Strength In Numbers With Youthful Idealism: Champions #16

The following is my review of Champions #16, which was posted on PopMatters.com.

Any gambler not named Remy Lebeau knows there's a time to fold, a time to double down, and a time to re-evaluate one's bluffing skills. So long as they're not down to their last penny, it's usually wise to know when the odds just aren't favorable anymore. Young superheroes, especially those still in their teenage years, face greater odds than most. At the same time, however, they have the benefit of not being too jaded to throw away their ideals the same way Peter Parker claims to give up being Spider-Man every now and then.

Youth may inspire the kind of wide-eyed optimism that makes most jaded adults roll their eyes. However, that's exactly what makes teams like Champions so endearing. They live in a world where adult superhero teams have waged a civil war on one another twice. They regularly see established heroes like Captain America fall prey to sinister influences like Hydra while villains like Magneto somehow manage to operate with some semblance of credibility. These are some pretty mixed messages, especially for impressionable youth.

Mark Waid and Hamberto Ramos don't shield the members of the Champions from those messages. In fact, confronting those heroic inconsistencies of the modern Marvel universe is a major theme of Champions, as well as a major appeal. This cast of younger, less jaded heroes want to cling to those superhero ideals that seemed to go out of style since the Frank Miller era. The world around them isn't making that easy. If anything, that world keeps upping its bets and skewing the odds.  

Champions #16 has these idealistic young heroes respond by having them go on a recruitment run. Considering the events of previous issues, which included crossovers and clashes with the far less idealistic adult Avengers, it comes off as strange, if not too soon. From the perspective of young, teenage heroes who cling ardently to their idealism, though, it makes perfect sense. Tragedy and drama may hit adults and teenagers equally hard, but teenagers will often find more creative ways of dealing with it. Those ways aren't always healthy or rational, but that's exactly what makes them endearing.

The tragedy and drama in this case has to do with the recent upheavals surrounding Viv Vision. Even by advanced android standards, she's in a strange position. After the Champions and Avengers' recent clash with the High Evolutionary, there are now two versions of her, one human and one android. It's an identity crisis that's unprecedented, even in a world full of clones and shape-shifting aliens. Neither version is able to make sense of the situation. Viv's teammates don't fare much better.

There's now a sense in Champions that the team is more vulnerable than it was when it began. It's not just because one of their members is a time traveler who could trigger a paradox with one bad decision. The events surrounding Viv painfully demonstrate that there are times when the team becomes fractured. There are moments when personal dramas hinder the team's ability to function. It's a problem adults face too, but adults are more inclined to stick with what works and preserve the past. Teenagers, not having much of a past to begin with, look to the future.

That's the underlying theme of the narrative that Waid crafts in Champions #16 and Ramos' colorful visuals make it feel optimistic, despite the dramatic circumstances. Despite the seriousness of these circumstances, Waid preserves the light-hearted, upbeat tone that gives Champions much of its appeal. Throughout the story, the fact that these are still teenagers never becomes lost. They see what happens to their friend. They don't make light of it, but they still move forward.

That part of the story works to the extent that it lays the foundation for more interactions between the Champions and other young heroes. While Viv heals, their recruiting run leads them to cross paths with the likes of Moon Girl, Red Locust, Iron Heart, and Patriot. Some of these characters have crossed paths with the Champions before. Like the Champions, though, they respond to the message because they too lack the jaded mentality that plagues older heroes.

It's a golden opportunity for young heroes to come together and remind older heroes that there's still room for the kind of wide-eyed idealism that most superheroes lose in their first year. Unfortunately, little of that opportunity is realized in Champions #16. The recruitment run does get off to a good start, but there's not much depth beyond just interacting with other young heroes. Some, like those with Moon Girl, fit the spirit and character of the story. Others, like the moments with Iron Heart, don't really contribute much.

That lack of depth is partially due to the unfolding side-plot surrounding Viv. In many respects, this plot carries with it much heavier drama. Viv's identity crisis and sense of self are in flux. There's a lot of internal conflict that plays out in between interactions with her android self and Vision. Some of it still echoes with the kind of teenage melodrama that is so distinct of Champions. Most of it, though, comes off as detached narration.

The intent is clear throughout the story, both with Viv Vision and the Champions' recruitment drive. It's the execution that leaves much to be desired. Both elements of the story have the right dynamics, but both end up feeling incomplete. It gives the impression that the story needed to be at least twice as longer for the necessary elements to play out. It makes Champions #16 feel somewhat truncated, even if the potential is still there.

The idealism and appeal of Champions never wanes, even in light of major upheavals, both personal and circumstantial. That remains one of the greatest strengths of the series. It's realizing the potential of the various plots and sub-plots that keep it from having the kind of impact that teenagers and adults alike can appreciate. Even if both are destined to end up jaded, the appeal of the idealism espoused by young heroes remains as strong as ever.

Final Score: 5 out of 10

Aspirations For Inspiration: Champions #6

The following is my review of Champions #6, which was posted on PopMatters.com.

Seeking to inspire others to do good is one of the most fundamental acts of heroism that any superhero can do. Superman inspires by embodying an ideal for humanity to aspire towards. Captain America inspires by embodying the patriotic spirit that emboldens and strengthens an entire nation. Deadpool inspires by embodying the power of tacos and machine guns. These are among the most basic traits of a hero and after Civil War II, the entire Marvel universe needs a refresher course.

That's what Mark Waid and Hamberto Ramos are doing with Champions, getting back to basic and showing the rest of Marvel's superhero community that there are better ways to do good and they don't require superhero civil wars. Ms. Marvel, Nova, Spider-Man, Cyclops, Hulk, and Viv Vision are all uniquely qualified to teach this lesson in that they're young, idealistic, and haven't been revealed as Skrulls or Hydra agents yet. Beyond being diverse, coming from many different backgrounds and even different time periods, they are essentially a disaffected generation that sees what's happening with established heroes and think there's room for improvement.

It's a common spirit that pervades inexperienced youth. They see the flaws of the older generation and think they can do better, but the cast of Champions accomplish much more than any hippie protest or online petition. They embody a spirit often gets muted by politics, bureaucracy, or one too many retcons. This eclectic cast of young heroes aren't quite that jaded just yet, if only because they haven't dealt with SHIELD or Maria Hill enough.

The first several issues of Champions show this diverse cast coming together and establishing a standard for how they conduct themselves as heroes. That standard proves quite effective, leading to some meaningful victories and a kiss involving the Hulk. However, as often happens with many efforts involving ambitious youth, they encounter a few challenges and Champions #6 establishes the scope of those challenges, complete with relevant social commentary.

Now it's debatable how important these undertones are to the underlying themes of the series. There are any number of rants, tirades, and bemoaning that can be levied against a series that unambiguously reflects a particular political affiliation. Any comic that risks being vocal about any relevant issue risks agitating a world that would turn Superman into a Nazi if he says the wrong thing in the wrong context. That's the power of hashtags, phony outrage, and too much free time.

Regardless of how anyone may feel about social commentary in a comic book, Champions #6 shows that a certain level of social appeal can go a long way. Waid and Ramos make it a point to show how the Champions have influenced the world as a whole. They demonstrate how the Champions have created an entire social movement for all the right reasons with all the right impacts.

The Champions aren't just saving the day from monsters, human traffickers, and internet trolls. They're inspiring others to get up, embrace the Champion's principles, and do something. Given how much it takes to drag people away from their cell phones and jobs, that's quite an accomplishment.

Given how detached other superhero teams have become from the people at large, such an impact carries a great deal of weight for the greater Marvel universe. If a bunch of teenagers, one of which is a robot and another of which is a time traveler, can have this kind of positive impact, then those with helicarriers and space stations have no excuse.

Beyond that impact, though, the story in Champions #6 is just as much about the unintended backlash to this new superhero team as it is their success. The team is still coming together and Waid gives them a chance to show that they're still teenagers in addition to being heroes. Having them train through a game of paintball makes for a fun, light-hearted tone that even those who whine about the book's social commentary can appreciate.

From the perspective of the larger narrative, this kind of team activity doesn't raise the stakes or heighten the drama. However, it does flesh out the various personalities on the team and shows how they interact. Despite the diversity, they function as well as any group of teenagers armed with superpowers and paintball guns. They're not necessarily a dysfunctional family, but they're not the Fantastic Four either.

Those more light-hearted elements get balanced out when Waid explores the first major backlash that the Champions inspire. Such a backlash is always bound to happen and most teenagers have to learn the hard way that no good deed goes unpunished in the real world. In this case, the punishment hardly fits the deed because the Champions have no way of knowing how those with greater authority than a bunch of teenagers opt to react to their impact.

This is where the Freelancers come in. They are, in essence, the counter-punch to the movement that Champions have inspired. Much of Champions #6 involves introducing this team and establishing how they're going to undermine everything the Champions have accomplished. Like the Champions, they're a bunch of jaded teenagers with superpowers. Unlike the Champions, however, they care less about social commentary and more about their bank statement.

Waid reveals this in a somewhat elaborate manner. At first, the Freelancers give the impression that they're just a bit less ethical than the Champions. By the end, though, they make clear that they'll gladly rub elbows with big oil companies, Hydra agents, and tobacco lobbyists to improve their living standards. They care less about being a hero and more about making the most money with the least amount of effort and/or ethical constraints.

In the context of the major themes surrounding Champions, the Freelancers are the perfect adversaries. Waid makes this abundantly clear in Champions #6. However, this clarity doesn't come with any larger plot developments. A paintball game of super-powered teenagers is fun, but does little to expand their story. The only ones who get any real progression are the Freelancers and while their mission is fairly clear, their respective personalities are under-developed and overly forgettable.

Champions #6 still accomplishes and important feat for the greater narrative. It establishes what the Champions are up against and how their new movement of less civil wars and more heroics is creating an impact. Waid and Ramos to mix that impact with the fun of a paintball game. While the entertainment value of paintball is beyond dispute, the larger implications of the Champions' story remains underdeveloped and unresolved.

Final Score: 6 out of 10

A Fan Among Heroes: All-New, All-Different Avengers Annual #1

The following is my review of All-New, All Different Avengers Annual #1, which was posted on PopMatters.com.

The success of Deadpool proves there's a fertile market for a story that dares to be overly meta. It's not just about breaking the fourth wall or acknowledging the erratic sentiments of comic book message boards. The appeal of a meta-narrative acts as a mirror of sorts, reflecting the passions of fans, be they the healthy kinds and the not-so-healthy kinds.

Most fans agree that passions like Deadpool aren't exactly healthy. More often than not, they earn the same R-rating as his movie. That doesn't mean that a more PG-13 version of these passions is impossible. In fact, there's another character who embodies the best of these passions and doesn't need to make dirty jokes about it. That character, of course, is Kamala Khan.

There's a long list of reasons why Kamala Khan is such a lovable, endearing character. Chief among them is the fact that she's a fan. Before she becomes Ms. Marvel, she's just another passionate fangirl who loves superheroes and writes fan fiction . She is very much the embodiment of the passions of countless fans. That makes the setup in All-New, All-Different Avengers Annual #1 especially engaging because it offers insight into the fan fiction that reflects Kamala's passions for superheroes. That insight makes for a cartoonish yet uniquely entertaining narrative that inspires the fanboys and fangirls alike.

Some parts of that setup are built upon Ms. Marvel's current narrative. She's an Avenger now and rapidly ascending the ever-shifting hierarchy of the Marvel universe. She even manages to do it without time travel, clones, or someone dying. That alone is a testament to her strengths. Despite this, she is still a teenager and she is still woefully inexperienced. This means she constantly clashes with her teammates, especially her younger cohorts in Spider-Man and Nova.

This inexperience and immaturity, the foundation on which most teenage superheroes grow, makes her reaction to fan fiction stories about Ms. Marvel all the more entertaining. She can't be expected to just ignore the insanity that often manifests in fan fiction. She's a young hero who still isn't accustomed seeing her name associated with embarrassing, easily accessible media. After the events of  All-New, All-Different Avengers Annual #1, she'll likely need advice from Peter Parker.

The story is organized through several colorful, laughably cheesy stories written by multiple writers, including Mark Waid and G. Willow Wilson. They each act as a commentary of sorts on the colorful proclivities of fan fiction, such as tendencies to create bizarre romantic entanglements and making unpopular political statements. These stories never take themselves too seriously and aren't going to be confused with canon in this or any other universe. That's what gives them their charm.

It's because of that unique charm that these stories tend to evoke strong reactions. As some of these stories unfold, Kamala's reactions are almost as relevant as the story themselves. Take one story involving Ms. Marvel attaining the rank of Captain Marvel. At first, it plays out like a story that Kamala Khan would love. Then, an overtly politically incorrect twist at the end completely reverses her reaction. It's the kind of reversal that no competent editor will allow in a comic, but one that manifests all too easily in fan fiction.

Then, there's the story about She-Hulk and a love triangle. It's not a love triangle that would make it into an X-men movie, but it involves She-Hulk being woefully out-of-character in professing her love to a giant monster. It's as strange and entertaining as it sounds. It's also not-so-subtle commentary on the way love triangles play out, both in canon and in fan fiction. It doesn't take much to make them laughably absurd.

Despite this absurdity, it's the strange love story that involves Ms. Marvel, Miles Morales, and a world where everyone is an anthropomorphic animal that bothers Kamala the most. What makes this part of the story stand out is that, as quirky and cartoonish as it is, neither she nor Miles are completely out-of-character. It's another not-so-subtle comment about fan fiction. As crazy as it can be, it is possible for certain truisms to manifest within these absurdities.

These truisms play right into the meta themes of this story. In the end, Kamala Khan's sentiments are similar to those of fans. A few intriguing reveals at the end shows that she's not alone. It creates a larger message of sorts, one that implies that superheroes are aware of the quirky fandoms they inspire. Sometimes those quirks reveal genuine insight for these characters. It doesn't have to involve the bizarre quirks of fan fiction, but they do help get the point across.

For the most part, however, the quirky little stories in All-New, All-Different Avengers Annual #1 don't factor too heavily into Kamla Khan's reaction. Some are just pure entertainment value of the most absurd kind. At a time when Marvel is exploring the dire, depressing issues manifesting in Civil War II, this offers a nice reprieve, even if it doesn't tell a wholly cohesive story.

The lack of cohesion keeps the narrative from gaining any depth. In a story that explores the absurdities of fan fiction, there's only so much depth that's possible, but not much is realized outside a couple stories. Some of those stories may be quirky. Some are more forgettable than others. There's still undeniable entertainment value to be had. There's also an important message to convey.

The internet can and will annoy superheroes every bit as much as the villains they face. With All-New, All-Different Avengers Annual #1, Kamala Khan learns this the hard way. It's just one of many steps she'll have to take in her quest to become a better hero.

Final Score: 7 out of 10

Mindbending Avenging: All-New, All-Different Avengers #8

The following is my review of All-New, All Different Avengers #8, which was posted on PopMatters.com.

There are some issues in modern superhero comics that just don't have a real-world parallel. Issues like regulating superpowers, safeguarding weapons of mass destruction, and managing the use of killer robots have some degree of contemporary relevance. In fact, the management of killer robots is almost certain to become an election issue if DARPA, the Pentagon, and Amazon have their way. The same cannot be said for mind-wiping.

Despite the CIA's best efforts, there is no real-world equivalent to completely wiping the memory of an otherwise healthy adult mind and reshaping it accordingly. That's what makes the concept behind the Avengers: Standoff event such an intriguing thought experiment. In a world where telepaths like Emma Frost can make people forget their own names, why wouldn't the use of psychic manipulation be an issue? Given its potential uses and abuses, it would probably have its own lobbyists.

All-New, All-Different Avengers #8 highlights the potential of psychic manipulation in a way that is both disturbingly pragmatic and naturally terrifying. SHIELD, in its infinite wisdom and gross lack of oversight, attempts to use psychic manipulation to turn unrepentant criminals into productive members of society. On paper, it sounds like a win-win. It removes dangerous individuals from society in a manner that still allows them to pay taxes and contribute. It's basically a Republican's fantasy and the private prison industry's worst nightmare.

Despite sounding so good on paper, the Avengers learn fist-hand why this sort of thing would have the ACLU up in arms. Thanks to Maria Hill and a sentient version of the Cosmic Cube named Kobik, they've been subjected to the same psychic manipulation usually resolved for the Baron Zemos of the Marvel Universe. The fact that Kobik takes the form of a young girl adds an extra twist that feels like it came right out of The Shining, minus the Stephen King style of horror.

For the Avengers and the Unity Squad, the way Avengers: Standoff unfolds still has all the traits of a horror movie. A brief flash forward at the less-than-favorable outcome of this conflict with Kobik suggests that elements of a slasher movie get mixed in as well. However, these traits become secondary in All-New, All-Different Avengers #8. The story deals less with the mind-bending implications of Pleasant Hill and more with escaping its grasp. It's not quite as exciting as it sounds and in a story that has Deadpool in it, that's quite an accomplishment.

Previous issues of the story deal with breaking the psychic manipulation on the Avengers and the Unity Squad. It's hard to contemplate how someone who hasn't seen The Matrix multiple times might react to such manipulation. Having the power of Thor, the computing capacity of Vision, and the mental instability of Deadpool adds plenty of potential complications that might reveal something about these characters. It might even reveal that they're not that as mentally stable as Deadpool would have them believe.

All-New, All-Different Avengers #8 fails to address this though. It effectively paints itself into a corner, making it unable to add the kind of mind-bending layers to the story. It's less a philosophical thought experiment and more a prison break. The complexities that helped make Avengers: Standoff so intriguing give way to the kind of generic action that the Avengers face every other Tuesday.

That's not to say there aren't some compelling aspects of this struggle to escape Pleasant Hill. As is often the case, Deadpool finds a way to creatively confront the source of the chaos. Being a walking testament to chaos, violence, and tacos, he's uniquely qualified to confront Kobik. It's hard to imagine him being competent enough to confront a little girl who happens to embody a reality-warping power, but it gets a lot easier to imagine, considering it's not even the sixth weirdest thing Deadpool has confronted in his colorful history.

This doesn't necessarily mean Deadpool is a good influence on children, but it does mean he helps end the last parts of the Kobik's reality-warping, mind-bending illusion. It comes off as a bit overly simplistic, but Deadpool helps add a little entertainment value, as only he can. It completes the final part of the escape for the Avengers and the Unity Squad. Entertainment value aside, it still comes off as generic.

If there are any deeper impacts to being mentally manipulated, then they're cast aside in favor of more battles against super-powered monsters, as if the Avengers don't face enough of those. Mark Waid and Adam Kubert still find ways to add entertainment value where they can, but aside from Deadpool's contributions, it falls flat.

There's still a lot of potential in the concept behind Avengers: Standoff and All-New, All-Different Avengers #8 offers the best opportunity to the story to explore that concept. While that opportunity isn't completely wasted in terms of the overall story, it still wastes or ignores much of that opportunity.

The characters are mentally manipulated to a point where they believe that they've lived entirely different lives. Then, when the deception is exposed, they basically snap back to their old selves with no noticeable effects. While the minds of superheroes are supposed to be resilient, there's only so much protection a magic hammer or a spider sense can offer. It gives the impression that the human mind is stronger and more rational than daytime talk shows would have us believe.

Most Avengers stories involve them fighting super-powered bad guys at some point. The challenge is getting them to this point in a creative, novel manner. Avengers: Standoff tries to takes a creative path in meeting this challenge, but reverts back to familiar territory too quickly. There are any number of stories that involve the Avengers escaping the grasp of powerful, mind-bending, reality-warping threats. This is just the latest and far from the greatest.

Final Score: 5 out of 10

Living in a (Fleeting) Moment: All-New, All-Different Avengers #4

The following is my review of All-New, All-Different Avengers #4, which was posted on PopMatters.com.

There's a reason why the YOLO (You Only Live Once) meme became annoying quicker than a failed American Idol audition. As a concept, it's not inherently wrong. Despite what some world religions might claim, we only know for certain that we have one life to live. In the Marvel Universe, however, the concept becomes a bit more flawed and a lot more complicated.

It's not just because death in comics is a revolving door with a rusted lock. Because of retcons, reboots, and clones the concept of living in the moment might as well come with an asterisk. That still doesn't stop some characters from embracing the concept in a completely non-hipster type way. It's the primary lesson conveyed on All-New, All-Different Avengers #4. And it's conveyed in a way that even the cynical and the jaded can appreciate.

Mark Waid was tasked with assembling a new team of Avengers in the post-Secret Wars world. It sounds like a simple task, but when billion-dollar movie franchises are built on these teams, the stakes are a bit higher than placating fickle fanboys. Waid still rose to the occasion, creating a team of Avengers that includes familiar faces, rising stars, and a solid mix of diversity. While Glen Beck hasn't complained about it yet, it's a team that reflects a fitting and appropriate sentiment for 2016.

The first three issues of the series was a standard coming together story. It wasn't nearly as epic as a certain movie staring Chris Evans and Robert Downey Jr., but it didn't feel as overplayed as a certain movie starting Andrew Garfield. All-New, All-Different Avengers #4 offers the first real insight into how this new team of Avengers functions and it does so in a way that never feels like a bad reality show or a 60s era sitcom.

There's just a real insight into this new team that feels genuine and balanced. It's basically the complete antithesis of the team dynamics we see in Lethal Weapon movies. There are very different personalities with characters like Nova, Ms. Marvel, and Vision. However, those personalities find a way to mesh in a manner that never feels forced. They don't need a drill sergeant or football coach to whip them into shape. They're not the Cleveland Browns. They're the Avengers.

When they get a chance to demonstrate their competence as Avengers, they pass the test. They don't necessarily pass with flying colors, but when the enemy involved is Cyclone, the test is graded on a curve. He's no Red Skull. Even Hugo Weaving couldn't make Cyclone an intimidating threat. However, he does give this new team of Avengers a chance to shine. While the scope of their efforts are as generic as a traffic stop on the Jersey Turnpike, the battle against Cyclone reflects the new normal for this era of Avengers.

It's not just the diversity that makes this new team of Avengers feel appropriate. It comes back to those sensibilities that we, the society of 2016, have developed in recent years. It's no longer enough for the Avengers to show up, fight monsters, punch the Red Skull in the face, and tell kids to eat their vegetables. As the backlash against movies like Man of Steel have shown, modern audiences care about civilian casualties. Indeed, in an era when the failures of our heroes are more scrutinized than ever, society is much less forgiving of missteps and oversights.

The Avengers in this conflict go out of their way to protect the civilians caught in Cyclone's attack. It takes up a good chunk of the fight. While Cyclone eventually gets knocked out in the same tradition as the Red Skull, the emphasis on protecting civilians adds an important dynamic to what would otherwise be the superhero equivalent of a typical Tuesday.

Beyond the new dynamics of a diverse, civilian-focused Avengers, there is another moment that adds weight to an otherwise typical clash in the new Prime Marvel universe. It comes in the form of a kiss between the new Captain America, Sam Wilson, and the new Thor, Jane Foster. In this case, the cover isn't an elaborate form of trolling in the tradition of Action Comics #600 or Astonishing X-men #14. This kiss does happen, but it's not the kind of kiss that will appeal to the Twilight crowd.

This moment between Sam Wilson and Jane Foster is another keen reflection on 2016 sensibilities. It comes after both characters get reminded that they look nothing like Chris Evans or Chris Hemsworth. There are fans, even within the comic itself, that whine about Captain America and Thor not being the "classic" versions. It's the whining internet trolls of comic book message boards taking form and substance. However, Sam and Jane deal with it in the best way possible and it doesn't involve whining to a moderator.

The two characters kiss. They do so after Sam laments about living up to the high bar set by Steve Rogers. Jane, whose true identity is still a mystery to everyone on the team, understands that these are unreasonable standards set by unreasonable people who make unreasonable comments on the internet. The kiss is just a good way of reinforcing her point and shutting him up.

At the same time, however, it isn't conveyed as a kiss that will create Marvel's next big power couple. This is not their response to DC's efforts with Superman and Wonder Woman. At the very most, this is just an awkward kiss at the end of a junior prom. In the context of the story, this is probably for the best.

Over the past decade or so, Marvel has treated romance and iconic couples with the same tact and care as a Jerry Springer rerun. It's gotten to a point where there are no iconic romances left in Marvel's vast mythos. Some have been killed off, retconned out of existence, or denigrated beyond repair. Marvel has treated their most iconic romances with the same care a two-year-old treats bowl of pasta. They only know how to make it into a mess and neither Sam Wilson nor Jane Foster deserve such treatment.

This kiss and the dynamics built around it give All-New, All-Different Avengers #4 just the right impact. There's a sense of hope, albeit fleeting, that this team can function in 2016 in all its unique sensibilities. Mark Waid has taken a diverse cast with iconic names and made it feel genuine. Glen Beck may still protest at some point, but that would only confirm that this new team of Avengers is doing something right.

Final Score: 9 out of 10

Royalty and Rebels: Princess Leia #1

The following is my review of Princess Leia #1, which was posted on PopMatters.com.

Not so long ago, Disney made a comfortable living portraying a wholly unrealistic depiction of princesses. They made it out to be a world of ponies, servants, and elegant dresses. They often left out other details like having to marry cousins, raising inbred children with rare diseases, and being tabloid fodder every hour of every day. But even with those nasty details, the ponies would still be a major selling point. However, there’s another unrealistic depiction that tends to be a lot more appealing.

Princess Leia is the antithesis to many of the princesses that made Disney famous. She doesn’t wear elegant dresses. She doesn’t ride horses and sip tea. And her favorite fashion accessory is a blaster. At the beginning of the Star Wars trilogy, she was a damsel. However, she was a damsel that wasn’t afraid to fight back and have an attitude. By the end, she was on the front lines with Han Solo fighting the Empire. She even found time to look sexy in a chain bikini along the way. How many other princesses can boast that?

It’s every bit as unrealistic, a princess who will fight an evil empire and still look good in a bikini. But that doesn’t make it any less appealing. Princess Leia’s journey from damsel to warrior is just part of what gives the Star Wars mythos its appeal. But a good chunk of that journey is still undocumented. That’s the story that Princess Leia #1 attempts to explore and the results reveal that this journey had its share of potholes.

It’s easy to forget that Princess Leia is now the royal figurehead of a planet that just got blown up by the Death Star. Her entire world and the entire culture of Alderan was just wiped out with the same callousness that most exercise when closing an annoying pop-up ad. She never had a chance to deal with that in A New Hope, nor did she have a chance to confront the implications. It’s this event that starts Leia’s new journey, but it also shows she’s somewhat ill-prepared.

In addition to giving metals to Han and Luke for their efforts against the Death Star, she attempts to unite the rebels in their mourning for Alderan. However, she’s no Winston Churchill with her speeches. She doesn’t exactly bring her fellow rebels to tears like tweens attending a One Direction concert and that’s somewhat telling. It gives a distinct impression that Leia is not the kind of princess who is fit for these ceremonial roles. She’s not going to inspire the masses at rallies. She’s not going to worry them either by showing up in the tabloids with her getting drunk at a night club. In many ways, she’s not sure what kind of princess she’ll be and she’s exactly presented with many options.

It’s a situation that many other Disney princesses can relate to. She wants to be more than a royal version of Vanna White, but the Rebel generals don’t like the idea of her poking the Empire more than she already has. To be fair, they give a fairly reasonable explanation and that never would’ve flown in Downton Abby.

Being the princess of a planet the Empire went out of its way to destroy, she has a big price on her head. She could basically turn anyone with crippling gambling debt into a certified bounty hunter if she stumbles into the wrong area. Keeping her alive is good for the rebellion, especially at a time when they’re on a winning streak. She’s like a star running back on a football team that wants to take up rock climbing. It puts her in unnecessary danger when they need her to keep the streak going.

Reasonable or not, Princess Leia still makes that fateful decision to be than just a princess. But it isn’t a decision that she makes just because handing out metals is boring. She actually meets someone who openly criticizes her for her lackluster speech for Alderan. This character, Evaan, isn’t all that memorable. She’s basically Leia if she were a rebel pilot rather than a princess, but she essentially tells Leia what she needs to hear to make her decision.

By going against the leaders of the Rebel Alliance, she starts that journey that will eventually take her to tundra of Hoth and the forests of Endor. It’s an important step for her character, but it’s a step that lacks significant drama. There isn’t much emotion that goes into her decision. There’s a sense that she already wanted this. She just needed to find someone who would give her the right nudge. It slows the pace of the story at times, but it still focuses on the right elements. Princess Leia is going to help the Rebel Alliance and she’s going to do it her way. Sure, she might end up in a trash compactor at times, but it still establishes her as the kind of Princess who is more comfortable with a blaster than an evening gown.

The themes in Princess Leia #1 fit nicely into the overall mythos of Star Wars in that it explores Leia’s role in wake of the loss of Alderan. It’s a critical time where she’s in a position to make plenty of fateful decisions. The effects of these decisions eventually play out in The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, but they now have a greater context in terms of the journey that got her to these fateful moments. That journey is still unfolding and at a somewhat sluggish pace. But the fruits of that journey have been known since the mid-80s. Knowing the context of that journey just helps make those fruits taste even sweeter.

Final Score: 7 out of 10

Scanned Thoughts: Princess Leia #1

I used to think that only women saw the appeal of princesses. I admit, it’s a sweet gig. They get to live in a big ass castle, spend a fuckton of money they never worked a day of their life to earn, and have an army of servants that will do anything short of gouging their own eyes out for shits and giggles. But then I discovered the internet and Rule 34. I think it’s safe to say that men have a sweet spot for princesses in addition to some pretty fucked up tastes in porn. Men are just as capable of being allured by a rich, powerful woman and will channel their inner Anna Nichole Smith to get it. In that sense, Princess Leia is the ultimate princess for man-child-whores.

She’s got everything most princesses only wish they had. She’s sexy, tough, charismatic, and she doesn’t need to throw money at people to get them to listen to her. And instead of spending her money on Gucci purses and manicures, she spends her money refining her skills with a blaster. That and she looks great in a metal bikini. Can’t take that away from her. And now that Star Wars is owned by Disney, the mack daddy of fantasy princesses, it’s only natural that they would give Princess Leia her own series. And Princess Leia #1 makes a strong case that she fucking deserves it.

First, she shows that she knows how to be a princess in the classical sense. She can look all pretty and royal during a ceremony. And as it just so happens, she gets to do just that at the iconic ceremony where she awards Luke, Han, and Chewy with metals for their efforts to destroy the Death Star. It’s a nice touch because it helps pick things up directly where A New Hope left off, giving a sense of continuity that the Marvel movies have gotten us addicted to. She also gives a nice, but half-hearted speech about the destruction of Alderan. It’s not exactly a speech in the spirit of Winston Churchill, but it is a fitting job for a princess in terms of being an inspirational figure. In terms of being a princess, that’s something that will surely satisfy the Disney overlords.

Her lackluster speech doesn’t go unnoticed by the other rebels. They have a right to be a little concerned. She’s still the fucking princess now. Like it or not, she’s a figurehead. She’s supposed to inspire a rebellion that’s going against an Empire that has the resources to build giant planet-killing space stations. Some say she just needs time to mourn for the loss of her home world and that’s fair. But when they’re up against enemies like Darth Vader, whose idea of mourning probably involves Force choking a gungan, mourning is kind of a luxury.

She still takes the time to meet with Han, Chewy, and Luke. It makes for some nice moments that perfectly capture they chemistry they established over the course of A New Hope. And because this happens before numerous revelations, some might get a bit of an incest vibe from Luke and Leia. But that shit is best left to perverse minds that ensure Rule 34 has no exceptions. What makes this moment meaningful is that Luke points out how Leia tends to avoid leaning on others for support. That’s kind of how they ended up in a trash compactor on the Death Star. And if they want to end up in less trash compactors, then that might be something she should think about.

This leads to some more royal paper-pushing that’s barely as compelling as it sounds. Leia meets up with Admiral “It’s a Trap!” Ackbar in hopes of meeting with General Dodonna. Despite looking like a prop in a fish tank, he’s a real hardass. He just barely touches on the loss of Alderan, giving Leia the same attention as Homer Simpson gives his kids during a football game. It feels unnecessary and tedious, but it helps establish the kind of environment Leia has to work in. I just think there are much easier ways of showing how royal politics sucks.

She eventually does get to meet General Dodonna, who isn’t much more charismatic than Ackbar. He just looks like a bad cross between an Amish guy and Jor-El from Superman. He’s not as much a hardass, but he offers more proof that rebel politics still suck. Leia makes it clear that she wants to serve the rebellion as more than just a pretty figurehead who gives out metals. Dodonna takes it about as seriously as my high school guidance counselor when I told him I wanted to fly rockets and bang hot alien women. But unlike my guidance counselor, Dodonna offers a more valid reason aside from my rocket science skills being on par with my last algebra test.

Dodonna points out that because of her status, the Empire has a price on her head that would turn any drunk with an excessive bar tab into a bounty hunter. Like it or not, she’s still the face of the rebellion. It wouldn’t be good for anyone if that face ended up getting served on a platter with a side of Wookie’s leg in front of the Emperor. He even says that the Empire is hunting down surviving Alderanians to look for her. So if she has any plans to head out into the galaxy and piss off the Empire, she can forget it. This still isn’t the typical excuse that old men in Disney movies use to keep princesses in line, but it serves the same purpose.

Even if Dodonna’s reason is valid, Princess Leia doesn’t care for it. So she starts snooping around some of the other rebels, listening in on what they think of her as a figurehead. She probably heard more than a few remarks about how she looked sexier with her Cinnabon hair, but she eventually does come across something more valid.

One female rebel pilot, Evaan, was especially vocal about her lackluster speech. She quickly bites her tongue and clenches her asshole when Leia approaches, but she doesn’t ask for her head. She asks for an honest assessment and she fucking gets it. Evaan reveals that she was among the lucky Alderans who wasn’t there when the Death Star paid them a visit. She even reveals that she was mentored by Leia’s (adopted) mother. So she has an emotional stake in losing her planet as well and she get pissed when the so-called princess doesn’t react as strongly as she should.

She still shows some loyalty to Leia, but she’s not exactly lining up to kiss her royal boots. She wants what Leia wants. She wants to save what’s left of Alderan, but she’s not going to do that by just fucking mourning. Evaan’s point is entirely valid and Leia probably agrees with it. That said, I’m still not sure what to make of Evaan. She’s a pretty blonde rebel pilot, but not in the Emma Frost sort of way. She’s basically a copy of what Princess Leia already feels. She has some history, but not enough to make her interesting just yet.

But this story isn’t about Evaan or her opinion on ineffectual princesses. This is about Leia going from a princess who hands out shiny metals and kisses smugglers to a badass rebel fighter. She finally takes a big step when she leaves General Dodonna an elaborate message essentially telling him she understands his advice, but she thinks it’s full of shit. So in the form of another holographic message from R2, she doesn’t ask for help. She just tells him that she’s going to be a stubborn, hardass princess who actually fights for her people. She basically says she’s going to be the ruler that some people wish President Obama could be. Except Leia doesn’t have to deal with Congress so she’s got a leg up.

She ends up getting help from Evaan. While General Dodonna is shitting himself and/or jerking off to the idea of a princess being a badass rebel, they jump an X-wing and fly off Yavin. It’s a critical step and one that’s pretty momentous in the context of the Star Wars mythos. This is Leia going from the woman who needed rescuing to the woman who rescues others. It’s a big part of what made her even sexier in that metal bikini during Return of the Jedi and now that process has begun. Star Wars fans of all kinds should appreciate this moment.

The rest of the rebels aren’t quite as enthusiastic about it. General Dodonna sends a couple of other X-wings after her to reel her in. He even includes Luke and Wedge. That adds a little extra tension because if they were just random rebels, Princess Leia could just tell them to go fuck off. But these are two pilots whose last mission involved blowing up the Death Star. She can’t exactly challenge them to a space drag race or something, especially when Luke went through the trouble of rescuing her. I’m sure he doesn’t want to get stuck in a trash compactor with her again.

While the tension is nice, it’s not all that dramatic. There’s no heartfelt plea or anything. But there is a nice space dog-fight. There are no shots fired or anything so it’s not as flashy as the Death Star battle, but it isn’t intended to be. It’s pretty much the only major action in the story thus far, but it serves a purpose. I guess in a poetic sense, it can symbolize Leia running from her old duties as Princess to embrace her new duties as a rebel. I never cared much for poetry so I’ll just say it’s a glorified chase scene.

It takes a little tact and deception, but Leia does eventually manage to get the better of Luke and Wedge. Evaan is able to make the jump into hyperspace and they get away. So Luke and Wedge fail in their mission to retrieve her, but Luke isn’t all that upset about it. He probably had a feeling that dragging Leia back to Yavin would be more trouble than it’s worth. He just got done destroying the Death Star. He deserves a pass, especially if Leia is going to do something badass. She just needs to stay away from trash compactors.

Now in hyperspace, Princess Leia embraces her new friend and they set out on a new mission. And hopefully, this one won’t end with them needing to be rescued. It’s a good moment, although it’s still hard to make a judgment on Evaan. Right now, she’s just the pilot crazy enough to help the princess. She doesn’t have much of a personality or a role yet, but she’ll probably have to get one soon if she’s going to survive a mission with Princess Leia. She’ll just have to hope that Hugh Hefner’s method of using hot blondes to fulfill his life goals has some merit.

There’s something to be said about powerful women rebelling against propriety, even in an age where there are more washed up reality stars than there are royal families. It’s a concept that terrifies powerful men for some reason or another. The idea that a princess has to be sheltered rather than kick ass sounds like one of those old school traditions that was basically an elaborate excuse to keep powerful women from fucking around and having illegitimate kids. It may or may not apply in the world of Star Wars, but Princess Leia gave that shit the finger in a very satisfying way.

The strength of this issue is establishing clearly that Princess Leia is not content with just being a princess anymore. She just lost her planet. She recently got herself kidnapped. Rather than curl up in a ball and cry about it into a pile of royal silk sheets, she decides to do something about it. She decides to be part of the rebellion rather than just be a symbol. It’s a defining moment that helps highlight her transition from a helpless princess in A New Hope to a badass rebel in The Empire Strikes Back.

It still unfolded a bit too slowly and lacked good melodrama, but it felt like a complete transition. Princess Leia made the decision that will set her on the path to teaming up with Ewoks and she made it in a convincing manner. She even gained a new gal pal in Evaan to help her. She’s not exactly iconic just yet, but she’s already more compelling than Queen Amadala ever was. I give Princess Leia #1 a 7 out of 10. This is a book that feminists and fanboys alike can enjoy. Raging douche-bags or Downton Abby fans might not care for it, but the existence of those assholes are the exact reason why characters like Princess Leia are so important.

Breaking Down A Prelude: Original Sin #0

The following is my review of Original Sin #0, which was posted on PopMatters.com.

Not long ago, the concept of an Issue #0 for a comic seemed about as absurd as an issue that had a decimal for a number. Yet in the past three years, Marvel and DC have done both. But beyond introducing a numbering system that’s more complex than first grade math, these issues have created an entirely new category of comic. They aren’t meant to be part of an arc. And most of the time, they have little impact on the ongoing series. It’s possible to completely skip over these issues and not miss a thing in the main series. That a relief in some ways because some series are complicated enough without decimals and the number 0 being added to the mix. But it also presents a major challenge. If these issues can be glossed over like an extra on Star Trek, how do these issues become meaningful?

The key isn’t to add more complications to the story itself. The real strength of these issues is adding some emotional weight to the impact of the larger story. That’s the task set forth in Original Sin #0. In some respects, this issue has an even greater challenge than most elaborately numbered comics. The first issue of Marvel’s big summer blockbuster has already been spoiled, not unlike a movie trailer that reveals too much too soon. Uatu the Watcher is going to die. Somebody is going to murder him and take his eyes. So him being one of the main character in Original Sin #0 is a bit of problem. It must now get people excited for this event after they already read the spoilers on a message board.

And this issue accomplishes that by making the story personal on multiple fronts. Most of these personal elements come from the perspective of Nova. His life has already been documented, but this issue takes some time to offer a brief refresher course on all things Sam Alexander. It won’t tell anyone anything they can’t find on Wikipedia, but it does help create a more personal tone for the story as a whole. That tone is somewhat lost at times in an overly generic battle against some killer robot pretending to be an Aztec God. It’s one of those concepts that’s as ridiculous as it sounds. But it does help show that Sam Alexander is still a teenage boy with a very immature mentality. Yet it’s this mentality that leads him to confront Uatu the Watcher for an overdue conversation.

That alone doesn’t sound too daunting, but a conversation with Uatu the Watcher isn’t that different from a conversation with a statue. For most of his history, Uatu has acted either as a narrator for readers or a silent witness who only occasionally makes his presence known. He fits the definition of a flat, static character to the letter and he’s supposed to be that way. He’s never presented as anything else. However, Nova’s conversation, as one-sided as it is at times, helps give the Watcher a depth that he was never supposed to have. He finally shows a little personality. It’s not much, but it’s better than a statue.

For a brief moment, Nova gets to see things from the Watchers perspective. He gets to see the breadth of the people and events he observes. He even gets to see the very mechanisms that allow the Watcher to observe the alternate worlds that make up Marvel’s colorful What If line. The meaning isn’t apparent at first and this is where the one-sided conversation gets a little complicated. For all his cosmic powers of observation, the Watcher is painfully inefficient at making his point. But he does eventually make it in a very meaningful way.

This meaning is only fully conveyed when Uatu reveals the history of the Watchers. He shows Nova what happened when his race, led by Uatu’s father, attempted to use their superior knowledge to assist a civilization. And for a time they did. That civilization flourished. But eventually, that civilization used the knowledge and technology given by the Watchers to destroy themselves. It devastates the Watchers so much that Uatu’s father proclaims that the Watchers will never interfere with the development of a civilization again. It essentially lays the foundation for the strict code of non-intervention that the Watchers must uphold. It’s no longer just an excuse. There’s a reason why Uatu only watches and it’s a pretty good reason.

It’s also a reason that has played out on a smaller scale in the real world. There’s a reason why advanced technology seems like magic to primitive minds. By not understanding technology, it’s difficult to appreciate it. By not appreciating this technology, it’s much easier to be misused. The Watchers are somewhat akin to whoever invented the ski mask. They had the best of intentions. Whether it’s helping a civilization achieve greatness or protecting peoples’ heads from bitter cold, these endeavors are noble on paper. But when their fruits are misused, the damage can be pretty bad. The burden for whoever invented the ski mask is probably hard enough, but the Watchers must deal with the burden of full blown genocide.

To further add to this burden, Uatu also reveals that no matter how many realities he uncovers, he doesn’t find any of them that show his father’s endeavor succeeding. It shows that the abuse and misuse of knowledge is akin to the law of gravity. He cannot escape it. And given the stated premise of Original Sin, it paints a more dire picture for all those involved. Nova only got a taste of what the Watcher sees and he never got a chance to misuse it. What will happen when someone has that chance?

That’s the daunting question that readers are left to ask at the end of Original Sin #0. While the details tended to drag and were sometimes obscured by Nova’s immaturity, the emotional stakes are definitely raised by this story. It may not be necessary in the overall Original Sin event, but it gives a great deal of emotional weight to the story. It’s like adding chocolate sauce to a hot fudge sundae. It may get lost in the mix, but it still improves the overall product.

Final Score: 7 out of 10