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A review by mediaevalmuse
Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur, Vol. 1: BFF by Brandon Montclare, Amy Reeder
4.0
I eagerly awaited the first trade of this run for quite a while, since reviews were phenomenal and Luna has become something of a fan favorite. Like Ms. Marvel, Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur takes on big issues while also working hard to include more women of color in Marvel’s comics lineup. I must say, I really did love this trade, and I would highly recommend it to all readers who love the new initiatives Marvel is making.
Things I Liked
1. Female-Positive Storytelling: This story is all about a preteen girl, and Reeder handles the story incredibly well. Luna is just as capable as any other female superhero, and she’s portrayed with very real fears and flaws that help readers connect with her, even though she herself feels disconnected with her family and classmates. Her story is also concerned with her being a child genius, which is hardly common amongst stories featuring young women of color, and I feel like this sort of empowerment is really helpful for pushing a more diverse and inclusive storytelling.
2. Science: I loved that Luna and her story are focused on science. There are quotes from famous scientists opening every issue, and Luna is enthusiastic about genetics, mechanics, and inventing things. Not only does this make for a fun adventure, but it might do real work in motivating or encouraging more girls to get involved in STEM.
3. Devil Dinosaur: It’s a dinosaur. Come on.
4. Big Themes: This book deals with some pretty large themes that I think are really interesting (and necessary) for a comic targeted at younger audiences. For one, Luna feels isolated from the world around her, which is a huge issue for girls in their teens and preteens. Luna also has a great fear of being Inhuman and activating her powers, which I feel can be read as a metaphor for a number of different things - among them, growing up or simply change. But even though Luna is juggling these feelings, she also has the confidence to be a hero and stand up for herself when the Hulk confronts her. That sends a powerful message: that just because girls are young, doesn’t mean they are worthless or incapable.
Things I Didn’t Like
1. Narrative Fluidity: This trade was a bit hard to get into at first because there are a lot of references to other stories, events, etc. There’s also some jumping around, so I wasn’t always sure how one scene led to another, but the more the comic continued, the better it got. So, if you’re reading and become confused, it’s best to keep going.
2. Caveman Gang: I must admit, the whole caveman gang thing wasn’t really interesting to me. But that’s personal taste.
Recommendations: I would recommend this book if you’re interested in stories about women (especially women of color and young girls), science, inventions and mechanics, dinosaurs, and stories about agency.
Things I Liked
1. Female-Positive Storytelling: This story is all about a preteen girl, and Reeder handles the story incredibly well. Luna is just as capable as any other female superhero, and she’s portrayed with very real fears and flaws that help readers connect with her, even though she herself feels disconnected with her family and classmates. Her story is also concerned with her being a child genius, which is hardly common amongst stories featuring young women of color, and I feel like this sort of empowerment is really helpful for pushing a more diverse and inclusive storytelling.
2. Science: I loved that Luna and her story are focused on science. There are quotes from famous scientists opening every issue, and Luna is enthusiastic about genetics, mechanics, and inventing things. Not only does this make for a fun adventure, but it might do real work in motivating or encouraging more girls to get involved in STEM.
3. Devil Dinosaur: It’s a dinosaur. Come on.
4. Big Themes: This book deals with some pretty large themes that I think are really interesting (and necessary) for a comic targeted at younger audiences. For one, Luna feels isolated from the world around her, which is a huge issue for girls in their teens and preteens. Luna also has a great fear of being Inhuman and activating her powers, which I feel can be read as a metaphor for a number of different things - among them, growing up or simply change. But even though Luna is juggling these feelings, she also has the confidence to be a hero and stand up for herself when the Hulk confronts her. That sends a powerful message: that just because girls are young, doesn’t mean they are worthless or incapable.
Things I Didn’t Like
1. Narrative Fluidity: This trade was a bit hard to get into at first because there are a lot of references to other stories, events, etc. There’s also some jumping around, so I wasn’t always sure how one scene led to another, but the more the comic continued, the better it got. So, if you’re reading and become confused, it’s best to keep going.
2. Caveman Gang: I must admit, the whole caveman gang thing wasn’t really interesting to me. But that’s personal taste.
Recommendations: I would recommend this book if you’re interested in stories about women (especially women of color and young girls), science, inventions and mechanics, dinosaurs, and stories about agency.