Bitch Planet #2 - A Review

With the basic premise of its world established in the first issue, Bitch Planet #2 travels at a more sedate pace as the basic plot begins to unfurl. We find out that the society of this world is built around an annual sporting event called Megaton - or Duemila if you're a snob.  Apparently general interest in the bloodsport is waning, which displeases The Powers That Be. Luckily, the overseer of Bitch Planet has an idea on how some of his charges might be put to work in solving this problem.


It seems paradoxical that after all the originality we saw in the first issue, that this second issue should prove so relatively mundane. The idea of a dystopia built around bread and circuses is nothing new (Do the words Hunger Games ring a bell?) and The Overseer's plan is straight out of the 1974 Pam Grier film The Arena. Yet while one may have heard a song before, how the band plays can alter the tune. Such is the case with Kelly Sue DeConnick's script, which wrings new life out of the familiar premises.


Talking of Pam Grier, one can't help but see her in artist Valentine De Landro's design for our protagonist Kamau Kogo. Not because the character seems to be a direct caricature of Grier but because she's evocative of the sort of grindhouse heroines Grier built a career on playing.  Whether the homage is intentional or not, it speaks to how effectively De Landro captures the aesthetic of the genre that I should immediately hear the voice of Cofy as I read the dialogue and look at the artwork.

Bitch Planet #1 - A Review

To say that Bitch Planet defied my expectations would be an understatement. The series was originally described to me as as a satire of sexploitation - a feminist reworking of the classic Grindhouse pictures of yore, specifically targeting movies like Black Mama White Mama and Chained Heat with a sci-fi twist. Technically that is true, but it is as helpful in describing this series as saying that the sun as "a big hot thing that can kill you."

In truth, I'm reluctant to describe Bitch Planet as science-fiction because of the optimistic connotations that go along with that phrase. Yes, it does take place in the future on another planet, but this is not Star Trek. The world of Bitch Planet is no Utopia, unless you're a Gamergate supporter or an Evangelic Christian. Let us instead call it Future Fiction, for the story of Bitch Planet is a cautionary tale akin to It Can't Happen Here or The Handmaiden's Tale.


We don't get any details of how this Earth came into existence. In truth, we don't need any. It is enough for us to know that, on this version of Earth, women who fail to conform to society's expectations are shot into space and put to work off-world on an "auxiliary compliance outpost" known as Bitch Planet.  This goes beyond simply sending away murderers and career criminals - it also includes sending away feminists, women who are overweight and wives who fail to submit to their husband's authority! Or wives whose husbands got sick of them and decided to trade them in for a newer model.

Far-fetched? Not really. As an essay by Danielle Henderson of Feminist Ryan Gosling in the back of the book notes, what we see in Bitch Planet is only a slight exaggeration of what is expected of women in modern American culture.  Any woman who fails to live up to the zeitgeist of what is proper runs the risk of becoming an outcast of the culture. And while Kelly Sue DeConnick explores these issues in the midst of a prison riot in space, that does not make the reality of these issues any less serious.


The artwork by Valentine De Landro subtly evokes the same B-movie aesthetic as the script.  For instance, the point-of-view shots linger on nude women in the background but are more modestly framed in the close-ups.  It is a small touch, but one that emulates a time-honored technique used in exploitation films, as the creators could argue with the censors that you really couldn't see the nudity if it is further away.

There is much to recommend Bitch Planet beyond its artistry in emulating the worst aspects of a low art-form. It stands on its own merits as a warning, a satire and a ripping yarn. And if nothing else, it is worth buying in order to piss off some people who need to be pissed off on a regular basis.

Legends Of Red Sonja #5 - A Review

Legends of Red Sonja #5 ends this wonderful mini-series on a high note.  It is notable that there hasn't truly been a bad story in this anthology (no surprise given the talent involved) but there have been several stories that weren't really about Red Sonja.

The first tale in this issue is a prime example of this, being focused upon one of the mercenaries tracking down our favorite fire-haired amazon.  Written by Attack Of The Show host Blair Butler, The Pazyryk delivers a lot of action but isn't truly a legend of Red Sonja.  Sure, she shows up at the end to dispatch the titular warrior, but the tale isn't really hers.



Ironically, the same can't be said of the second chapter in this volume - The Play's The Thing.  Scripted by Captain Marvel writer Kelly Sue DeConnick, Sonja doesn't appear in this story but it is definitely about her.  The humor is heavy in this tale where a group of players describe their encounter with the She Devil of Hyrkania to villains by putting on a show!



All of this is ably illustrated by some equally talented artists.  Leaving Megapolis artist Jim Calafiore does a truly epic job on The Pazyryk.  Valentine De Landro's sketchy style leaves The Play's The Thing fittingly looking like a painted woodcut.  And Jack Jadson - one of the finest sword and sorcery artists in the business - brings everything to an epic conclusion along with Gail Simone in the final pages.