Monthly Comic Corner: March Edition
“Monthly Comic Corner” is a segment that compiles mini-reviews of comics, graphic novels, and manga that I’ve read for the month. Here are my reviews for the month of March which features a well-known superhero and a personal narrative of the Civil Rights Movement.
Batgirl, Volume 1: The Batgirl of Burnside by Cameron Stewart (Writer), Babs Tarr
Genre: Superheroes, Graphic Novels
Synopsis: Barbara Gordon is no stranger to dusting herself off when disaster strikes, so when a fire destroys everything she owns, she spots the opportunity for a new lease on life – and seizes it! Following the rest of Gotham City’s young adults to the hip border district of Burnside, Barbara sets about building an all-new Batgirl…and discovers new threats preying on her peers! As the new hero of Burnside, Batgirl gets started by facing twin sister assassins on motorcycles! (description from Goodreads)
Review: The Batgirl of Burnside is a fun, action packed, and entertaining comic. I would definitely recommend it for fans of superhero comics, or readers that want to get into reading more superhero genre comics. I’m not too familiar with Batgirl’s back story, so this book was hard to read at times and I was left feeling a bit confused. While it gives readers glimpses of her past there is no real concrete character background given, so my best advice would be to read some other Batgirl comics or research her story.
Batgirll as a person is likable and quirky. She’s super intelligent and is very kind-hearted as she’s always looking out for others. As a superhero sometimes she can cause more damage than actually help-crime stopping (which is not an easy job), but she has the best of intentions. She’s quick on her feet, a skilled fighter, and gets to work with some cool tech gadgets which I wish I had. Like most superhero comics we get a glance at her vigilante life as well as her daily life. This volume also has Batgirl do a bit of soul-searching as she tries to sort out her personal and superhero life. All in all, I loved the artwork, story, and appreciated the amount of ethnic characters/ diverse backgrounds that were presented as well.
Final Verdict:
March: Book One (March #1) by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin (Writers, Nate Powell
Genre: Graphic Novels, Nonfiction, History, Memoir
Synopsis: March is a vivid first-hand account of John Lewis’ lifelong struggle for civil and human rights, meditating in the modern age on the distance traveled since the days of Jim Crow and segregation. Rooted in Lewis’ personal story, it also reflects on the highs and lows of the broader civil rights movement.
Book One spans John Lewis’ youth in rural Alabama, his life-changing meeting with Martin Luther King, Jr., the birth of the Nashville Student Movement, and their battle to tear down segregation through nonviolent lunch counter sit-ins, building to a stunning climax on the steps of City Hall. (description from Goodreads)
Review: March: Book One is spectacular graphic novel told in the eyes of an eyewitness and key activist of the Civil Rights Movement. I feel that it’s a wonderful resource inside and outside of the classroom to teach students and adults about the movement. While the events are set up chronologically and many topics are discussed it can only cover so much in one volume (there will be three books in total) so initiates a good discussion about the movement so that people will learn their history.
John Lewis (in book one) launches into his personal story starting at his childhood transitioning to his preaching days, up to the moment of the sit-ins started to arise in 1960. This book not only offered a different and more personal perspective of the Civil Rights Movement, but also taught me about John Lewis’ activist work. Overall the book is paced very well, and the artwork is reflective of the emotions that are transpired in the story. I cannot wait to read volume two!
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. 🙂
So happy you liked March! I loved it as well and cannot wait for vol2.
Love your comic corner. March looks like a relevant book. I need to look for it.
Thanks Resh! March is a must read, hope you find it.
I’ve had so many people recommend March to me when I ask for graphic novel recs! I love historical fiction, so I really do think I’d enjoy it!
PS- I like the new spring-ish design 🙂
You definitely would! March is such a powerful read. And thank you! 🙂
Ack, this is reminding me that I need to catch up on my comics reading! I had a goal at the start of this year to read 15-20% comics in 2017 and now I am way way WAY falling behind that!
You can do it! You still have time. Good luck with your comics reading goal! 😀