Scan barcode
davchards's review
5.0
At first blush, this seemed like such a light, thinly-conceived comic that it took me a while to understand why I find it so consistently rewarding. Bombshells is based on a line of World War II-themed figurines and character designs by Ant Lucia, in which DC superheroines are redesigned for that era. It’s derivative twice over, and might be dismissed as a mere merchandising tie-in. But writer Marguerite Bennett takes full advantage of the book’s conceptual distance by weaving a rousing, inspiring tale of women assembling, like a league of superpowered Rosie the Riveters, to save the world in a time of ultimate crisis.
(Note: This review was based on a copy provided to me by DC.)
The characters are reimagined but recognizable, telling familiar stories while simultaneously making those stories their own. Wonder Woman is still the Amazon warrior-princess who nurses pilot Steve Trevor back to health (albeit after first knocking him out of the sky). Batwoman is a Gotham crimefighter recruited here as an Allied spy (and hobnobbing in Europe with Catwoman and Lex Luthor). Supergirl crashlands to Earth (this time in the Soviet Union) and keeps her alien identity a secret while flying as one of Russia's Night Witches. And Amanda Waller is the top-level government spook who’s going to bring the whole gang together.
Bombshells accomplishes a lot with its premise. Like Astro City, it is an unapologetic remixing and reconstruction of classic superhero tropes. Like Marvel: 1602, it is a work of speculative alt-history in which familiar superheroes are set loose on an earlier age. Like Y: The Last Man, it is a tale of female empowerment in an un(super)manned world. Bennett is clearly having a good time, and that sense of fun shines through the art (by Marguerite Sauvage and a rotating cast of other artists). Whether it’s an aerial dogfight between fighter planes and eagle-mounted Amazons, or whales attacking a zombie-crewed U-boat, or a chain-smoking, magically-bunnified John Constantine bantering with Zatanna in a cabaret club, or a gleeful Harley Quinn (in a scene straight from Dr. Strangelove) plummeting out of the sky astride a literal bombshell, Bombshells excels at the kind of big, bold, comic moments that leave the reader giggling with joy.
(Note: This review was based on a copy provided to me by DC.)
The characters are reimagined but recognizable, telling familiar stories while simultaneously making those stories their own. Wonder Woman is still the Amazon warrior-princess who nurses pilot Steve Trevor back to health (albeit after first knocking him out of the sky). Batwoman is a Gotham crimefighter recruited here as an Allied spy (and hobnobbing in Europe with Catwoman and Lex Luthor). Supergirl crashlands to Earth (this time in the Soviet Union) and keeps her alien identity a secret while flying as one of Russia's Night Witches. And Amanda Waller is the top-level government spook who’s going to bring the whole gang together.
Bombshells accomplishes a lot with its premise. Like Astro City, it is an unapologetic remixing and reconstruction of classic superhero tropes. Like Marvel: 1602, it is a work of speculative alt-history in which familiar superheroes are set loose on an earlier age. Like Y: The Last Man, it is a tale of female empowerment in an un(super)manned world. Bennett is clearly having a good time, and that sense of fun shines through the art (by Marguerite Sauvage and a rotating cast of other artists). Whether it’s an aerial dogfight between fighter planes and eagle-mounted Amazons, or whales attacking a zombie-crewed U-boat, or a chain-smoking, magically-bunnified John Constantine bantering with Zatanna in a cabaret club, or a gleeful Harley Quinn (in a scene straight from Dr. Strangelove) plummeting out of the sky astride a literal bombshell, Bombshells excels at the kind of big, bold, comic moments that leave the reader giggling with joy.
alanaofthegreene's review
4.0
I wanted to like this more than I did. Marguerite Sauvage's art is amazing and a perfect fit for the concept, especially her work with Kate Kane and Maggie Sawyer. It's too bad she didn't do the entire series. The character origins are enjoyable and the overall story is ok, but the writing was pretty weak. I wish there were more female-led writing teams, because the incorporation of feminist concepts and the body and ethnic diversity are stellar additions (especially under Sauvage's pen). The whole industry would do well to take note and follow along. That all said, I'll certainly be picking up volume 2 when it's released in July.
birdmanseven's review
4.0
This was a great alternate take on DC's female super heroes. The art was excellent and even in this altered setting they stayed true to the characters. Check it out.
missmusicbox's review
3.0
This was fine. I wanted Batgirl to actually do something. I liked the Zantana and Constantine storyline. I'd definitely read Constantine comics if he was a rabbit the whole time. Don't know if I'll keep going with this.
solstjohn's review
adventurous
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
drtx_bwt's review
dark
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, and War
Moderate: Misogyny, Sexism, Police brutality, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Xenophobia and Antisemitism
golden_lilies's review
3.0
Bombshells tells the story of an AU/alt history where Amanda Waller puts together an all-female team of superheroes to bring down Nazis in 1940. It's a good premise and naturally lends itself to the pin-up style it was inspired by. Mostly, the women are gorgeous. I'm currently painting Diana of Themyscira on the side of my bomber and then running away with Batgirl. Sauvage's work as a colorist is phenomenal, particularly in issue 1. The generally muted palette gives the story a gloriously retro vibe while letting the heroine's bold costumes pop off the page. I have some quibbles with her art, (Kara and Kortni are one hundred percent identical,) but I generally feel the pages she's involved in are the best.
I cannot say the same for whoever drew issue four. Supergirl and Stargirl are an absolute mess. Block faces, weird poses, and disembodied torsos aside, I am appalled at how stiff and lacking in movement their flight is. I'm not exaggerating when I say this is one of the ugliest panels I have seen in a modern comic.
The rest of the artists fall somewhere in the middle with Kate's later scenes drawn in a very gritty, 90s style that doesn't particularly jibe with the pin-up concept and Harley and Ivy's being overly cartoony. I'm also going to call out Kate's artist on continuity errors as her dress switches from red to black back to red.
So the art is generally good, but what about the plot? Well...well.
This trade would have been so much better with a tighter focus on Amanda finding and recruiting her bombshells. Harley and Ivy are always fun to see, yes, but they added nothing to the over all plot. Likewise Zatanna, Constantine, the Joker's Daughter, and the zombies probably should have been held off until book 2. I wanted a chance to see and understand the core cast, but I couldn't. Too much of the book was made up of names and cameos. "Oh, in the main timeline, she's Bluebird!" "Oh my gosh, of course Lex Luthor would show up." Sure it was cool, but everything needed to slow way down. Take some time for Kara and Kortni to be in the Night Witches before revealing Kara as Supergirl. And did Kortni have the staff to make her Stargirl already? Or did the soviets give it to her? A huge chunk of their story is missing from #1 to #4, and then again when they defect and join the Bombshells in #6. The only storyline I felt anything from was Wonder Woman.
I like Bombshells a lot, but I don't think it has its feet under it just yet. This is a book that passes the Bechdel test with flying colors. With strong female characters and great (implicit) LGBT rep. With (mostly) beautiful art and fun action scenes. I just wish it had a beefier plot.
I cannot say the same for whoever drew issue four. Supergirl and Stargirl are an absolute mess. Block faces, weird poses, and disembodied torsos aside, I am appalled at how stiff and lacking in movement their flight is. I'm not exaggerating when I say this is one of the ugliest panels I have seen in a modern comic.
The rest of the artists fall somewhere in the middle with Kate's later scenes drawn in a very gritty, 90s style that doesn't particularly jibe with the pin-up concept and Harley and Ivy's being overly cartoony. I'm also going to call out Kate's artist on continuity errors as her dress switches from red to black back to red.
So the art is generally good, but what about the plot? Well...well.
This trade would have been so much better with a tighter focus on Amanda finding and recruiting her bombshells. Harley and Ivy are always fun to see, yes, but they added nothing to the over all plot. Likewise Zatanna, Constantine, the Joker's Daughter, and the zombies probably should have been held off until book 2. I wanted a chance to see and understand the core cast, but I couldn't. Too much of the book was made up of names and cameos. "Oh, in the main timeline, she's Bluebird!" "Oh my gosh, of course Lex Luthor would show up." Sure it was cool, but everything needed to slow way down. Take some time for Kara and Kortni to be in the Night Witches before revealing Kara as Supergirl. And did Kortni have the staff to make her Stargirl already? Or did the soviets give it to her? A huge chunk of their story is missing from #1 to #4, and then again when they defect and join the Bombshells in #6. The only storyline I felt anything from was Wonder Woman.
I like Bombshells a lot, but I don't think it has its feet under it just yet. This is a book that passes the Bechdel test with flying colors. With strong female characters and great (implicit) LGBT rep. With (mostly) beautiful art and fun action scenes. I just wish it had a beefier plot.
torgla's review
4.0
Beautiful pin-up style art. Storytelling a bit scattered and episodic, but maybe it'll gel. Fun to see known characters reimagined, though I had to look up quite a few I was unfamiliar with.