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cat_thecatlady's review against another edition
4.0
really nice comic! loved the twist and the new approach on a WWIII setting with superheroes. all the ladies’ redesigns are AMAZING! just wish marguerite sauvage would draw the whole thing, not a total fan of the constant art change.
can’t wait to read the next volume tho!
can’t wait to read the next volume tho!
annelisa614's review against another edition
5.0
Good feminist stories + beautiful artwork = fav comic
fairywine's review against another edition
5.0
I couldn’t tell you the last time I picked up a DC comic if my life depended on it. If you let me stretch the definition of that to include Vertigo then the last time I bought a trade of The Sandman technically counts, but even that would have been several years ago.
When Bombshells showed up in the GoodReads rec bar, it got my attention in a way I honestly never expected from a comic. I’m a huge fan of Gil Elvgren’s in particular and pin up art in general, especially WWII era art. And that gorgeous cover with Wonder Woman grabbed the hell out of me on aesthetics alone. So I figured, why not give it a shot?
And let me tell you, my friends-I am so glad I did. From start to finish, Bombshells was page after page of awesome lady radness. I basically read this grinning from ear to ear, and finished it wanting more.
Definitely the thing I loved most about Bombshells was how it was first and foremost about the ladies. Wonder Woman, Supergirl, Stargirl, Mera, Harley Quinn, Zatanna, Poison Ivy, Catwoman, Batwoman, Amanda Waller, and the other awesome women of DC practically burst of the pages with personality, energy, and a metric ton of badassery. Actually, I was seriously surprised that the only major male player to show up at all is John Constantine of all people (and I’m always glad to see him so I was cool with it).
The epic WWII setting is amazing as well. The fact this is the DC-verse’s Second World War, integrating magic and superheroics into the most intense war in human history added a huge adrenalin kick to the proceedings. And they really go for it in how the presence of metahumans would utterly transform the nature of warfare even in an era nowhere near as high tech as our own.
On a related note, there’s a very multinational focus in Bombshells. Picking it up I was a little afraid it was going to be a lot of that old classic trope of ‘America Saves the Day’, ignoring the rest of the Allies.
Fortunately, this didn’t end up being the case. Wonder Woman and Mera fall in with the US, but Supergirl and Stargirl were raised in Soviet Russia and only flee the USSR after political persecution by a general with ambitions to use their powers to his own ends. Even after that they are both still proud Russians and wish to defend the motherland. Poison Ivy operates out of France, Catwoman is an Italian countess, and the list goes on. There’s even an appearance by Huntress as a member of an anti-Hitler underground group, so we also dodge the ‘all Germans were fervent Nazis’ cliché.
Speaking as someone who is herself bisexual, it was really great to see some LGBTQA+ representation in Bombshells. Batwoman is of course a lesbian in a happy if occassionally rocky relationship with her girlfriend, and Harley and Ivy....kind of speak for themselves. I would have loved more, but I'm happy there was at least something there.
As I mentioned earlier, the sheer prettiness of the cover was what motivated me to give Bombshells a try. And man is it ever matched by (most) of the art inside. Especially Marguerite Sauvage’s art, which is so gorgeous-soft, flowing, luminous lines that perfectly evoke the pin-up art style-I would seriously find a way to give Bombshells a six-star rating because it would have earned it.
Speaking of Ms. Sauvage, a billion points to Bombshells for being a largely women driven title. Marguerite Bennett does all the writing, Maguerite Sauvage a good portion of the art, and even the non-Sauvage art portions are done mostly by women. The fight for representation in the comics industry is far from over, and it is so, so important to support work and stories that are by women and for women. Considering how much awesomeness we’ve gotten out of runs that women have taken over, everyone wins.
As for weak points, well…there was one major one for me. A lot of the art is great, and again Marguerite Sauvage’s pages are ‘frame up on the wall’ worthy in particular. But there are chunks of Bombshells where the art quality definitely takes a dip. I don’t mind differing styles in the slightest, but it’s all got to be up the same tier. That was…not the case here. Choppy, with dull colors and jagged lines, it didn't match the rest of the comic at all. Frankly, it was ugly. It really threw me out of the story, wanting the gorgeous art back that had lured me in to begin with.
That art thing was kind of a big drawback for me, and I seesawed on what exactly to rate Bombshells. But I thought about how it ultimately made me feel: energized, happy, and wanting more. And when you feel like that after finishing a product…sometimes you have to go with your gut. Five stars, and I’m eagerly awaiting volume two in September.
When Bombshells showed up in the GoodReads rec bar, it got my attention in a way I honestly never expected from a comic. I’m a huge fan of Gil Elvgren’s in particular and pin up art in general, especially WWII era art. And that gorgeous cover with Wonder Woman grabbed the hell out of me on aesthetics alone. So I figured, why not give it a shot?
And let me tell you, my friends-I am so glad I did. From start to finish, Bombshells was page after page of awesome lady radness. I basically read this grinning from ear to ear, and finished it wanting more.
Definitely the thing I loved most about Bombshells was how it was first and foremost about the ladies. Wonder Woman, Supergirl, Stargirl, Mera, Harley Quinn, Zatanna, Poison Ivy, Catwoman, Batwoman, Amanda Waller, and the other awesome women of DC practically burst of the pages with personality, energy, and a metric ton of badassery. Actually, I was seriously surprised that the only major male player to show up at all is John Constantine of all people (and I’m always glad to see him so I was cool with it).
The epic WWII setting is amazing as well. The fact this is the DC-verse’s Second World War, integrating magic and superheroics into the most intense war in human history added a huge adrenalin kick to the proceedings. And they really go for it in how the presence of metahumans would utterly transform the nature of warfare even in an era nowhere near as high tech as our own.
On a related note, there’s a very multinational focus in Bombshells. Picking it up I was a little afraid it was going to be a lot of that old classic trope of ‘America Saves the Day’, ignoring the rest of the Allies.
Fortunately, this didn’t end up being the case. Wonder Woman and Mera fall in with the US, but Supergirl and Stargirl were raised in Soviet Russia and only flee the USSR after political persecution by a general with ambitions to use their powers to his own ends. Even after that they are both still proud Russians and wish to defend the motherland. Poison Ivy operates out of France, Catwoman is an Italian countess, and the list goes on. There’s even an appearance by Huntress as a member of an anti-Hitler underground group, so we also dodge the ‘all Germans were fervent Nazis’ cliché.
Speaking as someone who is herself bisexual, it was really great to see some LGBTQA+ representation in Bombshells. Batwoman is of course a lesbian in a happy if occassionally rocky relationship with her girlfriend, and Harley and Ivy....kind of speak for themselves. I would have loved more, but I'm happy there was at least something there.
As I mentioned earlier, the sheer prettiness of the cover was what motivated me to give Bombshells a try. And man is it ever matched by (most) of the art inside. Especially Marguerite Sauvage’s art, which is so gorgeous-soft, flowing, luminous lines that perfectly evoke the pin-up art style-I would seriously find a way to give Bombshells a six-star rating because it would have earned it.
Speaking of Ms. Sauvage, a billion points to Bombshells for being a largely women driven title. Marguerite Bennett does all the writing, Maguerite Sauvage a good portion of the art, and even the non-Sauvage art portions are done mostly by women. The fight for representation in the comics industry is far from over, and it is so, so important to support work and stories that are by women and for women. Considering how much awesomeness we’ve gotten out of runs that women have taken over, everyone wins.
As for weak points, well…there was one major one for me. A lot of the art is great, and again Marguerite Sauvage’s pages are ‘frame up on the wall’ worthy in particular. But there are chunks of Bombshells where the art quality definitely takes a dip. I don’t mind differing styles in the slightest, but it’s all got to be up the same tier. That was…not the case here. Choppy, with dull colors and jagged lines, it didn't match the rest of the comic at all. Frankly, it was ugly. It really threw me out of the story, wanting the gorgeous art back that had lured me in to begin with.
That art thing was kind of a big drawback for me, and I seesawed on what exactly to rate Bombshells. But I thought about how it ultimately made me feel: energized, happy, and wanting more. And when you feel like that after finishing a product…sometimes you have to go with your gut. Five stars, and I’m eagerly awaiting volume two in September.
xxpumpkincatxx's review against another edition
5.0
I absolutely adored this graphic novel! When it first came out I wasn't too sure about it, but upon reading it I can honestly say- WOW. I'm obsessed. I can't wait to read vol. 2.
Side note: This just fueled my need to make Bombshell Mera. I've had the fabric forever.
Side note: This just fueled my need to make Bombshell Mera. I've had the fabric forever.
carolynaugustyn's review against another edition
5.0
I really loved this collection and series. I was already a fan of the aesthetics- I had the Wonder Woman "She Can Do It!" poster already and have most of the character's figures wishlisted (for when I have hundreds of dollars just hanging around to spend on gorgeous statues). So I already knew I loved the idea of this but the team behind this project really nailed it with the stories as well. This did feel like a setup volume- introducing everyone, clarifying their backgrounds, etc. But I really loved the way it was done and thought that the characters all had fascinating stories that could become really really intriguing long term plot lines. To be fair, I'm a huge fan of the DC lady heroes so I was inclined to love this. But I really thought that this was equal amounts awesome action and girl power and beautiful art. I've already recommended this to others because I loved it so much.
fantasmariana's review against another edition
4.0
¿La superheroínas y villanas de DC reunidas en una aventura? ¿Todas vestidas estilo pin-up?
En el momento en el que supe que este cómic existía, supe también que TENÍA que leerlo.
El primer volumen de Bombshells introduce a estas geniales mujeres (algunas más conocidas que otras) cuyos destinos se unirán debido al estallido de la Segunda Guerra Mundial. Encontraremos a Wonder Woman, Batwoman, Harley Quinn,Poison Ivy, Supergirl, Stargirl y muchas (muchísimas) otras más que pelearán por sus países o bien participarán en distintas intrigas.
La verdad es que sentí demasiada emoción al ver a todas estas geniales heroínas y villanas reunidas en este volumen que disfruté bastante (menos las partes de Harley Quinn, la verdad). Reconozco que tiene fallas. Al ser un volumen introductorio, en momentos se siente como si la historia no lograra despegar, además, con tantos personajes de pronto la trama puede parecer un poco complicada y enredada. Del mismo modo, tuve que buscar en Google a varios de los personajes que aparecen porque, la verdad, no los había escuchado nunca (soy muy nueva en este mundo de los cómics).
Sin embargo, tengo fe en que la trama seguirá construyéndose de una manera que nos atrape y me muero por ver como interactuan todas estas heroínas y villanas, así como qué otras se van incorporando a la lucha. Sin duda es una historia con muchísimo girl power.
Puntos extra por hacer a Supergirl una mujer soviética y por la preciosa estética del cómic.
En el momento en el que supe que este cómic existía, supe también que TENÍA que leerlo.
El primer volumen de Bombshells introduce a estas geniales mujeres (algunas más conocidas que otras) cuyos destinos se unirán debido al estallido de la Segunda Guerra Mundial. Encontraremos a Wonder Woman, Batwoman, Harley Quinn,Poison Ivy, Supergirl, Stargirl y muchas (muchísimas) otras más que pelearán por sus países o bien participarán en distintas intrigas.
La verdad es que sentí demasiada emoción al ver a todas estas geniales heroínas y villanas reunidas en este volumen que disfruté bastante (menos las partes de Harley Quinn, la verdad). Reconozco que tiene fallas. Al ser un volumen introductorio, en momentos se siente como si la historia no lograra despegar, además, con tantos personajes de pronto la trama puede parecer un poco complicada y enredada. Del mismo modo, tuve que buscar en Google a varios de los personajes que aparecen porque, la verdad, no los había escuchado nunca (soy muy nueva en este mundo de los cómics).
Sin embargo, tengo fe en que la trama seguirá construyéndose de una manera que nos atrape y me muero por ver como interactuan todas estas heroínas y villanas, así como qué otras se van incorporando a la lucha. Sin duda es una historia con muchísimo girl power.
Puntos extra por hacer a Supergirl una mujer soviética y por la preciosa estética del cómic.
kknoblauch's review against another edition
5.0
Fantastic writing from beginning to end. Alternate reality characters are predictable in certain ways, but each one still has something about her that is clever and interesting, and most of all believable in this high-energy remaining of the Second World War.
ageorges's review against another edition
5.0
The best comic I've read in ages. The only thing that could make it better is if Black Canary showed up and punched Hitler in the face.
tshepiso's review against another edition
3.0
Bombshells was... fine. The story was a bit disjointed as we followed a lot of different POVs that were barely related to each for the entirety of the first volume. I think other people might get more of a kick out of seeing their favourite characters reimagined in a WWII settings but I found it pretty meh. We spend too little time with any individual character to get invested in them outside of their character designs. Which I will admit were cool.
I could have probably read another volume this if wasn't for the wildly varied art styles for every POV. I personally find that very jarring to read and most of the art in the book wasn't to my personal taste anyway.
It's kind of disappointing because I've been anticipating reading this series for year but unfortunately it just wasn't for me.
I could have probably read another volume this if wasn't for the wildly varied art styles for every POV. I personally find that very jarring to read and most of the art in the book wasn't to my personal taste anyway.
It's kind of disappointing because I've been anticipating reading this series for year but unfortunately it just wasn't for me.