86 Days Until San diego Comic-Con 2016

I was gonna continue down the list to Best Publication for Kids (9-12), but I read a comic today that I don’t think belongs in the same post as children’s comics.

Best Humor Publication for 2016

Cyanide & Happiness: Stab Factory, by Kris Wilson, Rob DenBleyker, and Dave McElfatrick (BOOM! Studios/BOOM! Box)
Deep Dark Fears, by Fran Krause (Ten Speed Press)
Sexcastle, by Kyle Starks (Image)
Step Aside, Pops: A Hark! A Vagrant Collection, by Kate Beaton (Drawn & Quarterly)
UR, by Eric Haven (AdHouse)

So I went with the Humor Publication instead…I think that can be more appropriate or at least not link children to the comic I read today, and that was…Bitch Planet #1

Wow! That was a very brutal, hit me upside the head comic.

Issue:Bitch Planet #1
Published: December 2014 by Image Comics

Blurb: From Comixology: 2014 Best Writer Eisner Award nominee KELLY SUE DeCONNICK (PRETTY DEADLY, Captain Marvel) and VALENTINE DE LANDRO (X-Factor) team up for the very third time to bring you the premiere issue of BITCH PLANET, their highly-anticipated womenin- prison sci-fi exploitation riff. Think Margaret Atwood meets Inglourious Basterds.

Creators:
Writer: Kelly Sue DeConnick
Artist: Valentine De Landro
Colorer: Cris Peter
Letterer: Clayton Cowles
Cover Design & Logo DesignL Rian Hughes
Backmatter Design: Laurenn McCubbin
Editor: Lauren Sankovitch

Characters:
The Good: Not really sure here, but I think Penny Rolle and Kamau Kogo, but they are some badasses. For ‘innocent’, I’d say Marion Collins seems a good fit.
The Bad: Everyone seems to have some flavor of badness – the worst is Mr. Collins who cheated on his wife and who’s first wife is the ‘innocent’ Marion Collins above. Since this isn’t a superhero comic, I don’t know if good/bad really fit, but we’ll see.
The Undecided: Everyone has plenty shades of grey or so it seems so far…

Story (A-): The story wants me to read more even though the brutal violence and misogyny were pretty foul. If you are ready for it, the story is pretty interesting and I think I can appreciate where it is coming from. Apparently there is a planet they send “non-compliant” women – at least we see the planet of women – there may be one for men, but with the treatment Mr. Collins gets, I doubt it. He’s a real ass and his wife ends up on Bitch Planet because she is non-compliant with his desires. Not really my kind of story, but it is well told.

Art (B): The art is definietly more modern than what I have been reading and the layouts do a good job carrying the pacing or at least what I think the pacing should be. The images of Mr. Collins show him to be scumbag but then the authorities on Earth seem to be pretty much you standard civil servant.

Characters (B): Penny and Kamau are definitely the stars of this issue. Both have been around the block and know how to take care of themselves. Mr. Collins as I said, is a scumbag, and Marian certainly seems to be “compliant” or at least is now. I am a bit ticked by the easy target of Catholicism – when are people going to recognize that attacking a religion is not the answer when you are trying to get across a point.

Enjoyment (B+): Once I got over the shock and awe, I calmed down and enjoyed the read.

Special extra (B+): New comic…first issue…new characters… I think this gets high special extra points.

Overall (A): with 39 (9.75) points this gets an A. I enjoyed the issue but like I said, you gotta be prepared for what you are reading. I will definitely be more prepared for issue 2.

A Rookie Perspective: This is definitely a departure from the Silver Age Marvel comics I’ve been reading. I can see how this might end up on a short list for best new comic, at least from what I know.  Give it a read, but be prepared.

This comic can be found on Comixology and in you local comic book shop.