Review: A-Force Volume 1 - Hypertime

Having been jettisoned from her world, the being known as Singularity finds herself in a new universe and has unknowingly brought the malicious entity Antimatter with her. She recruits She-Hulk, Medusa, Captain Marvel, Nico Minoru, and Dazzler to help combat this threat. Together this new team must overcome their unfamiliarity with one another in order to protect Singularity and save the people of Earth.

A-Force Volume 1: Hypertime collects A-Force #1-4, Avengers #83, A-Force #1 and material from Avengers #0, written by G. Willow Wilson and Kelly Thompson with art by Jorge Molina.

Hypertime picks up after the events of the A-Force mini-series, which was a tie-in to Secret Wars. Singularity, who made her debut in that series, serves as the catalyst that assembles A-Force and becomes the emotional nucleus of the arc. She’s lost in our universe and faces the difficult challenge of both finding a new home for herself and of facing off against the villainous Antimatter. Thankfully, she has the (sometimes reluctant) help of She-Hulk, Medusa, Captain Marvel, Nico Minoru, and Dazzler. Wilson and Thompson do a respectable job of penning this organic origin story for A-Force. They give them a cosmic threat that helps to emphasize the importance and sheer firepower of this team.  It’s an action-packed narrative with plenty of character development that takes us all around the world and into space.

Each character in A-Force has a distinctive voice and purpose, though some more than others. Singularity is an obvious standout. Beyond her absolutely adorable look and behaviour, her dialogue is unique and helps us to view her as childishly endearing. She-Hulk and Medusa are equally as dynamic, with the former serving as the courageous leader and the latter as the haughty monarch. Admittedly, Nico Minoru isn’t as much of a standout as she was in the mini-series and Captain Marvel feels unnecessary. As a Dazzler fan, I have some issues with her characterization, particularly the scene where she punches Singularity for no reason and the snarky dialogue throughout. That said, Wilson and Thompson can’t be held wholly responsible for it seeing as it was Brian Michael Bendis who set the character on this darker path. Fortunately, the creative team here is taking the appropriate steps to bring lightness back to this typically optimistic heroine. The other issue I had regarding characterization stemmed from the clichéd tendency to dumb down the cast in order to make the science expert (Dr. Tempest Bell) sound smart. Her dialogue isn’t that science-y and is easy to understand even for a layman (at least as far as this non-STEM oriented human is concerned), so it’s disappointing that both Wilson and Thompson would be okay with portraying a cast of strong, smart heroines as being unable to understand what Dr. Bell is saying. Dazzler dated a doctor and Beast for crying out loud, not to mention the fact that her powers are super nerdy and she, like She-Hulk, has a postsecondary education! She can follow a little sciencespeak.

Jorge Molina’s artwork is absolutely stunning. Every character is vibrant and unique, which is aided by an unparalleled expressiveness. He captures Dazzler’s sullen attitude as well as he’s able to convey Dr. Bell’s sheepishness and Singularity’s innocence. I also can’t get over how magical hair looks under his careful hand. The work he does on Medusa’s hair alone is awe-inspiring. The combination of Wilson and Thompson’s epic narrative paired with Molina’s art elevates A-Force to a quality that establishes it as A-list worthy. That’s why it’s so heart wrenching that audiences weren’t able to see that.

A-Force Volume 1: Hypertime is a fantastic read. It’s a breezy, globe-trotting adventure that proves itself worthy of being considered as important as the Avengers or Spider-Man flagship titles. The characterization and dialogue is strong throughout, while the art is gorgeous and suits the writing perfectly. The only complaint I have regarding this particular trade is what it collects. Since it’s only a four issue arc, the trade is padded with the first issue of the A-Force mini-series and the issue of the Avengers that introduced the Lady Liberators. The inclusion of these issues is unnecessary and seems like Marvel’s way of justifying charging people $17.99 (and a whopping $23.99 Canadian) for this trade. You’re only getting four new issues! Given its cancellation, they would have been better off waiting to collect issues 5-7 with this set.

RATING: B+

Review: Jem and the Holograms Volume 2 - Viral

After being signed to the same label as their musical rivals, Jem and the Holograms must learn to navigate the murky waters of working in such close proximity with the Misfits. Meanwhile, the shifty Eric Raymond is assigned as the new manager of the Misfits. His first order of business? To dig up dirt on the competition. What Eric finds out may very well mean the end of Jem and the Holograms.

Jem and the Holograms Volume 2: Viral collects Jem and the Holograms #7-10, the Outrageous Annual 2015 and the 2015 Holiday Special, written by Kelly Thompson with art by Jen Bartel, Sophie Campbell, Agnes Garbowska, Corin Howell, Rebekah Isaacs and more.

Following their splashy concert opposite the Mistfits’ Vs. competition, Jem and the Holograms are riding high on a new level of popularity and acclaim. However, Jerrica is finding it increasingly difficult to manage the group while her sisters and bandmates are off pursuing their own interests. This leaves her alone to make the big decisions – like signing to the same label as the Misfits and agreeing to open for them on tour. Unbeknownst to Jerrica and the others, the Misfits’ new manager Eric Raymond is working tirelessly to ensure that Jem and the Holograms are nothing more than a flash in the pan. These developments make up the bulk of Viral, which build upon the events that preceded it in Showtime. Writer Kelly Thompson continues to show off her knowledge and affection for the classic cartoon through this introduction of Eric Raymond (that snake!) and she even has Shana pursuing fashion design. However, she adds new layers by digging into more realistic emotional components. Namely, we’re seeing Jerrica struggling to keep the group going and Kimber remains very much hung up on Stormer.

For the most part, Viral continues to build on the events that preceded it in Showtime. Thompson does this through the introduction of new characters (the aforementioned Eric Raymond, as well as the slimy hacker Techrat) and by rolling out new plot developments. Thompson’s pacing is impeccable for the vast majority of these issues in that respect. She knows how to tease out a series of dramatic reveals, all of which lead into an explosive Halloween-themed issue that ends with two incredible cliffhangers. Not to spoil anything – but Thompson’s twist regarding a beloved character hikes the tension up to an unbearable level. Unfortunately, what proceeds it is a rather oddly plotted issue that focuses almost entirely on Rio and explores his past and present relationships with the Misfits and with Jerrica. Thompson does almost nothing with the dangling plot threads from the issue that preceded it, with the only sense of progression being when Jerrica agrees to tour with the Misfits.

The annual and Christmas special are placed at the beginning and end of this collection, which contribute to an overall sense of filler to this chunk of stories. This, of course, isn’t a fair assessment as these are bonus stories intended to be enjoyed outside of the main narrative. Regardless, both are super fun. The annual features a series of dream sequences wherein the Holograms imagine themselves in parodies of iconic movies (i.e. Jerrica in Teen Wolf, Aja in Mad Max), with each sequence drawn by a different artist. The issue doesn’t exactly develop the characters, but it does have a lot of fun dialogue and it showcases their personalities really well (especially Aja’s). The Christmas special feels less tacked on, as it is clearly set shortly after the events of issue 10. The Holograms go to a holiday party thrown by their record label and are unwittingly forced into doing a Secret Santa with the Misfits. What follows is a really sweet and heartwarming exchange that shows readers a different side of the Misfits – without undermining their reputation, of course.

Overall, Jem and the Holograms Volume 2: Viral is not quite as poppy and electric as the volume that preceded it. The absence of Sophie Campbell on art duties is felt and diminishes the overall aesthetic quality of this collection. That said, Emma Vieceli (who handles the bulk of the pencils here) is an excellent replacement. Her style is similar to Campbell’s, though it’s admittedly less whimsical, and the characters look beautifully expressive throughout. The same cannot be said for Corin Howell, whose work on issue 10 is extremely rough and clashes entirely with the aesthetic of Jem and the Holograms. Thankfully, Thompson is on point for the vast majority of the issues collected here. Her dialogue and character dynamics continue to be captivating, thus cultivating a very loveable cast. She gets bonus points for her cliffhangers, but a slight demerit for issue 10’s maddening halting pace.

RATING: B

Review: Jem and the Holograms Volume 1 - Showtime

With a deadline looming for entries into a music contest, singer-songwriter Jerrica Benton is gripped with anxiety and strage fright. Facing the prospect of dropping out and letting her bandmates down, Jerrica overcomes her fear by transforming into the glamorous Jem with the help of a holographic computer program created by her late father. After a splashy online debut, Jem and the Holograms achieve viral popularity – much to the chagrin of the spastic Misfits.

Jem and the Holograms Volume 1: Showtime collects issues 1-6 of Jem and the Holograms written by Kelly Thompson and illustrated by Sophie Campbell.

As a team, Kelly Thompson and Sophie Campbell were charged with a rather challenging task – update an iconic (and totally outrageous!) ‘80s cartoon for today’s comic book readership. What they accomplished was spectacular and inspired. They hit the ground running by telling the origins of the titular Jem and the Holograms, eschewing the villainous Eric Raymond and Starlight Records in favour of having their popularity stem from a music contest held by the Misfits (who have been seemingly established as an A-list rock group in this version). Thompson’s dialogue improves upon the characters we know and love from the cartoon, particularly giving them more distinct personalities that help the reader relate to them more. Aja is more sarcastic and has constant playful banter with Kimber, while Kimber herself is seen as an always-late flake that is as loud as she is talented. Shana sits comfortably as the voice of reason, filling the role of mediator whenever arguments arise. Interestingly, Thompson seems to lose Jerrica’s voice and personality in the process of fleshing out her sisters. I love the new dimension of Jerrica suffering from anxiety as it makes her easier to relate to personally and her relationship with Rio seems much more organic than it did in the cartoon, but she isn’t as pronounced as a savvy businesswoman and her quietness makes her seem dull in comparison to her bandmates.

From their debut onwards, Thompson and Campbell unravel a series of events that serve to develop the characters further. Kimber begins a secretive relationship with Stormer of the rival group the Misfits, Jerrica must contend with Rio’s negative perception of Jem (basically he thinks Jem is selfish and not a team player), and the Holograms pull double duty trying to prepare for the Mistfits’ music contest and a charity event for which they’ve volunteered their talent. The pacing is great as it moves the story along with a jaunty pace – occasionally tossing in splashy musical scenes artfully rendered by Campbell. The mix of interpersonal drama and their musical exploits is handled well, thankfully never veering too far into the melodrama box its animated predecessor often did. Thompson and Campbell work well together in this respect, as they’re able to balance camp with serious drama. Kimber’s relationship with Stormer becomes an emotional focal point for the readers. While there’s a humorous side to the subplot, it’s played straight (pardon the pun) and we see an impeccably well-written relationship that feels neither exploitative nor forced. It’s a development I love and one which helps to, not only endears me to, but relate to both Kimber and Stormer. On the other side of the equation, Thompson and Campbell do not pull back from the absolute insanity that is Pizzazz. They allow her to have epic meltdowns, often cumulating in fits of rage. It gels with her animated persona and it’s absolutely hilarious to see, made all the more gut-busting by Campbell’s unrivaled expressiveness.

While Thompson’s dialogue and plotting is flawless throughout, not nearly enough can be said about Campbell’s work as the book’s artist. It’s vibrant, outrageous, colourful, expressive, dynamic, glamorous, punk, girlie, sexy and a million other things. Everything from the way she draws hair to the special care she takes to create characters that are visually distinct from one another makes this book truly extraordinary. Part of what I love about this book is how inclusive it is. Not only is it explicitly and unapologetically LGBTQ+-friendly, but Campbell came up with a series of character designs that speak to today’s modern society. She gives the cast different body types, all of which more accurately reflect what we see in the real world. For instance, I adore that Stormer is portrayed as a desirable love interest for Kimber and as the key to the Misfits’ success (she writes their songs) rather than as the sassy or supportive best friend archetype as would usually be the case based on the body type Campbell draws her with here.

As one can imagine, it’s difficult trying to adapt the seminal Jem and the Holograms three decades later. Thompson and Campbell capture the fashion, aesthetic and nostalgia surrounding the series. The comics obviously lack the same structure, given the fact that each episode of Jem contained music videos and are comics a strictly visual medium, but does an admirable job of trying to stay true to the essence of the outrageous cartoon. There’s camp and drama – but most importantly there’s glamour, glitter, fashion and fame. Thompson and Campbell make me invested in these characters, while the latter especially creates a gloriously technicolour world full of distinctive musicians and crazy fashions. While it’s not a facsimile or a continuation of the original cartoon, Jem and the Holograms Volume 1: Showtime is a vibrant update on a classic. It’s clear that its creators have respect for the source material, so much so that we see little nods to the series via cameos (Ba Nee! Ashley! Lindsey Pierce!) and fashion choices. I thoroughly enjoyed this first set of issues and look forward to the rest.

RATING: A