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Post by wamphari on Dec 12, 2014 18:48:55 GMT -5
First off, how is there not a thread dedicated to this book yet?
Second: I always feel like the wet blanket on things. There are often series that people love (multiversity, gotham acadamy, etc) and I just don't get. So I got really nervous when I picked up Kelly Sue's new book. I knew everyone would love it and didn't really have any idea what to expect. All I'd heard about this book was the name and the writer. Having tired of the Tarantino style 70's exploitation, so bad it's good stuff, I was trepedatious to say the least. So I sat to read the thing, develop my own nasty little opinion and toss it in the bin with the myriad other Image books I've started and dropped. The book doesn't grab you quickly. I sort of read through at a medium pace taking in the art and characters but not having any immediate reaction. Finally after I finished (both book and essay) I thought to myself "wow, she's really going for something here." I would definitely say I liked the book a lot. The art works great with the narrative and the characters seem to be caricaturish, but nonetheless real. I think the way Kelly Sue introduces things is very engaging. In the beginning the reader isn't certain where the story is going, or what exactly the author is trying to say. The feeling wears on as we get just the smallest bit of the story and only meet a few of the people who inhabit this world. At the end I was left thinking that she went political, and hard political. Having the perspective and the beliefs that I have, this was a thrill. The geek community has dealt with misogyny in comics, video games, social media, and anywhere else it can be confronted. In this book I feel that Kelly Sue could easily have played it safe and staked out some kind of territory in the middle, or even stayed on the sidelines. She did not, and I think the results are really something. This being the first issue it remains to be seen whether or not the author will achieve her goals in this very ambitious attempt, but it is clear she's gotten a very good start. I think this is a fantastic first issue and I'm on board, enthusiastically.
Third, "Where do I put my other ***"
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Post by angelcakes83 on Dec 13, 2014 1:24:29 GMT -5
Bitch Planet!!!
Seriously, though, that's been my mantra even before I read the book. I'm actually a fan of exploitation, because I love how it went past exploitation and created spaces for strength and agency for oppressed groups.
I loved the story so far, and the art, but I have to say that my favorite parts are the extras. I read the back page first, which is a play on the shady ads pages in old comics, the ones offering x-ray glasses and seamonkeys. It's brilliant: I spent so long just poring over it. The last thing I read was the essay that Danielle, the brain behind feminist Ryan Gosling, wrote about teaching her college students feminism. As a recent PhD and a long-time college teacher, I really loved reading about her struggles to get students to see the oppression around them, as they usually feel highly uncomfortable with seeing beyond their own experiences, and rose-tinted experiences they are.
So, yeah. Bitch Planet.
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Post by pacino on Dec 15, 2014 8:47:54 GMT -5
I just don't enjoy her writing style, I guess. To each their own.
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Post by hermanthegerman on Dec 18, 2014 4:43:29 GMT -5
Yeah, I guess it's the same for me. I can't get into her stories. But Bitch Planet is ok. I love that Pam Grier touch and the mixture of space and exploitationmovies.
But I think the first issue was not a good first issue at all. Though the setting is cool, I do not have something that forces me to buy another issue. But I will stay on the book for a couple more issues.
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si
Fearless Defender
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Post by si on Dec 18, 2014 18:16:30 GMT -5
First off, I really enjoyed this comic. Not being a huge fan of exploitation I was a little trepidatious but my concerns were unfounded. This book use exploitation in a far more subtle and nuanced way than the simplified Tarantino view. The subtlety enhances the action when it does happen, with art that flows from panel to panel. A book like this is going to get mentioned for its politics but even this is not heavy handed. Although there is no doubt Kelly Sue wants to get a message across it feels more like we are being told to think rather than being hit with a banner and being told to follow.
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Post by toxicsooner on Dec 21, 2014 23:30:27 GMT -5
I really feel this book suffered from hyper-expectation. I enjoyed it but I didn't love it. Part of this is my own fault for expecting to much and part of it was the hype for the book by outside sources. This is especially true when a form of entertainment addresses a social stigma (this may be a poor phrase, but best I could come up with). Everything, including criticism and expectation, is amped up to to a higher level. Now on to the actual comic...
While I enjoyed the story it felt rushed, especially the surprise at the end. I think it would have been more effective had I actually known and cared more about the characters. I liked the development of the world where this takes place, but I still have no connection to the characters or any idea what they stand for. i hope and expect the following issues to give me more character development that will draw me further into the story.
I loved the art, it felt gritty and matched my expection of the story.
Like with most creator owned books, especially those who I hold in high regard such as KSD, I will be back for at least a couple more issues before forming a concrete opinion.
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Post by Tony on Dec 21, 2014 23:47:02 GMT -5
I really feel this book suffered from hyper-expectation. I enjoyed it but I didn't love it. Part of this is my own fault for expecting to much and part of it was the hype for the book by outside sources. This is especially true when a form of entertainment addresses a social stigma (this may be a poor phrase, but best I could come up with). Everything, including criticism and expectation, is amped up to to a higher level. Now on to the actual comic... While I enjoyed the story it felt rushed, especially the surprise at the end. I think it would have been more effective had I actually known and cared more about the characters. I liked the development of the world where this takes place, but I still have no connection to the characters or any idea what they stand for. i hope and expect the following issues to give me more character development that will draw me further into the story. I loved the art, it felt gritty and matched my expection of the story. Like with most creator owned books, especially those who I hold in high regard such as KSD, I will be back for at least a couple more issues before forming a concrete opinion. I agree with every aspect of this; well said. I like the book alright, and i'm a fan of Kelly Sue's, and I dig much of the vibe the book's got going, but it's not quite the smash-hit-blockbuster-can't-miss-best-comix-everrrrzz that the hypetrain had been touting for most of the year. And that's fine, that's just fine; i'm looking forward to reading at least a few more and seeing where's it's going, but as first issues go, it's not her best, nor is it one of the best in recent memory. Point being, you're right, the build-up for the book was probably to its detriment at this point. |
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bpp
Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Posts: 74
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Post by bpp on Dec 23, 2014 6:27:32 GMT -5
A mixed bag running a B, appropriately. It's hard to know how to judge the seriousness of this comic, the Nonsensical 'ship them to a different planet' cost of the exercise and the odd gender-based pitching of this book given it's actual internal gender politics (one has to suppose actual criminals are mixed with our 'wronged' oppressed residents, the gender politics completely obliviates the validity of the 'new' wife's role and choices, the husband is as much a victim of the system as any woman given the price extracted and subservience required). For an exploitation book to robe itself in extra-textual gender politics and branding seems a tricky balance and the whole 'riot girl' flavour to the back matter might well mean BP's attempts to make itself a female 'our thing' ends up making it a 'their thing'. The only way for that to be avoided is for it to be a stellar comic which it isn't, it's nothing more than Alan Davis' Harry 20 on The High Rock and certainly not as good looking a comic as the highly similar Prison Ship Anteres from the Grindhouse series last year. But still, I liked the switcheroo, am interested to see what is going on on Earth. Could do without the totally unrealistic ninja moves tho, exploitation tropes aren't superheroic characters with 'take down three in one move' implausible techniques, Thats more DC than VHS.
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Turk
Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.
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Post by Turk on Dec 30, 2014 9:12:22 GMT -5
I really liked what this book could turn into but that's all in my head anyway. I also think what Toxicsooner was right on the money. I don't feel connected in anyway to these characters so while it sucks whats happening there they're still just ink on page to me. They don't yet live in my imagination. I'll read the next issue probably but when it comes out if my pile is too large I may just skip over it for something that is more interesting.
I like Kellie Sue but I can't say I've ever read a book just because she wrote it. The title and the brilliant cover is what made me pick it up, then I found out that KSD wrote it. The cover art was an unavoidable neon light. The interior art was pretty good. Maybe not my style.
IDK I'm still on the fence.
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Post by bookend57 on Jan 8, 2015 16:54:44 GMT -5
I liked this issue, but I don't feel it's worthy of the "one of the best single issues of 2014" praise it is receiving. I think reviewers see the name Kelly Sue DeConnick and automatically categorize it as great. Honestly, I'd rather she work on Pretty Deadly than start a new on-going that will eventually see similar delays. It was good, not great, in my eyes.
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Post by ironfist4270 on Feb 3, 2015 10:45:43 GMT -5
I loved the second issue. Anyone read it yet? I believe it was a much stronger issue than the first. I liked getting to know more about Kam, who is a total badass. It will be interesting to see her deal with Whitney play out.
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Post by harmonica on Feb 3, 2015 11:25:28 GMT -5
i liked the second issue, especially the treadmill sequence with the fight breaking loose in the background, but i kinda fear that this will turn out another Battle Royale clone
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Post by ironfist4270 on Feb 3, 2015 13:32:33 GMT -5
i liked the second issue, especially the treadmill sequence with the fight breaking loose in the background, but i kinda fear that this will turn out another Battle Royale clone Yeah that fight in the background was hilarious. I've never read Battle Royale but if I do maybe I'll think of it as a Bitch Planet clone.  |
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Post by harmonica on Feb 3, 2015 14:29:21 GMT -5
well i guess most people didnt read the book but watched the movie,myself included  its pretty much the original Hunger Games. just a lot more brutal and, if you ask me, better. |
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Post by tundra on Feb 3, 2015 16:41:43 GMT -5
To me the influences seem more like the exploitation films of the 70s than Battle Royale, although for someone of my particular vintage and background it's starting to feel like KSD has been mainlining 2000AD as this issue increasingly felt like a mash-up of "Harry 20 on the High Rock" and "Harlem Heroes" with female leads. No bad thing, mind, and I'm enjoying it so far.
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