t appeal to young me. And I did encounter gay comics as a teen, but the drawing was inelegant, and again the whole sex, drugs, rock and roll and angry gayness of them left me unengaged.

So as I sat down to read No Straight Lines: Four Decades of Queer Comics, edited by Justin Hall and including artists that I have now had the opportunity to meet, talk with and grow to admire, I felt trepidation.

I was prepared to not feel – part of the thing. I expected the allegories of gay life, the “darling, we’re so gay” comix, the angry “you are ignoring AIDS and we’re dying you fucking fuck” comix. None of them would represent me, my coming out, my life, my dreams, my challenges. In fact, I considered this book to be more “other” than any manga I have ever read.

I couldn’t put it down.

Of course the pages include well-known names like Tom of Finland and Trina Robbins. It also taught me about Mary Wings, Lee Marrs and a host of writers I had never heard of.  I marveled at how many of the creators I read in this collection I have been blessed to meet and chat with – my jealousy of their skill knows no bounds. So many of them are still creating now, right this very second. I marvel too, at how many of them make time to talk to fans on Twitter and Facebook.  Above all, I am so proud to know so many names in this book. Their talent is amazing and so is their sheer niceness.

These are stories that had to be told, so they told them. They are still telling them.

If you care, even a little, about stories told by and for LGBTQ people, this book is an absolute must-have, must-read, must-evangelize.

Thank you to all the artists here and to Justin Hall for this collection that is raw and brutal, beautiful and surreal, totally wtf and wonderful!

Ratings:

Overall – Fabulous ^_^

Just FYI, Amazon JP has told me it’s going to be like 2 months or more before they send my next shipment of manga, so expect reviews heavy on the “related media,” while I mark time! ^_^ Lesbian novels, queer comics, Light Novels and random stuff I find on the Internet, ahoy!





Fearless Defenders Comic, Issue 1

February 27th, 2013

On the Yuricon & ALC Publishing page on Facebook, Shannon Luchies put me on to this title and offered up this picture to entice me:

 
Little known fact about Erica – she has the entire original run of the Defenders.  I was a comics collector for many years before stilted writing and tiresome art put me off and I stopped. When manga took my hand and led me down the rabbit hole I was well-primed for the kind of fanaticism it required.

So, vaguely intrigued by the new series, Fearless Defenders, I called my Local Comic shop to see if they had it. I was told by the owner, a friend, that it was “pretty good.” Right now I’m feeling like most people must feel when they visit their childhood homes and see everything has turned all shoddy and their parents are becoming feeble.

Reading this book inspired me. Not probably the way the creators intended, however. Fearless Defenders inspired me to create the:

The Friedman Addendum to the Bechdel-Wallace Test

Does female character have agency?
Does she have society?
Does she have personality?

Or is she merely a female-shaped male hero doing male hero things while being female?

I’ll be using this in reviews going forward. Just as a litmus test, Bodacious Space Pirates passes the FA. So does Sailor Moon. The original Ghost in the Shell movie does not. This is not meant to overtake the Bechdel-Wallace Test, just to add a level of depth to understanding why a series might have a “strong, female character” and still be disappointing for women.

So, let’s get the bad out of the way. The female’s bodies can only be described as AAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!! I knew American comic art was going all tits and ass (often at the same time) but if their spines curve like that all the time, poor things must be in terrible pain.

Let’s do a quick contrast in battle art. Exhibit 1, , Fearless Defenders, Issue 1:

Ow. I dare any man to stand on their toes, with weight on their back leg, and spine curved and call it good defensive posture. I’m sorry, but fuck this. My wife rightfully points out that they are not in heels, which is true, and yet I notice that their feet are posed as if they were.
 
Exhibit 2, Avare Senki by Nakamura Ching
 

Which cover looks like it has a “strong female” on it?  I’ll be honest, I’m biased, because things like weight distribution in stances actually has meaning to me, and I’m heartily sick of females drawn with exaggerated “sexy” spine curvatures.

Okay, but, you say, what about the script? It was pretty good, wasn’t it? Fearless Defenders reads just like Tantric Stripfighter Trina, only in 20 pages not 200. The fact that the issue is a mere 20 pages is part of the problem, but the writing also made me very aware of the fact that American comics are now written for a very specific audience, one that does not include me. I’ve been defending comics a long time, but if this an example of a good one, I’m done. Like a Hollywood movie, every line was trite and overplayed.

Is there any good news? Yes, yes there is. Despite art and story being woefully mis-matched, this comic does indeed pass the FA. Misty Knight and Annabelle Riggs are friends. And, Annabelle has chosen to be there, and to stay, even when undead Vikings rise up around her. Split between good and bad,  Annabelle randomly kisses Val when she appears (see above) because, as the text helpfully explains, she “likes girls,” and as we all know, lesbians walk around randomly kissing any girl they find attractive, regardless of circumstance, like undead Vikings rising from nearby graves.

What is my point in all this? My point is, this series passes the Bechel Test and the Friedman Addendum and has at least one character, maybe two, who is a lesbian…and it’s still a bit disappointing.

That kiss should have been further along in the plot, not right off. It makes no sense where it is. Art, dialogue and that kiss are off of my mark for “pretty good.”  If a 15-year old sent me this I’d think it was genius. but for adults creating for an adult audience…. sigh…..

Ratings:
 
Art – 6 It’s executed well, but poses like that need to stop already
Story – 7
Characters – 7 We don’t get much beyond a line or two
Yuri – 9
Service – 9
 
Overall – 7

I’m going to follow the story for a bit, see if it gets better, but here’s what I think. You know how anime has a low frame rate, so when you watch it you have to fill in a lot of detail? This comic was drawn at a low frame rate and fans have to do a lot of the work to make it “pretty good.”





Digital Comic: Bandette

January 13th, 2013

Recently I had one of those “why have I never heard of this before?” moments when I learned that Colleen Coover and Paul Tobin were collaborating on a YA comic with a female lead called Bandette.

Well, it just so happens that this year I had hoped to discuss more YA (Young Adult) indie comics with female leads. Let me first discuss the concept of “strong female lead” as I define it:
On Quora I defined a “strong woman” as “Women in control of their circumstances rather than just bearing up well in bad circumstances. Anyone might find themselves able to fight to the last breath in desperation, but the best make sure they never have to.“

Here on Okazu, I have elaborated, “Women who are perfectly capable living in a world populated by men and women; women who can take command of both men and women and be respected as leaders – and who are not judged by a set of standards that are skewed so they can only ever fail. Women who can find their own solutions to issues, not to have to excel at men’s thinking or men’s skills to be considered a success.”

Most action genre media portrays a “strong female lead” as a woman, pushed to the point of having nothing left to lose (i.e., already in circumstances out of their control), doing things more properly expected of male leads like fighting (i.e., excelling at “men’s skills.)

In Bandette, we see a story constructed within both the criteria I lay out for a strong female lead. Bandette is perfectly in control of her circumstances. Money is, clearly, not an object (much as it is not for, say, Tony Stark.) She is surrounded by friends and colleagues, whose respect and loyalty she commands through the use of respect and loyalty. When her “urchins” perform their roles beautifully, she calls them up to tell them so. How perfectly girly is that? ^_^

Bandette inhabits a world in which both Raffles and Saint Tail would be comfortable – inhabited by wealthy collectors, and invaluable art, Bandette’s world also includes city kids playing in the street and women in dance class. To add the dash of derring-do we all expect in a gentlewoman thief/artful dodger story, Bandette works with a grumpy, grumbly, allegorically foul-mouthed detective who could have stepped out of a Pink Panther movie, and rival/mentor Monsieur, who is the embodiment of all gentlemen thieves.

There are many things to like about Bandette. Right out of the gate, it makes no attempt to “realisticize” itself. This is a fantasy world, just kick back and enjoy. And never, not in a single panel, is the series condescending or trying to prove what does not need proving. This series is post-“girls can be heroes too!” in the exactly right way. A girl is the hero. Yep. And then…a great story happens! No wallowing in the circumstances that forced Bandette to become… nope, just a girl having a hell of a lot of fun doing what she’s doing. (Again, reminiscent of Saint Tail.)

Bandette is not a sexpot…oh my goodness what a relief. I’m never forced to stare at crotch or breast, or anything but her big grin. Her body is simply not part of the equation. Her mind, which is the proverbial steel trap, is.

I *love* that the character intros are also the “Story So Far,” and I really like that we’ve joined the story after the mythos of Bandette is already established in the participants’ minds. This no origin story, Bandette is well-known and liked/loathed by the people in the story. We learn she has previous adventures and previous relationships with the characters.

The potential love interest is also set up with conscious deliberation. The attractive delivery boy is completely loyal to Bandette, and she treats him like a valuable member of the team – and as an attractive boy. In fact, she jokes about that easily, “This attractive young lad will…” without uncomfortable sexual tension or creepy “brain goes duh when attracted to male” that is still far too often the norm for female leads. He works with Bandette just as easily. No out of place blushiness, no nosebleeds. You know that he’s part of the team because he wants to be part of the team. If they get together, I’m confident that Coover and Tobin will craft a good arc around it and I won’t roll my eyes at all.

As a YA comic, the story holds up as sheer “fun.” No adult condescension, just young people being bad-on-the-side-of-good which is always a winning setup, and decent characters who are having fun being characters, no life-draining angst need apply. I even enjoyed the fanfic-y use of random French words, which gives the story that early 20th-century Lupin-esque flavor it deserves.

Monkeybrain Comics has released Bandette as digital only, through Comixology. I gotta tell you, my tablet was made for reading this comic, really. It’s the perfect size, the color pages look fabulous. It’s 99 cents an issue and worth every penny.

Ratings:

Overall – 9

I’d easily recommend Bandette to any comic reader, female, male, young or old.