Angel Catbird Volume 1
Margaret Atwood, story; Johnnie Christmas, illustrations; Tamra Bonvillain, colors
Dark Horse Books, 2016
Renowned author Margaret Atwood has come to comic books late in her career--but in her Introduction she says she's a long time fan. In fact she even drew her own, and the Sketchbook section in the back of this volume includes a page of her character design sketches. Angel Catbird is about a young genetic engineer named Strig Feleedus who becomes accidentally mutated when his experimental serum merges his DNA with that of a cat and an owl.
Bizarre as that may seem, things quickly become much stranger. He finds that there is a population of half-cats (people who can transform into cats) and half-rats (people who can transform into rats). Of course they are natural enemies. The cats count a vampire cat among their number, named Count Catula (naturally). It's all a bit pulpy and silly, with lots of cat puns.
There is a reason why Angel Catbird combines cat and bird: he embodies the conflict between carnivore and prey. Atwood also has a serious agenda of saving birds from cat predation and keeping cats safe, so there are tips scattered throughout the book, with links to a website for more information.
It's a wacky combination. I doubt I'd have even given it a second look if not for Atwood's reputation. And while it was entertaining enough, I don't expect to continue reading it.
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