Comic Corner Roundup: March
Comic Corner Roundup is a bi-monthly segment that compiles mini-reviews of comics, graphic novels, and manga that I’ve read recently. Here are my reviews for the month of March which includes a historical ninja warrior, a superhero’s daughter, and romantic comedy set abroad.
Harriet Tubman : Demon Slayer #1-2 by David Crownson (Author), Courtland Ellis (Illustrator), Joey Vazquez (Illustrator) (2019)
When slave owners can’t stop the powerful ninja warrior Harriet Tubman, they enlist the help of vampires, demons, witches & werewolves to stop her. Harriet Tubman must lead a family of runaways to freedom while battling an army of darkness.
Review: What an awesome supernatural take on history’s legendary ladies! It’s gritty, dark, and deals with the reckoning of America’s racial pasty all while adding exciting fantasy elements in the story. Tubman is a force not to be messed with and is a bad-ass taking down vampires without a second thought. The story is action-packed, moves fast and includes an engaging story. The enemies are menacing and I appreciated the heightened aura of suspense to add to the reading experience. The art work is amazing! I feel like I’ve only got a sampling of the story from the first two issues and am itching to read more of this series. It has so much promise and I can’t wait to read more of the story!
Final Verdict:
Glamorella’s Daughter #1-2 by by Charles J. Martin (Author), Jerry Bennett (Illustrator) (2022)
Comet, the neurodiverse daughter of Earth’s greatest defender, yearns for a quiet existence with towers of books and the occasional game night at her friend’s house.
Her mom, Glamorella, savors the thrill of adventure, the heat of battle, and the glitzy soirées that come with superheroics. While Glamorella navigates keeping the world safe and dealing with her super-scientist ex, Comet does her best to withstand the trials of middle school.
When people start disappearing through a portal to another universe, Glamorella and Comet will have to figure out how to work together to save both of their worlds.
Review: My interest has been piqued for a while now about this series. The first two issues definitely has me hooked. Glamorella’s Daughter is not the typical superhero story as it focuses more on the family dynamics of a superhero. Glamorella has amazing powers but she’s really just trying to be a mom who wants to understand her daughter, but her and Comet couldn’t be any more different from each other. The story (so far) displays how much their relationship is a work in progress.
The series is comical, smart, and even has some action-packed moments. I’m looking forward to seeing how the story moves forward in future issues. I think this series is good for all ages and may be one to try for those who aren’t usually readers geared towards superhero stories.
Final Verdict:
Halina Filipina by Arnold Arre (2015)
Halina Mitchell is a half-Filipino half-American New Yorker who visits the Philippines for the first time to meet her relatives. Here she also encounters Cris, a struggling film critic whose passionate loathing for bad local movies reflects his views of modern Filipino society.
Coming from completely different worlds, the two eventually learn from each other. Through Cris, Halina gets a quick course on Manila life, from driving through midnight traffic to listening to the Eraserheads, while she helps him gain a newfound appreciation of living in his own country.
Review: I was so excited to read this graphic novel, but ultimately it fell a bit flat for me. The story having some rom-com elements is heavily grounded in reality and less fluffy than I thought the story would be. The tone of the story also feels a bit somber as the characters grapple with their pasts and identities. The couple is a grumpy-sunshine pairing that has their opposites attract. Halina helps Cris to see the little nuggets of joy in a country that has become dull to him. Halina is confronted with the harsh realities of her past and struggling as an American Filipino in her country of ancestry.
The story has a smooth pairing and immerses the reader into the nuances of Filipino culture which was very interesting.
Final Verdict:
What comics, graphic novels or manga have you read lately? Share your thoughts in the comment section below. If you have any recommendations, feel free to share those as well.
I just finished rereading the first in the Aya series (it took me awhile because it’s not available in English where I am right now, so I had to read the French, which takes me forever) and I’m looking forward to the second volume now. As for your recent reads, I would love to read the Harriet Tubman comic. I’ve been a little obsessed with her since I saw a movie when I was really young and even went to visit her homestead in Auburn some years ago. But the others sound fun also.