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chitownbookworm's review
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
satyajitc's review
4.0
Pleasantly surprised at how well this series holds up as both social commentary and science fiction.
stilldirty's review
4.0
So, THAT happened.
The overall story of Martha Washington is kinda cool—in a somewhat ridiculous, yet, fun-to-read and don't get too invested sorta way. As a fan of Frank Miller (Sin City, Dark Knight Returns, etc.) and Dave Gibbons (Watchmen, The Originals), I was excited to see what these two guys (who I would never have thought to place in the same pool as a possible comic team-up) could come up with for an unconventional and unusual character story.
There are probably some political undertones here that would rub some people the wrong way; people who don't want politics associated with their comics, for one. And that's actually me, for the most part. But since I'm somewhat apathetic about that sort of thing in the first place, it was easy to just take it all in as satire and poking fun at things. You get Miller's tongue-in-cheekiness and Gibbons's "economical" art styling compounded to make a substantial story that's easy enough to like. And the way Dave Gibbons draws in the first place is characterizable as dispassionate and fair, while being very proficient and expressive.
Basically, I'm not shocked that I never even got a whiff of this book in all the years of the contents being produced until I saw the trade on the shelf at a used bookstore, but I'm glad I got the chance to check it out in its entirety after-the-fact because I might have lost interest between the single issues coming out. Kind of like having to watch a good TV show that becomes mediocre in the week-to-week format, instead of bingeing handfuls of episodes over days and liking it more than you would.
The overall story of Martha Washington is kinda cool—in a somewhat ridiculous, yet, fun-to-read and don't get too invested sorta way. As a fan of Frank Miller (Sin City, Dark Knight Returns, etc.) and Dave Gibbons (Watchmen, The Originals), I was excited to see what these two guys (who I would never have thought to place in the same pool as a possible comic team-up) could come up with for an unconventional and unusual character story.
There are probably some political undertones here that would rub some people the wrong way; people who don't want politics associated with their comics, for one. And that's actually me, for the most part. But since I'm somewhat apathetic about that sort of thing in the first place, it was easy to just take it all in as satire and poking fun at things. You get Miller's tongue-in-cheekiness and Gibbons's "economical" art styling compounded to make a substantial story that's easy enough to like. And the way Dave Gibbons draws in the first place is characterizable as dispassionate and fair, while being very proficient and expressive.
Basically, I'm not shocked that I never even got a whiff of this book in all the years of the contents being produced until I saw the trade on the shelf at a used bookstore, but I'm glad I got the chance to check it out in its entirety after-the-fact because I might have lost interest between the single issues coming out. Kind of like having to watch a good TV show that becomes mediocre in the week-to-week format, instead of bingeing handfuls of episodes over days and liking it more than you would.
ubalstecha's review
4.0
Martha was born in an alternate history America, one where the poor are locked into the slum/tenement housing provided by the government. From there she joins PAX, part peace corps, part military police, part army. She rises through the ranks and becomes a war hero, and treasonous rebel. And we see her as she passes finally dies at the age of 100.
Martha Washington is probably Frank Miller's best work. Or at the very least his most feminist. Martha is not a sex kitten who uses her body to get what she wants, nor is she a male vision of what a strong woman is. She is a strong female character in the tradition of Elizabeth Moon's Paksenarion and Tanya Huff's Torin Kerr.
This omnibus is a little disjointed, but that is due to how Miller wrote the Martha Washington series. Some chapters were written before others, while he deliberately chose not to cover certain chapters of her life. Still it is enjoyable and leaves you wanting to know more about this amazing woman.
Martha Washington is probably Frank Miller's best work. Or at the very least his most feminist. Martha is not a sex kitten who uses her body to get what she wants, nor is she a male vision of what a strong woman is. She is a strong female character in the tradition of Elizabeth Moon's Paksenarion and Tanya Huff's Torin Kerr.
This omnibus is a little disjointed, but that is due to how Miller wrote the Martha Washington series. Some chapters were written before others, while he deliberately chose not to cover certain chapters of her life. Still it is enjoyable and leaves you wanting to know more about this amazing woman.
nathanialjg's review
challenging
dark
lighthearted
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
It’s absolutely incredible that this book exists. Tbqh, this should get as much hype as Watchmen or The Dark Knight.
ultranurd's review
4.0
This was quite enjoyable. It's nice to see Frank Miller's writing in a context that isn't as dark as Sin City or as gory as 300. I think what makes it work is the heavy emphasis on action, combined with an occasionally goofy sense of humor. The various behind-the-scenes bits worked in between the chapter/series breaks were interesting. I also liked some of the amusing references and crossovers; I spotted a mention of the Silver Surfer, and Big Boy made an appearance (I'd only watched the short-lived animated series).
Most of the story arcs were enjoyable, if a bit over the top in their emphasis on extreme political views. I was a little sad to see that Ayn Rand was a big influence, on account of the community of übermensch going off to create a better world, but it worked in the allegory I think. My biggest disappointment was with the last issue, the way they wrapped up her story, leaving a big gap. I would loved to have seen more of the Martha character, but I guess at this point they've moved on to other projects.
Also big points to putting together all of the series in one big volume, in an appropriate chronological order, with edits as needed. Really wish other comic book titles would take that to heart. I know they're supposed to be episodic, but I much prefer to consume the stories in bulk, to see the characters evolve and the plot move forward, without having to wait for the next issue.
Another note I'd make is that this is another example of recent past depictions of the near future going too far in some tech areas (hard AI, energy weapons, space travel, etc.) and yet mostly missing the cultural impact of the Web and mobile communications. Granted, Martha's world is kinda screwy compared to ours, but I wonder if the authors just didn't picture the changes we have experienced.
Overall quite a fun read.
Most of the story arcs were enjoyable, if a bit over the top in their emphasis on extreme political views. I was a little sad to see that Ayn Rand was a big influence, on account of the community of übermensch going off to create a better world, but it worked in the allegory I think. My biggest disappointment was with the last issue, the way they wrapped up her story, leaving a big gap. I would loved to have seen more of the Martha character, but I guess at this point they've moved on to other projects.
Also big points to putting together all of the series in one big volume, in an appropriate chronological order, with edits as needed. Really wish other comic book titles would take that to heart. I know they're supposed to be episodic, but I much prefer to consume the stories in bulk, to see the characters evolve and the plot move forward, without having to wait for the next issue.
Another note I'd make is that this is another example of recent past depictions of the near future going too far in some tech areas (hard AI, energy weapons, space travel, etc.) and yet mostly missing the cultural impact of the Web and mobile communications. Granted, Martha's world is kinda screwy compared to ours, but I wonder if the authors just didn't picture the changes we have experienced.
Overall quite a fun read.
lmwanak's review
4.0
I heard of this book during a Black Tribbles podcast. I never heard of it before, but reading it now, I'm blown away by it. It's a Frank Miller/Dave Gibbons collaboration, same dudes that did Sin City and Watchmen. It's not so dark and grim as those graphic novels, but definitely gritty. There's still violence, there's still bloodshed. But it's a fascinating look at an alternative United states, and it's all done through a black woman's viewpoint.
Life and Times starts off with Martha being born with Cabrini Green reimagined as a maximum security housing project. Right off the bat mixing unfamiliar with familiar. People sleeping in rows of bunk beds behind locked bars. Living quarters the size of closets. Dirty sidewalks, and rampant crime. The shift of years of the same president, his continuous reign marching from cautiously cheering crowds to arm guards and tanks with guns.
We follow Martha as she goes from Cabrini Green survivor to mental institute patient, to soldier. Interesting that for all her life, She's not shown with relaxed hair. No black women are. Can't tell if this is deliberate. But We see Martha with an afro, a buzzcut, cornrolls, locs, and no hair at all.
And the other thing we see--Martha has faith in God. This is something that's never shaken from her, even though she is sent to war and sees atrocities and wrongs, her belief in God, and her sense that she was put there for a reason, never shakes.
The way Martha is drawn is interesting. Most of the time, she's drawn unsmiling, a snarl if she's fighting, or just the badass stare. She's drawn as a mature woman, and most of the book, you forget that by the time she joins PAX, she's only a teenager. A good chunk of the story is her as a teenager, and yet she goes through stuff that makes her age quickly into a gritty war veteran.
There's this one picture of her standing in full uniform, bald and confident, with a slight smile. It is the youngest I've ever seen of her. She almost looks...optimistic. Cheerful. Turn the page, and she is shooting a huge gun, muscled arm, gritted teeth, chiseled, torn jeans, a ripped bandanna tied around her head. There's nothing sweet about her now. She's got a job to do, and she does it, not with pleasure, or with hate. It's a job and it needs to be done.
That's how her story is. Martha makes for a good soldier. Rising up the ranks for her is slow, not because she is incompetent, but because mostly her superiors are corrupt. She keeps her mouth shut and she does her job. Unless it interferes with her values. And Martha's values are strong. She protects the Brazilian rainforest from being napalmed and is placed under the corrupt sergeant's contingent, who tries to rid her any way he can, but dang it, she keeps on surviving. She refuses to take blood from an alternate Captain America. And when the people she work for become utterly corrupt, she turns traitor in order to cleanse it, then turns traitor on her allies when they turn corrupt.
Here and there, there are little bits to soften up the hard story. Martha looking down at the Brazilian rainforest and her face going soft. How Martha always treats her mother. How she manages to win over one Valkerie enough for her to become devoted to Martha, developing a crush and always fighting by her side, even though she knows Martha doesn't feel the same way. There's even romance, sort of. She meets up with Wasserstein, the only Navajo left. They have adventures along with an enigmatic psychic named RaggyAnn. Too bad RaggyAnn drops from the story with no explanation. She's an underutelized character.
Miller and Gibbons gives us a United States that fractures, and it's believable. The Pacific NW is governed by the New Calvinist Initiative, California becomes an Evil Wonderland, Colorado and Arizona are ruled by Fat Boy Burgers, in league with the Mexican terriroty. Texas beccomes an entity of its own (that's frightening), while Florida is being taken over by Cuba. The east coast is splinted into a bunch of groups that tear each other apart, and the midwest is...well...still considered the united states. Go figure.
At times, the alternative timeliness seemed too insane. The Nazi Gays, for instance, seemed goofy. There also appeared to be a thing where the Ku Klux Klan was populated by blacks. Going for too unbeleiveable. But the constant warring between the states was intriguing. There's one story where Martha leads her troops over Texas lines into Fat Boy territory to get her and her troops burger and fries, because the sell of red meet is forbidden by the 94th amendment. There's also the breakdown of technology, which turns into a plot point in itself. Fighting suits break down. Transports blow up.
The only story I felt lacking was the last one, simply because it raised a lot of questions for me. It appears Martha lives to be 100. She explored a bunch of worlds. Supposedly she met God. And yet...who is the black dreadlocked woman with the scar? Why does she call Martha 'Gannie?" (A play on raggedy ann, perhaps?) Why did Martha go back to earth? What happened to her husband and sons? Who is the enemy they're fighting against? Why is there a nun when there are no more churches?
Are the dreadlocked woman, and the two other black folks Martha's Grandchildren? I really, really, really wanted to see that story. And that's why I'll only give it four out of five Pax helmets.
And if Siri starts taking the form of a blue skinned woman, we might be in serious trouble.
Life and Times starts off with Martha being born with Cabrini Green reimagined as a maximum security housing project. Right off the bat mixing unfamiliar with familiar. People sleeping in rows of bunk beds behind locked bars. Living quarters the size of closets. Dirty sidewalks, and rampant crime. The shift of years of the same president, his continuous reign marching from cautiously cheering crowds to arm guards and tanks with guns.
We follow Martha as she goes from Cabrini Green survivor to mental institute patient, to soldier. Interesting that for all her life, She's not shown with relaxed hair. No black women are. Can't tell if this is deliberate. But We see Martha with an afro, a buzzcut, cornrolls, locs, and no hair at all.
And the other thing we see--Martha has faith in God. This is something that's never shaken from her, even though she is sent to war and sees atrocities and wrongs, her belief in God, and her sense that she was put there for a reason, never shakes.
The way Martha is drawn is interesting. Most of the time, she's drawn unsmiling, a snarl if she's fighting, or just the badass stare. She's drawn as a mature woman, and most of the book, you forget that by the time she joins PAX, she's only a teenager. A good chunk of the story is her as a teenager, and yet she goes through stuff that makes her age quickly into a gritty war veteran.
There's this one picture of her standing in full uniform, bald and confident, with a slight smile. It is the youngest I've ever seen of her. She almost looks...optimistic. Cheerful. Turn the page, and she is shooting a huge gun, muscled arm, gritted teeth, chiseled, torn jeans, a ripped bandanna tied around her head. There's nothing sweet about her now. She's got a job to do, and she does it, not with pleasure, or with hate. It's a job and it needs to be done.
That's how her story is. Martha makes for a good soldier. Rising up the ranks for her is slow, not because she is incompetent, but because mostly her superiors are corrupt. She keeps her mouth shut and she does her job. Unless it interferes with her values. And Martha's values are strong. She protects the Brazilian rainforest from being napalmed and is placed under the corrupt sergeant's contingent, who tries to rid her any way he can, but dang it, she keeps on surviving. She refuses to take blood from an alternate Captain America. And when the people she work for become utterly corrupt, she turns traitor in order to cleanse it, then turns traitor on her allies when they turn corrupt.
Here and there, there are little bits to soften up the hard story. Martha looking down at the Brazilian rainforest and her face going soft. How Martha always treats her mother. How she manages to win over one Valkerie enough for her to become devoted to Martha, developing a crush and always fighting by her side, even though she knows Martha doesn't feel the same way. There's even romance, sort of. She meets up with Wasserstein, the only Navajo left. They have adventures along with an enigmatic psychic named RaggyAnn. Too bad RaggyAnn drops from the story with no explanation. She's an underutelized character.
Miller and Gibbons gives us a United States that fractures, and it's believable. The Pacific NW is governed by the New Calvinist Initiative, California becomes an Evil Wonderland, Colorado and Arizona are ruled by Fat Boy Burgers, in league with the Mexican terriroty. Texas beccomes an entity of its own (that's frightening), while Florida is being taken over by Cuba. The east coast is splinted into a bunch of groups that tear each other apart, and the midwest is...well...still considered the united states. Go figure.
At times, the alternative timeliness seemed too insane. The Nazi Gays, for instance, seemed goofy. There also appeared to be a thing where the Ku Klux Klan was populated by blacks. Going for too unbeleiveable. But the constant warring between the states was intriguing. There's one story where Martha leads her troops over Texas lines into Fat Boy territory to get her and her troops burger and fries, because the sell of red meet is forbidden by the 94th amendment. There's also the breakdown of technology, which turns into a plot point in itself. Fighting suits break down. Transports blow up.
The only story I felt lacking was the last one, simply because it raised a lot of questions for me. It appears Martha lives to be 100. She explored a bunch of worlds. Supposedly she met God. And yet...who is the black dreadlocked woman with the scar? Why does she call Martha 'Gannie?" (A play on raggedy ann, perhaps?) Why did Martha go back to earth? What happened to her husband and sons? Who is the enemy they're fighting against? Why is there a nun when there are no more churches?
Are the dreadlocked woman, and the two other black folks Martha's Grandchildren? I really, really, really wanted to see that story. And that's why I'll only give it four out of five Pax helmets.
And if Siri starts taking the form of a blue skinned woman, we might be in serious trouble.
mara_miriam's review
2.0
While reading this series, I frequently felt like identities and culture were co-opted by the author for his own purposes, just as they were by the institutional forces in the story. Knowing that Ayn Rand was a primary inspiration for parts of this story gave me the sense that the author was trying to re-frame his conservative politics in a way that would be palatable for his progressive readers.
richard's review
Better than most Frank Miller. Not as good as most Dave Gibons. Gibon's commentary on each story is pretty interesting. I was terribly sad to learn that he felt he had to make his art more razzle dazzle to compete with the superhero garbage produced in the 90s by turd merchants like Rob Liefeld.
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