Review: A-Force - Warzones

On the idyllic island of Arcadia, She-Hulk governs as the Baroness and leader of the elite A-Force. When one of the members of A-Force is banished for breaking the rules of the island, She-Hulk and the others launch a mission to bring her back. However, they soon discover that there is a traitor in their midst and must force them out before any further damage can be caused.

A-Force: Warzones collects the five issue mini-series A-Force, written by G. Willow Wilson and Marguerite Bennett with art by Jorge Molina.

Despite the fact that there are so many strong heroines in the Marvel Universe, very few series have been created featuring an all-female team à la Birds of Prey. There was the mini-series Marvel Divas and its thematic sequel Heralds, as well as the female-led X-Men. However, such Marvel releases are hard to keep in publication and even titles starring singular heroines are often swiftly cancelled. A-Force was originally published as a tie-in mini-series to Secret Wars, becoming a teaser for the subsequent ongoing series that debuted in January of 2016. Writers G. Willow Wilson and Marguerite Bennett used this opportunity to throw as many heroines into one book as possible and create a fascinating one-off storyline featuring characters that otherwise get sidelined during major events. It’s a fun, breezy read that emphasizes sisterhood and the power of female friendship.

When reading A-Force, it’s hard not to feel like it’s actually a Wonder Woman story that was re-purposed using Marvel heroines instead. Arcadia is envisioned as a “feminist paradise” by Wilson, which means that it seems like it was created to be Marvel’s version of Themyscira. We see Loki positioned in a role that’s very similar to Circe’s and the Thor brigade is certainly very Amazonian as well. She-Hulk is also devoid of much of her more defining characteristics and instead comes across as a green-skinned Wonder Woman, especially in her role as a ruler and leader. Of course, I can’t blame Wilson and Bennett for knowingly or unknowingly borrowing elements from the wonderful world of Wonder Woman. She is the best fictional heroine and her segment of the DC Universe remains vastly underrated.

I love the conceptualization of this mini-series and really like the cast that Wilson and Bennett use throughout. There are a lot of great cameos, but much of the focus is placed on She-Hulk, Nico Minoru and newcomer Singularity. The latter two are especially well-written and I find Singularity to be quite a scene-stealer. As a massive Dazzler fan, I was pleased to see her utilized as one of the main members of A-Force. However, the writers never really bothered to develop much of a personality for her beyond the somewhat tired “mutant disco queen” role everyone seems to tote out when she makes an appearance. Similarly, Captain Marvel goes woefully underused and Medusa has only one defining moment in the entire series. Even still, I have to give it to the writers for chanelling into the key ingredient that made Birds of Prey such a beloved series for DC Comics – friendship. There’s an electric chemistry that exists between all characters. We’re seeing them not only as comrades in arms, but also as friends and companions. This sense of familiarity between them is often lacking from most mainstream comics, where it seems like most teams can only ever have a maximum of one or two women on it. So where Wilson and Bennett stumble in the character development department, they almost make up for it with character interaction.

Though I hate to admit it, Wilson and Bennett’s work is all but overshadowed by Jorge Molina’s gorgeous artwork. The characters are so vibrant that they practically jump off the page. Everything from the expressions (especially Singularity’s) to the hair is done so impeccably well that I was left staring at the images long after I’d finished reading the words on the pages. In fact, the last time I remember Dazzler looking so beautiful was when Sana Takeda drew her for an appearance during Curse of the Mutants.

A-Force: Warzones is an enjoyable read featuring just about every Marvel heroine you can imagine. It’s a treat to fans of these characters and it’s entertaining. I also love the themes it presents and the overall chemistry between the characters. Most importantly, it sets the groundwork for the ongoing series that spun out of Secret Wars, thus proving that an all-female team of Avengers can and does work. At the same time, A-Force is fairly disposable as a one-off mini-series and lacks depth in its portrayal of many of its characters. It’s trying to capture the magic of Birds of Prey, but falls short of its target.

RATING: B