Marvel Divas #1 Variant Cover – which was $7.99 bagged and boarded at my shop…suffice to say I did not purchase it
Marvel Divas #1. Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa (writer), Tonci Zonjic (illustrator). Fiction – Graphic Novel/Comics.
As promised, I read this first issue of Marvel Divas in my local comic book shop, but did not buy, and I’m here to report back…the short version is:
“thank the gods I didn’t waste my money.”
The Good: Zonjic’s art is FANTASTIC. I LOVE it. I would buy almost any story with this art. And when I say almost any story I mean really, almost any story, except this one. And that my friends, is where the good ends.
The Bad: When Marve/Quesada/Aguirre-Sacasa pitched this to the world as Sex & The City meets The Marvel Universe (i.e. superheroes), they were not freaking kidding. This is not only a bad episode of Sex & The City in the pages of a comic book, but it is plotline for plotline actually taken from Sex & The City.
[SPOILERS]
The characters here are our heroes – Hell Cat, Photon, The Black Cat, and Firestar and then the Sex & The City characters Carrie, Samantha, Miranda, and Charlotte – all thrown into a blender and blended until they emerge TOTALLY NEW AND DIFFERENT…or wait, no, that’s not right, I guess I meant until they emerge, even bigger stereotypes than they entered. Which is pretty impressive, considering.
The plot line has (as was much speculated on this blog and elsewhere) Firestar getting cancer. They’re not saying it’s breast cancer, and maybe they’ll wisely pick something else, but I’d bet even money at this point that it’s gonna be breast cancer. For the uninitiated, Samantha from Sex & The City had breast cancer.
Hell Cat wrote a book. Carrie from Sex & The City wrote a book.
The Black Cat is trying to open her own detective agency and her “boyfriend” goes with her to look at the space she’s considering. He offensively offers to pay for the space because she cannot afford it and she turns him down because (rightly so) how will she look at herself in the mirror in the morning without shame. In Sex & The City, Carrie is going to be evicted if she cannot buy her New York City apartment, which she cannot afford and her on again off again boyfriend writes her a check to pay for the apartment. She rips up the check because…well, (rightly so) she would not be able to look at herself in the mirror in the morning.
Oh, and one of The Black Cat’s “pals” says she wishes she could loan her the money for the office space. And Carrie’s friends also wish out loud that they could loan her the money for the apartment. The differences here are just…wow…we’re really breaking new ground here.
Oh, Photon has trouble dealing with intimacy and runs away from any kind of commitment, fancying herself an independent woman. Samantha from Sex & The City also has trouble dealing with intimacy and runs away from any kind of commitment, fancying herself an independent woman. I’m sure they’ll be taught that they’re wrong though…that having a man answers all life’s pesky little problems. Right? Boy, I sure hope so!
For my money, that is WAY too many similarities for a 22 page comic book.
I should note that I clearly have a working knowledge of Sex & The City. Like many women (and men?), I thought the first season was pretty edgy and honest and thought provoking and that it took a nose dive from there. Like many people I continued watching it, and hating myself for it, hoping it would get better, but knowing it wouldn’t. Just because me and some other idiots watched this show for too long, does not mean it should be horribly blended with some superheroes deserving of a real and unique story.
The Ugly: Our heroines apparently met and became pals at speed dating. Not just speed dating though, ’speed dating for single superheroines’. Hmmm. The drawing/layout on this page is great, but the concept is pure crap. Apparently the men our heroes are ’speed dating’ are an attractive well built gay dude, a homeless guy, an overweight Fantastic Four t-shirt wearing comic nerd, and well, I’ve blocked out the fourth stereotype. Am I expected to believe that any single superheroine would subject herself to speed dating specifically geared towards ‘SINGLE SUPERHEROINES NIGHT’ – that any crazy dude off the street – like psycho fans and stalkers and apparently the homeless can just show up to? Are you kidding me? I know this is an attempt at levity, but unfortunately it’s not funny…and is one of the most contrived “plot devices” I’ve ever seen.
So here’s what I’m willing to admit about this book. It never had a chance with me.
I’ve been so up in arms about this Marvel Divas drama for so long, I really don’t think I could have gotten on board…this book would have to have been the equivalent of Maus for female rights, if I was going to come on board. However, after seeing Zonjic’s awesome preview pages, and reminding myself repeatedly that Aguirre-Sacasa is generally a talented and non-misogynistic writer, I was at least open to it being good…or funny…or interesting, or something.
And so I am genuinely sad to report that it is none of these things. Only beautiful. And gee, do I really want to think about that? A book about women…and it’s no substance, all beauty. Boy. Depressing shit. I’m off to drown my sorrows in vodka I think.
Now. That’s really the end of the “review”, but here’s something I’ve been meaning to get of my chest ever since this ridiculousness started…
WHO THE HELL IS THIS SHIT MARKETED TO? Because I’ll give you that there are women out there that love chick flicks and happy Hollywood endings, if they weren’t out there, we wouldn’t still be seeing the same three or four chick flick movies being churned out every year with slightly different actors and actresses. But I really don’t believe those are the same women that read comics. The women I know who like chick flicks (and I do know them – they’re great people – we just don’t happen to agree on what movies to see) DON’T read comics. And women that read comics…in general, I don’t believe watch chick flicks in record numbers. So who the hell is this book supposed to be for????
If this book was supposed to be geared for the young jerk off crowd (which judging from the misogynistic solicitation – not to mention all the other PR – it was*), they screwed up by hiring the brilliant Zonjic, because his art is beautiful and expressive, but not titillating in the least. It’s the art we should have gotten for a book that REALLY tackled the complexities of women, rather than the stereotype of women, that we are all hanging out talking obsessively about our boyfriends and ex-boyfriends…because we are of course not whole people without men. Jeezus.
1.0 Stars, and that star is absolutely 100% a result of Zonjic’s stunning artwork, which I hope to see much much more of in the future.
*Marvel Divas #1 Marvel Solicitation: Diva (dee-vah), noun: An unusually glamorous and powerful woman. See: Patsy “Hellcat” Walker; Felicia “Black Cat” Hardy; Angelica “Firestar” Jones; and Monica “Photon” Rambeau. What happens when you take four of the Marvel Universe’s most fabulous single girls and throw them together, adding liberal amounts of suds and drama? You get the sassiest, sexiest, soapiest series to come out of the House of Ideas since Millie the Model! Romance, action, ex-boyfriends, and a last page that changes everything! Let your inner divas out with this one, fellas, you won’t regret it! Parental Advisory …$3.99
9 comments
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July 3, 2009 at 6:31 pm
Amy
I just read this and your comment is spot-on. I can’t say I was surprised, but I did have some hope once I saw the internal art. But no. I could even probably break down the characters into exactly which Sex and the City girl they’re modeled after, it was that explicit.
July 3, 2009 at 6:32 pm
Amy
also, your question re: who exactly this was meant to be marketed too is the same question I’ve been asking myself. And when Marvel cancels it because no one buys it, they’ll probably say it proves that women don’t read comics.
yeah.
July 4, 2009 at 4:19 am
1979semifinalist
Thanks Amy. I think I’m pretty dead on – but I’m sure many will disagree
I also had hope, considering Zonjic’s art, sadly, we were led astray. The art is the only awesome thing going on in the book.
As for the break down – TOTALLY. It’s Photon = Samantha; Firestar = Charlotte; Hellcat = Carrie; and Black Cat = Miranda.
They’ve slightly moved some of the actual plot lines around to different characters…because well, otherwise it would be practically a word for word rip off.
As for your second comment “when nobody buys it, they’ll probably say it proves that women don’t read comics” That is EXACTLY what is going to happen. And I think that’s why this issue has gotten me so riled up.
There’s objectification of women everywhere you look in comics, but this is so much more insulting, because they’re wrapping up stereotypes and objectification and telling us this is for US – “we made this especially for you ladies – aren’t you excited!” and then when we reject it, refuse to buy it, and stand up against it, the party line will absolutely be that “women comics readers don’t exist”.
Balls.
July 4, 2009 at 3:29 pm
Carrie
Thanks for this review. Any optimism I may have had about the potential for this series is now entirely gone. And you’re absolutely right that this will be used as an excuse to say that women don’t read comics. Totally disappointing.
July 5, 2009 at 9:58 am
lilacsigil
All I can say about this comic is that now I have a new artist to watch. Oh, and I’m glad I didn’t buy it.
I wonder if it’s for the same somewhat unfocused market as the considerably better Emma Frost series of a few years back – a focus on backstory and non-superhero activities, damaged by porny covers totally unrelated to the inside story or art? The difference being, of course, that “Emma Frost” had plot and characterisation.
July 5, 2009 at 3:51 pm
Amy
Your breakdown of the character equivalences exactly matches mine. Imagine my surprise.
I’m all for an exploration of life outside the costume, but it’s just insulting to the nth degree that *this* is what we get. I much prefer “Alias.” Despite a couple of things that bothered me about that comic, Jessica was a much more 3D, interesting, challenging character than these women are being portrayed as, from issue #1.
July 6, 2009 at 2:53 pm
Scraps
I suppose, in a way, _I_ am their target audience since I am actually a fan of chick-lit novels/movies, SaTC and comics (though more webcomics than the “traditional” superhero ones). But I gotta say, the promo for this one has NEVER interested me and your review certainly doesn’t make me want to go out and buy it.
Unlike some, I wasn’t insulted by the original pitch but only because while, on paper, it seemed like it was marketed towards me in reality it didn’t know who it was trying to reach. If they want to reach women like me, turn a Stephanie Plum or Kay Scarpetta-type (notice type, do something original along those lines, don’t just harvest full stories like the movies do) figure into a lead for a comic book.
July 6, 2009 at 10:08 pm
Geek Girls Rule! #90 – Review of Marvel Divas « Geek Girls Rule!!!
[...] Reviews: http://1979semifinalist.wordpress.com/2009/07/02/review-marvel-divas-1/ http://genderacrossborders.com/2009/06/30/marvel-divas-making-breast-cancer-sexy/ And the one [...]
July 7, 2009 at 1:15 am
1979semifinalist
lilacsigil: You are totally right – that’s the best, most glass half full way to look at this series – it has shined a bright light on a super talent in Tonci Zonjic, and hopefully because of all the (bad) press this book got, he’s gotten very noticed and will get a ton of new opportunities pushed his way.
It’s interesting you brought up the Emma Frost series. I actually love the Emma Frost/White Queen character, always kind of have (can’t help myself!) but I never bought that series based solely on the over the top porn-y covers. And in Emma’s case I generally don’t take umbrage with her clothing and over the top sex persona…because it’s not all there is to her (well, not when she’s being written well). It’s just one tiny aspect of her whole intricate self, and when it’s done right, I don’t really care that she’s wearing almost nothing most of the time and is drawn in a super sexual way…it’s part of who she is. Also, the character has openly talked about plastic surgery and spending millions to look the way she looks – so there’s an honesty there that is fascinating.
I think Emma Frost is a perfect example of what a lot of comics creators/writers/artists/editors miss about creating a female character (and I’m sorry to say that most of those creators are male) – I don’t think women want all our characters to be conservative non-sexy types that hate men, but we also don’t want all our characters to be over the top sex kittens with the bodies of professionally altered porn stars. We want them to be different and nuanced and about all sorts of things – just like women in real life are – and just like male characters should be. Eh. Just my 40 cents.
Amy: I read Alias for a while at the beginning – and I remember being pretty impressed with it. It’s been a while so I could be glossing over problems the series had, but I certainly remember it being about a billion times better than this crap. And that was what – six, seven, eight years ago now? Good to know we’re making progress…BACKWARD!
Scraps: I’m really glad you commented – both because I’m pleased to find someone that thinks this might have been marketed to them – and also to find out whether it worked for you or not – sounds like not so much.
While I’m glad there are readers like you out there – i.e. readers that like the chick flick/chick lit stuff and also read comics (the more variety the better I say!) I still don’t see your specific tastes as a majority of the female comics population. I mean, already female comics readers are a minority, so taking a small fraction of that minority (women with specific chick flick/chick lit interests) and marketing (sort of) towards them – just seems like a recipe for disaster – one that (as many have said) they can then shake their heads at and point their fingers in the women readers direction and say “see?! we tried?! you don’t buy comics!”
Oy. It’s an endless circle.