Comic Book Reviews (Week August 18, 2021): Catwoman Issue 34, Killer Queens Issue 1 & More!

Welcome to my comic book review round-up for the week of August 18, 2021. I talk about Catwoman Issue 34, Save Yourself Issue 3, Killer Queens Issue 1, and more!

So, beginning with Batman/Catwoman issue 6 by writer Tom King, if someone isn’t a fan of this story, I highly doubt the latest installment will change their mind. I have seen certain readers talk about false advertising due to the title, and I get that. There’s been very little Batman in this story and I don’t see that changing in the upcoming issues.

While this wasn’t the most enjoyable installment, I did like reading certain moments. King’s clearly fleshing out Selina as a character stuck between two worlds. She’s being pulled toward the Joker as well as Batman. Seeing her put up ornaments on a Christmas tree while conversing with the Joker was weirdly enjoyable to me. I think in Selina’s mind, the Joker’s only important to have around as long as Batman’s around. No wonder she decided to kill him when Bruce died. With an older Selina tagging along with her daughter to fight the next generation of criminals in Gotham, let’s see what kind of endgame King’s planned for her.

Does it have obvious queer characters? Yes.

Recommendation: Up to you.

Catwoman Issue 34

From writer Ram V, Catwoman issue 34 showed Selina taking on Father Valley. But before that, she and Bruce shared a sweet moment after he saved her from Father Valley’s attack in the previous issue. Now, I don’t know about you, but if I were in Selina’s shoes, I would have wanted my BatHubby to stick around for just a bit longer as I planned to take on an opponent who came very close to killing me.

While I enjoyed the Bat/Cat interaction, I think it could have been handled better. Why not have Oracle call Bruce to come back to Gotham due to an emergency or something? Seeing him not chase after Selina, knowing she’s diving deeper into trouble and is recovering from her injuries, made no sense to me.

As for Selina’s fight with Father Valley in Catwoman issue 34, he’s definitely someone who knows her well. Whatever Selina tried to throw at him, he had a counter for it. I also think Father Valley’s plan to hurt Selina through a particularly crazy yet impressive plan made a lot of sense. I’m looking forward to another rematch. Ram V’s telling a story every Catwoman fan should read.

Does it have obvious queer characters? Yes.

Recommendation: Pick it up.

Superman and the Authority Issue 2

We are halfway through this four-issue series by writer Grant Morrison and the entire team still hasn’t been formed. Having said that, I did enjoy reading Superman and the Authority issue 2 as we got to see Nat, Apollo, and Midnighter join the team. It’s fun to see Morrison’s dialogue and the overall art lean into the queerness of it all. Daddy Superman is shirtless in a number of panels. The creative team knows what they are doing.

Does it have obvious queer characters? Yes.

Recommendation: Pick it up.

Guardians of the Galaxy Issue 17

When reading the ‘The Last Annihilation’ event by writer Al Ewing, you know things will continue to get worse for our heroes. And that’s exactly what Guardians of the Galaxy issue 17 showed. The latest installment’s action-packed and with how things ended, I’m looking forward to seeing more. 

Does it have obvious queer characters? Yes.

Recommendation: Pick it up.

Power Rangers Issue 10

Co-writers Ryan Parrott and Rachel Wagner focused on Yale (the giant cat-like alien) in Power Rangers issue 10 and I couldn’t get enough of it. The poor kitty’s gone through a whole lot of grief and loss over the years. Yale’s all about helping others, even those who have been unkind toward it. I’m definitely happy to see Yale get an incredible opportunity at the end and how the rest of the Rangers will react to it.

Does it have obvious queer characters? No.

Recommendation: PICK IT UP!

Beyond the Breach Issue 2

By writer Ed Brisson, Beyond the Breach issue 2 gave us a lot of information to process. Apparently, there’s more than one world being forced to merge with ours. I wouldn’t be surprised if our cast of characters isn’t even on Earth anymore or if all of the worlds are existing in a separate time-space. Who or what caused such a merger to occur? I would like to know. Also, the newcomer Samuel is an interesting character and definitely someone Vanessa should urge to stick around because she’s clearly not much of a fighter yet.

Does it have obvious queer characters? No.

Recommendation: Pick it up. 

Killer Queens Issue 1

From David M. Booher, I’m here for space shenanigans in Killer Queens. The first issue doesn’t waste time introducing us to our two queer ex-assassin leads, Alex and Max, as well as their out-for-revenge ex-boss Bieti. The pencils by Claudia Balboni and colors by Harry Saxon give this new title a retro vibe that gels well with the storytelling style. It’s action-packed, witty, and self-aware. Just go read it already!

Does it have obvious queer characters? Yes.

Recommendation: PICK IT UP!

Nocterra Issue 6

Writer Scott Synder gave readers a satisfying conclusion to the current arc in Nocterra issue 6. I do think the story threads came together quite nicely while opening the doors for what’s yet to come for Val and Em. There’s been an emphasis on maintaining familial bonds and finding your community throughout this story. Such themes can come across as a bit cheesy. But Snyder’s been able to handle them quite well while giving readers ample gore, violence, and mysteries to think about.

Does it have obvious queer characters? No.

Recommendation: Pick it up.

Time Before Time Issue 4

From co-writers Declan Shalvey and Rory McConville, Time Before Time issue 4 made things worse for Tatsuo. That poor guy can’t seem to catch a break. He’s trapped inside a much bigger game involving the Union and the Syndicate in a world where time-traveling exists. At least Nadia seems to have warmed up to him. So, let’s see if she’s able to do something to help him out.

Does it have obvious queer characters? No.

Recommendation: Pick it up.

Save Yourself Issue 3

The third issue of the very queer comic book Save Yourself showed Gigi getting in on the action to save her brother-in-law Shawn. Not only that, but Gigi also came up with an idea to help expose the truth about the Lovely Trio and expose how they have been feeding on humans. I like to see normal humans trying their best to help superpowered beings, and Save Yourself gave me a good amount of that.

Also, I have to say that Bones Leopard made Mia have a well-written reaction to their teammates having a contingency plan against them. I don’t understand why certain superpowered people (*cough* the Justice League *cough*) act all hurt and betrayed when it’s revealed someone on their team (Duh! Of course, it was Batman!) created a contingency plan to put a stop to them if necessary. Mia actually felt proud their team had figured out a way to capture them if need be. I do think that’s the correct response when living in a world where aliens exist. The team’s preparedness is what helped them face the Lovely Trio. 

Does it have obvious queer characters? Yes.

Recommendation: PICK IT UP!

Rainbow Bridge OGN

I was provided with a free digital copy of Rainbow Bridge for review. The opinions I have shared are my own.

Rainbow Bridge is definitely going to hit you in the feels, especially if you are or have been a pet owner. Generally speaking, domestic pets aren’t capable of outliving their owners, and a majority of us have experienced the loss of a house cat or dog while growing up. From co-writers Steve Orlando and Steve Fox, Rainbow Bridge is about a young 14-year-old boy named Andy getting the opportunity to go on one last adventure with his pet dog Rocket in a fantastical realm.

Targeting young adult readers, this graphic novel is about cherishing your memories with beloved pets and finding the strength to move on to the next chapter of your life. With the first day of high school coming up, it made sense for Andy to feel anxious about such a big change without Rocket around. Not only does Andy need to be ready to take the next step, but Rocket also has to make sense of the new world he’s crossed over to, especially when danger’s inching closer and there’s unfinished business with his litter.

I loved how the narrative showed Andy and Rocket working together and finding strength in each other. And while this story did contain sad elements, the creative team’s more interested in focusing on the positive stuff through the art style and dialogue. Rainbow Bridge, when all is said and done, is about helping readers through a very tough universal experience. I appreciated the overall positivity in this book. You might come close to tears while reading it, but you will also be left with a little smile because you know that everything will be okay.

Does it have obvious queer characters? Yes.

Recommendation: PICK IT UP!

Snow Angels Season 2 Issue 3

I was provided with a free digital copy of Snow Angels Season 2 Issue 3 for review. The opinions I have shared are my own.

From writer Jeff Lemire, the third issue of Snow Angels issue 3 saw Milli make a stand against the deadly Snowman. As far as I can tell, I’m not sure if the Snowman wants to kill those two or not. I wouldn’t call him a good guy, but I think he wants to use Milli and Mae, or at least Milli, for something.

Along with trying to keep their distance from the Snowman, the latest issue continued Lemire’s narrative of making the little girls realize that what they have grown up believing in isn’t all true. Certain things seem to be true, but there’s a lot that’s still unknown. I think Lemire’s approach harkens back to how the grandest of stories, being told through centuries, still have a kernel of truth to them. You just have to find it.

I’m invested in what happens to Milli and Mae. Fingers crossed the two are able to find some sort of help from somewhere. They deserve it. With Milli and Mae having being separated, I’m looking forward to seeing how Mae fares on her own in the harsh cold environment because she’s been shown to be the baby of the family. I think having her be alone could make for some interesting character development.

Does it have obvious queer characters? No.

Recommendation: Pick it up.

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You can read Jessica’s review of Nightwing Issue 83 here.

Which comic books did you read this week? Are you picking up Catwoman Issue 34?

Let us know.

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