Marvel Divas #2 – Review

By Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa (Writer), Tonci Zonjic (Art), June Chung (Colors)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: The first issue of Marvel Divas did what it set out to do really well. Because of that, I decided to check out the second issue to find out if the series had appeal for someone outside of the target audience.

The Story: Angelica Jones takes the first steps toward dealing with her breast cancer, as her friends do what they can to help. Also, girl talk about relationships and such…

What’s Good & What’s Not So Good: While it’s a whole lot more serious (with the cancer battle taking front and center), pretty much everything I said about Marvel Divas #1 applies to the second issue. The Sex and the City meets the Marvel U. vibe works really well, the artwork by Tonci Zonjic is a great fit, and the dialogue by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa is both effective and realistic. Also, the storyline that’s developing puts an interesting twist on dealing with a very personal issue by (understandably, considering its the Marvel U.) bringing powers and magic into the mix in a way that comes across  far more respectful of the issue then you might expect. Kudos to Aguirre-Sacasa for keeping things, for the most part, grounded in a reality that fits the Marvel universe and its characters.

The only thing actually negative I have to say concerning Marvel Divas #2 has more to do with personal preference than anything else. Simply put, Marvel Divas isn’t a series for a guy like me. I appreciate its quality and give all the credit in the world to the creative team though, so if Marvel Divas sounds like your thing, then by all means be sure to pick it up. I highly doubt you’ll be disappointed.

Conclusion: It may not be my thing, but Marvel Divas #2 is still a quality book.

Grade: B

-Kyle Posluszny

Marvel Divas #1 – Review

By Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa (Writer), Tonci Zonjic (Art), and Jelena Kevic Djurdjevic & June Chung (Colors)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: It will be interesting to see how Marvel’s Divas stack up against Gotham’s Sirens…

The Story: Patsy Walker (Hellcat), Monica Rambeau (Captain Marvel/leader of Nextwave), Felicia Hardy (Black Cat), and Angelica Jones (Firestar) are superhero “gal-pals” trying to navigate the social scene of the Marvel Universe. In Marvel Divas #1, we learn how they became friends, see three of them attend a party for Patsy Walker’s latest book, and talk about, well, girl stuff (guys, the social scene, sex, relationships, etc.).

About That Cover: Ignore the rather obnoxious J. Scott Campbell cover… Actually, scratch that…Take a good look at the J. Scott Campbell cover because it’s really the only thing about Marvel Divas #1 that deserves to fall into the “Not So Good” category. That’s not to say that the cover looks bad (cheesecake certainly has its place), but it couldn’t possibly be a worse fit for a book that succeeds almost entirely because it avoids all the baggage that comes with a cover that says “Marvel Divas” and features four ladies in skintight outfits posing in a way that accentuates their… uh… assets. Now, with that out of the way…

What’s Good And What’s Not So Good: As far as story and tone is concerned, Marvel Divas truly is Sex and the City meets the Marvel Universe. Is it really my type of thing? Absolutely not. But that doesn’t mean that the mini-series should be dismissed in any way. And that’s because, on a creative level, Marvel Divas is as strong as some of the best books on the stands.

Writer Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa does an excellent job of giving Marvel Divas a distinct flavor for a Marvel comic. In other words, there’s very little superhero stuff and a whole lot of girl talk, girl power, and clever banter. The four main characters are written in a way that makes it easy for readers to quickly understand the important personalities (though one or two come across as a bit stereotypical) and where they fit in the Marvel universe. Aguirre-Sacasa also does a nice job of humorously breaking the fourth wall at appropriate times (“Company wide crossover”) to keep the interest of those that are picking the book up out of curiosity.

My only real complaint about the writing in Marvel Divas is actually not really a complaint and more of an observation: Aguirre-Sacasa clearly isn’t aiming for that “all inclusive” feel (though the writer certainly doesn’t have to) . What I mean is that it will quickly become clear whether Marvel Divas is for you or not. I am clearly not a part of the intended audience, yet I can certainly appreciate the mini-series for what it is.

The artwork by Tonci Zonjic for Marvel Divas is perfectly suited to the tone that Aguirre-Sacasa amazingly establishes. Stylish, expressive, and subtle, Zonjic’s work effortlessly brings out the personality and high points of the script. The only negative thing about Zonjic’s style is that character faces all tend to look similar. Skin tones and hairstyles keep faces distinct, but some more facial detail would definitely be welcome.

Conclusion: Even though Marvel Divas isn’t a series for your average fanboys, it’s definitely one unique and creative piece.

Grade: B+

-Kyle Posluszny