"Women's History Month is an annual declared month that highlights the contributions of women to events in history and contemporary society." -- Wikipedia. So, since we’re nearing the end of March, I wanted to highlight my favorite comic books created by women. These are some of my favorite books of all time, starring some awesome women protagonists! I’ve provided the links where you can grab them on Comixology.
First up is Bitch Planet written by Kelly Sue Deconnick and rendered by Valentine De Landro. This is an ongoing series, and has two volumes out at the moment. It takes place in a patriarchal dystopia where women who don’t conform to a submissive 1950’s American standard are shipped off to a prison planet. There’s a longest yard plot element thrown in that involves an ultra-violent sport. This is feminist exploitation, with some great art.
Next up is another one written by Deconnick, Pretty Deadly (illustrated by Emma Rios). This is a surreal weird western about Death’s daughter. It has a folklore feel where animals are portrayed as humans and the arcs are all mythical. There are two trades of this one out too. Before I move on to the next one, I think it’s worth pointing out that Deconnick’s 2012 reboot of Captain Marvel is worth reading and a great introduction to the character. It’s probably what the upcoming MCU movie starring Brie Larson will be based on.
Monstress written by Marjorie Liu and drawn by Sana Takeda was my favorite comic of 2016. It’s the only comic book series that I’m actually subscribed to (I usually grab trades and singles willy-nilly). It feels like an earlier Final Fantasy game, only much, much darker and with some Cthulhu thrown in there. It’s epic Asianic fantasy set in a matriarchal world full of war, magic and intrigue. Each panel is a work of art. Vol. 1 is on sale right now for $6.99.
Nimona written AND illustrated by Noelle Stevenson. This is a complete graphic novel about Nimona, a shapeshifting super villain that terrorizes villages. It’s charming, heartwarming and good for all ages. Here's a few panels:
Lastly, Marvel’s Patsy Walker, A.K.A. Hellcat! by Kate Leth and Brittney Williams is worth picking up. Forget what you saw of the character in Netflix’s Jessica Jones. This comic feels like a mix between an Archie comic and a Marvel comic. The first arc starts off with Patsy losing her job as She-Hulk’s personal legal assistant and ends with her saving the world from an Asgardian sorceress. It’s funny and contemporary.
Psst! Go back and look at those links! If you act fast, you can grab all of these for less than $20. That's like one craft beer in Austin!