May 11
JENNY ZERO VOL II: HOMELAND INSECURITIES #1
Story: Dave Dwonch, Brockton McKinney | Art/Cover: Magenta King | $3.99
I read the first issue of the first Jenny Zero miniseries, and I think I praised it at the time. I did in my head, anyway, and maybe on the board, too.
So, the title character is Japan’s greatest kaiju fighter. Her father, Commander Zero, was once the greatest kaiju fighter, but he’s dead and now it’s her. She’s got some sort of amplified abilities, which weren’t clear in the first first issue, nor are they in Homeland Insecurities #1, the second first issue. Had I read issues #2-4 — and I didn’t, for lack of time, not interest — I would probably be able to tell you more about Jenny Zero's super-powers.
What I can tell you is the premise of the series, which is basically: “What if Japan’s greatest kaiju fighter was a teenage girl? And really snarky? And completely irresponsible? And an enthusiast of drugs and alcohol?”
Well, mostly you get a mess, because Jenny Zero’s a mess. But it’s a fun mess, mainly because Jenny’s dialogue is hilarious. In addition to the snark, there’s nothing she loves more than a deep-dive pop culture reference … which for an old fart like me, is m-m-my generation.
This new series seems to start Jenny over from whatever her status quo was in the first miniseries; here she’s recruited by the director of ASP (which I think is the anti-kaiju force) and her three identical Cuckoos women with a hive mind who can mentally control your thoughts, memories and actions. It’s not clear yet what they have in mind for her, but they reunite her with an old friend (presumably from the first series, but how would I know?) which promises a Surprise Lesbian Reveal down the road.
I remember the art on the first series being super-cluttered to the point of distraction, but that’s not the case here. It’s clear and confident, and I appreciate the eye for detail – harumph – as Jenny’s injured eye slowly heals through the issue.
I’ll apologize one more time for the temerity of reviewing the first issue of a second miniseries when I didn’t finish the first. I will not make that mistake with this mini.
VAMPIRELLA STRIKES #1
Story: Tom Sniegoski | Art: Jonathan Lau | Cover: Lucio Parrillo | $3.99
I don’t follow Vampirella’s various series with any regularity, so this one came as a bit of a surprise to me. It is, for all intents and purposes, a police procedural on a parallel world.
Evidently, the Vengeance of Vampirella series set up a separate timeline/parallel world for Vampirella. Order and Chaos, anthropomorphized at the beginning of the book as an old bag lady and a young dandy, have a conversation that brings us up to speed: This takes place in Sepulcher City, years after the last issue of Vengeance of Vampirella, in which Mistress Nyx’s monsters and humanity are now living in the same society.
Then we meet this version of Vampirella, who is some sort of official investigator (the term “police” is never used, but that’s what she appears to be), who is especially useful on supernatural cases. She has some sort of AI personal assistant with many uses, and her partner (or perhaps her supervisor) is a human-sized, talking St. Bernard. And they are faced with a supernatural mystery.
The art isn’t top of the line, but it is serviceable (and there’s sufficient cheesecake, if that’s what you’re here for). I spent most of the book trying to figure out what was going on, and I’m not terribly interested in the premise — I prefer original recipe Vampirella. But it’s a good effort, and Vampi fans will be well served.
ARCHIE MEETS RIVERDALE #1
Script: Daniel Kibblesmith | Art: Pat and Tim Kennedy, Bob Smith, Matt Herms, Jack Morelli | Covers: Derek Charm, Ben Caldwell | Archie | 32 pages | $3.99
If you read one Archie comic this year — !
Seriously, this was quite a romp. It probably helps if you watch Riverdale, or are at least familiar with the premise, because the CW gang meets the Archie Comics gang and the comparison gags kept my laughing throughout.
It begins with a typical Archie (Comics) dilemma, in which the comics redhead can’t decide between Betty and Veronica for an upcoming dance, and Reggie is taking advantage of his indecision. The jokes start early:
Archie: Ever wish there were two of you?
Jughead: Nope. That would mean half the food.
But the convo sparks an idea, where Archie recruits Dilton to create a second version of himself. Dilton says can do, by reaching into an empty parallel universe for the energy. This being an Archie comic, where best-laid plans gang aft agley, it turns out that universe isn’t empty. Before you know it, the CW Archie, Reggie and Veronica are visiting Archie Comics Riverdale, while Archie Comics Jughead alights in CW Riverdale. Then the gags really being to flow.
Also the Easter eggs. I noticed references to:
- Archie’s 1940s bow tie.
- CW Archie noticing that when he cusses in Archie Comics Riverdale, it comes out in grawlix.
- The wide difference between the Weatherbees.
- CW Betty and Archie Comics Jughead being the smartest in their respective gangs — but only being a couple in one of them.
- Jughead’s universal eating disorder.
- The famous “three on a soda” meme with a difference.
- The many comics and TV versions of Sabrina, including Melissa Joan Hart, the manga version, the Li’l Archie version and Kiernan Shipka (plus a few I haven’t seen).
- Afterlife with Archie.
- The Archies (with multiple Archies).
There are doubtless more.
I did think it weird that the Archie Comics versions of Betty & Veronica would find the KJ Apa version of Archie attractive, and vice versa, but hey, teenage hormones. And who cares, when a book is this funny and sincere in its affection for the source material.
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