A review by apollos_books
Ironheart, Vol. 1: Those with Courage by Eve Ewing

5.0

I am not at all a big fan of Marvel or superheroes in general. Way too much military propaganda, pro-cop sentiment, black and white ideas about "good" and "evil," and cishet white dudes who seriously need to see a therapist. However, Ironheart is a very RARE exception. Riri Williams in and of herself is cool character and I especially loved all of her family and friends and N.A.T.I.L.I.E., of course. However, I think what really makes this comic standout for me is the incredible writing by Dr. Eve Ewing. Dr. Ewing really brings the city of Chicago and her Black characters to life in this comic book. All of the dialogue feels extremely genuine and it is such a blessing to see so many well-written Black characters portrayed in a comic book medium. I attended a talk Dr. Ewing gave and one of the things she said she really paid attention to in this series was how Riri, as a Black girl who lives in Chicago with a history of gun violence, would react in various situations, such as showing compassion for children caught up in crime and putting her hands up when the police arrive. It's the awareness and open incorporation of those kinds of critical details that make this comic book so special to me in a way that really deviates from other Marvel products.