The Monstress series is an on-going comic book series, currently on issue #55. The first 54 issues have been collected in nine omnibus editions, starting with Monstress, vol. 1: Awakening.
Set in an alternate matriarchal 1900’s Asia, in a richly imagined world of art deco-inflected steam punk, Monstress tells the story of a teenage girl who is struggling to survive the trauma of war, and who shares a mysterious psychic link with a monster of tremendous power, a connection that will transform them both and make them the target of both human and otherworldly powers.
Written by Sophie
There is something about the entirety of this series that I love. The art, the characters, the plot, all of it combine to form a perfect storm – a dark, angry scream at being in a situation not of your choice, and then trying to deal with that situation. It’s a gruesome, bloody epic positively brimming with strong non-male, other-bodied and LGBTQI+ characters (if you’re looking for representation), a dark, raging anti-hero on a revenge mission (if you’re looking for a fast-paced and twisty plot set in a richly detailed world), and the art! Oh my word. The art is stunning and luscious and super-detailed so that you keep wanting to zoom in but then remember you’re reading this on paper so you can’t. Thankfully you can take pictures with your phone and zoom in on those, though!
One of my favorite things about this series is how main character Maika continues to be boiling-lava-LIVID throughout the series (54 issues and counting), while also learning to be softer to those who love and support her. She’s still an asshole though, an aspect of her I find immensely appealing, somehow.
I chose to re-read the whole series before diving into the latest omnibus (volume 9: The Possessed), and am very glad I did. Everything made much more sense; I’m not a regular comics reader and can get overwhelmed by all the things going on. Not to mention distracted by that gorgeous artwork. Re-reading it gave me a better sense of the various settings, factions, characters, what *exactly* happened in Constantine, and how Maika and the monster within her relate. It also let me see themes of (found) families, trauma, betrayal, “othering”, and learning to trust better more clearly. I love how everyone gets a complex backstory: Maika, Kippa, Zin, Ren, the Baroness – everyone. You might not agree with their actions, but you’ll understand them for sure.
Volume 9 brought the story a few years forward, as well as to a new part of the central world. I found it a welcome change after the rather nightmare-ish volume 8, where Maika and co. were trapped on a psychic prison planet. A background character from as far back as the first omnibus finally makes their proper entrance, and the stakes of the various wars have been upped. Alliances also appear to have shifted (Corvin! Whyyy!)(I’m crossing all my fingers that that particular bit is not what it appears). Anyway, so much is set in motion for the next arc of the story, and I’m thrilled about it. There are not many series that can keep me captivated for as long as this one has. A 5⭐️ series, in other words, despite me not generally being a fan of the grim or the dark, and the many truly horrifying scenes of death.
The beautiful artwork cards and stickers in the images below came from when I attended a signing at ABC Amsterdam last year. Both authors are wonderful and very kind in real life. 😊
