books

Mockingbird

Books: Graphic Novel | Super Hero | Marvel

I Can Explain (2016), My Feminist Agenda (2017)

I Can Explain (2016) Chelsea Cain, Kate Niemczyk, Ibrahim Moustafa, Joelle Jones

To be honest, I think I need to read this again later.

There was much I liked–a lot I liked–but the story was described as a puzzle box, and some of it seemed to depend upon previous knowledge of characters, so I'm not sure if my confusion stemmed from that or from the puzzle-like nature of the story.

But as I said, there was a lot I enjoyed.

Take these scenes where she is in the waiting room at the medical facility.

There is a lot going on in those panels, mostly in the background, and I know that if I knew more about those background characters it would be even funnier. I mean, look at the pamphlet the one guy is holding.

The whole comic was like that with a ton of little things going on in the background.

And then there was the random stuff that just cracked me up.


So although I need to reread and think about it some more, I did enjoy it–despite all the bits I am sure I was missing.

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I said after the first time I read this it was going to need a second reading. But I decided to wait until I had a paper version of the comic, since the ebook versions of comics don't work well for me.

I enjoyed it far more the second time, partially because it was on paper, and partially because I had a better idea of what was going on with the story.

It is a puzzlebox, and it is confusing, but it is also awfully fun.

Published by Marvel

My Feminist Agenda (2017) Chelsea Cain, Kate Niemczyk, Sean Parsons, Rachelle Rosenberg

I'll be honest, I didn't understand most of what was going on here.

But I really didn't care, because I found the whole thing fascinating.

Mocking bird receives a ticket to a cruise from an anonomous source. Since she's trying to get out of town, she decided to take the risk and go on the cruise.

The cruise is insane.

So many geek figures that I recognized were name checked, I'm positive there were far more than I didn't recognize.

It was silly and ridiculous and delightful and fun, and much of the explanation of this story and the first volume comes at the very end, which is an explanation of how she became the way she did.

Is this for everyone? Probably not, but I enjoyed it and want to read it again to see what I figure out the second time through and I'd love to read more about Mockingbird, although I fear I wouldn't enjoy it nearly as much.

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Clarification: the last two chapters (issues) in this book are NOT written by Chelsea Cain et al. They from The New Avengers.

I didn't like them.

The difference between the two was kind of amazing. In the Cain chapters, Bobbi is intelligent and snarky and drawn like a real (if gorgeous) woman. Her clothes fit and are realistic. The New Avengers bits? Painted on clothes, and she does not come across as smart and confident. I realize that is partially because she's gone through a tremendous change, but still–she was a different character entirely.

But the real bits? The parts written by Chelsea Cain et al?

MARVELOUS.

Silly and ridiculous and fun and taught a fair amount about her backstory without being overwhelmed.

Published by Marvel