A review by taberiusrex
DC Comics: Bombshells Vol. 6: War Stories by Marguerite Bennett
4.0
This was a series I desperately wanted to love, and overall I enjoyed it, but there were times when the writing and the art just weren't up to the task. I was on board for a reimagining of the DCU, where the men who would be heroes were off at war, and that left the women at home to pick up the slack in the realm of crime-fighting.
Unfortunately, the final product felt a bit unfulfilled. None of the heroines really get enough time in the spotlight to be distinguished as anything but a 1940s version of themselves, plus a deliberately dolled-up boudoir style. The exception might be the Bat Girls. In addition, the story is one about occult Nazis and taking the fight to the fascists—entertaining and exhilarating, but there's no time for significant character development. The arcs that actually happen, like Raven's emotional journey and Lois Lane dealing with her grief after fighting in Spain, get lost in the noise.
It got a lot of stuff right, though. None of the titular Bombshells have to compromise on their heroism, and despite the preponderance of male characters, the only threat to their time in the spotlight is each other—Steve Trevor, John Constantine, and Lex Luthor stay in their secondary roles where they belong. Lois Lane as a freedom-fighter-turned-war-journalist works on so many levels. Above all, Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy steal just about every page they're on, and I think this series contains their first on-page kiss? I'm not sure, and I'm not going to risk looking up "Harley and Ivy kissing" at work. In any case, good on you, DC.
This last volume gets four stars, since it brings almost everything to a satisfying (if unmemorable) close. If you really like DC heroines, this is the book for you. Otherwise, pick it up from the library. Myself, I'll be giving the next series a pass.
Unfortunately, the final product felt a bit unfulfilled. None of the heroines really get enough time in the spotlight to be distinguished as anything but a 1940s version of themselves, plus a deliberately dolled-up boudoir style. The exception might be the Bat Girls. In addition, the story is one about occult Nazis and taking the fight to the fascists—entertaining and exhilarating, but there's no time for significant character development. The arcs that actually happen, like Raven's emotional journey and Lois Lane dealing with her grief after fighting in Spain, get lost in the noise.
It got a lot of stuff right, though. None of the titular Bombshells have to compromise on their heroism, and despite the preponderance of male characters, the only threat to their time in the spotlight is each other—Steve Trevor, John Constantine, and Lex Luthor stay in their secondary roles where they belong. Lois Lane as a freedom-fighter-turned-war-journalist works on so many levels. Above all, Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy steal just about every page they're on, and I think this series contains their first on-page kiss? I'm not sure, and I'm not going to risk looking up "Harley and Ivy kissing" at work. In any case, good on you, DC.
This last volume gets four stars, since it brings almost everything to a satisfying (if unmemorable) close. If you really like DC heroines, this is the book for you. Otherwise, pick it up from the library. Myself, I'll be giving the next series a pass.