Graphic Novel Review - 'DeadEndia: The Divine Order' by Hamish Steele

WOW!

'DeadEndia' is one of the greatest fantasy series ever. It is modern, diverse, inclusive, and so #&$@ing relevant, and it is unjustly underrated. It should join the ranks of 'Supernatural', 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer', 'Adventure Time', and 'Gravity Falls'; to be among the most popular fantasy and sci-fi franchises in the pop culture sphere (and economy), animated or not.

'DeadEndia: The Divine Order', one of the best finales in fiction ever, definitely resembles the above-mentioned shows in various, creative, big and little ways.

I won't dare spoil any specific plot and character details in this review, but trust me when I say that 'The Divine Order' is epic, in the truest sense of the word.

It has everything: "angel" and "demon" classes and clashes and wars; "heavenly" and "hellish" battles; multiple apocalypses; time travel; reality changes; history changes (and erasure and censorship); commentary on religion, classism, and every kind of labelling, prejudice, bigotry and division - this is a huge and important theme, and it has to do with everything - 'DeadEndia' knows that dividing people for any reason is a power play and cause, and it is systematic and intentional; how entitlement and an obsession with "purity" and power and control can only lead to misery, loneliness and dystopia; how weaponised hatred and fear, and fighting amongst ourselves, are what really make a "broken world"; unapologetic and beautiful LBGTQ+ content and themes; polygamy; magic; and love and freedom.

And maybe no one is straight after all.

Nothing and no one can be a straight line. Not without cracking, and falling through the cracks.

Nothing and no one can be "pure". That's just unrealistic, in both the real world and in fantastical worlds.

Any "divine order" is a villain. It doesn't even really exist.

With the power of belief, anything is possible.

These are the themes and messages of 'The Divine Order'.

What about the characters?

I adore them all. Practically everyone receives their chance to shine and be brilliant:

The trans, gay Jewish icon Barney Guttman is at his best here - he goes through so much and he is so strong and awesome!

The Pakistani American, autistic and bisexual icon Norma Khan has come a long, long way. To say a lot has happened to her, to the point where she is not wholly human anymore, and is now multiple supernatural beings, would be an understatement. But she pulls through, and comes out the other (dead) end stronger and more determined than ever. Like Barney, Norma has been through so much for someone so young. Her amount of trauma could lead to centuries worth of therapy!

Norma has had her ups and downs, and throughout the comic series I hadn't been so sure about her, but now I love her enough that she might be one of my new favourite fictional heroines ever.

Screw "likeability" in female characters - Norma Khan is relatable and inspirational, dammit!

I absolutely LOVE Badyah Hassan, as well. She is everything. Courtney has come an awful long way, too.

'DeadEndia: The Divine Order' knows how a world can be "perfect" - it is when it is united. Not divided.

An imperfect, "broken" and beautiful world is one where everyone in it is free to be themselves, to be who they want. To be united for the freedom of choice, and the freedom to love.

No divisions. No hierarchy. No hatred. No fear. No distrust. No wars.

With all that, plus every supernatural entity existing, and them and everybody else being able to live peacefully together if they just try, I'd love to live in the utopia as theorised in the 'DeadEndia' series.

'DeadEndia: The Divine Order' - what a wonderful, spectacular end to a wonderful, spectacular series. It more than makes up for the shortcomings of its predecessor, the middle book 'The Broken Halo', which at best is a holy harbinger of 'The Divine Order'. It also makes up for the cancellation of the animated TV adaptation, 'Dead End: Paranormal Park', which this finale comic was made in response to, when it began life as 'DeadEndia', as a webcomic. It makes everything worth it.

Sure, there are some minor characters who, while not necessarily forgotten about, are not really in the comic either - they only exist in the background, and they themselves fall through the cracks, production-wise. And since it has time travel and alternative realities, you are bound to find plot holes and inconsistencies if you think too hard about it. But just relax, and enjoy the ride!

The massive, epic, enlightening, queer and hopeful as %#@! ride.

I wholeheartedly recommend the whole of 'DeadEndia'. Read the comic book trilogy, and watch 'Dead End: Paranormal Park'. Your life will be better for it.

All this is to say, the number one message to take away from 'DeadEndia: The Divine Order' is:

Don't let some white male arsehole make rules, and rule over your life and the world, just because he feels entitled to. He is hateful, joyless, delusional scum who needs therapy, not validation. He is a liar, a fraud, and a conman, no better than a cult leader and a televangelist - indeed he may be those things, and will definitely profit off of the support of people who are. Of course he doesn't believe in his own cause - he doesn't believe in anything, and that includes himself. He's a narcissist, and that means he hates himself more than anything. His overprivileged, relatively easy and consequence-and-obstacle-free life has made him feel profoundly empty, unfulfilled, unsatisfied, and alone, and he thinks he can fill that void of meaning and purpose by making (meaning: declaring loudly and obnoxiously) himself superior to everyone else, regardless of reality, and claiming he knows everything and what is best for everyone else, regardless of evidence, and by forcing his will and leadership, however poorly, upon everyone else. He chose to ignore and change facts to suit his own ends; his own version of reality. He chose to live his life by enforcing division amongst other, "lower" and "lesser" people for his own selfish, egotistical, power-hungry gains. He chose to live without love. He chose to go too far, to the point of sociopathy and even psychopathy; to the point of insanity. Everything he's done, was done deliberately, and nefariously and maliciously. Because he hates himself, and he is dead inside, and in the psychosis of misery loving company, he wants others to feel the same way. To, ironically and paradoxically, feel alone. It has always been about overcompensating, and an insatiable ego trip, and he has made everything a competition and a power struggle - for him and him alone. Therefore he is not worth anyone's time and attention, except for seeking professional psychological help for him.

Hell, any human claiming to be anything resembling a god is not worth anyone's attention. Don't give it to them.

Never trust the ravings of a known charlatan who refuses to learn their lessons and change their ways.


'[...] Twisting the language of religion to push people down? To lie and manipulate and sow division? [...]

They sound like humans to me...'

Continue to follow that rainbow, with your loved ones.

For when you are free to go wherever you want, and be whoever you want, there is no dead end.

For further thoughts on the series, read my reviews of:


'DeadEndia: The Watcher's Test'

'DeadEndia: The Broken Halo'


Thank you, once again, to Hamish Steele.

Final Score (for 'The Divine Order'): 4.5/5

Graphic Novel Review - 'DeadEndia: The Broken Halo' by Hamish Steele

I agree with what some other reviewers have said: 'DeadEndia: The Broken Halo' definitely suffers from Middle Book Syndrome.

It is by no means bad - the characters are still well fleshed out, three dimensional, and dynamic, and they each get into their own interesting situations. They are very flawed people who go through significant development, and the reader learns a lot more about them, and that's great.

But it all builds up towards a much more interesting climax, where there are actual stakes and something resembling plot progression. 'The Broken Halo' is that bizarre beast where the pacing is slow, the buildup is slow, but at the same time there are details in it that are rushed as hell; so much in the comic is zip-zap zany, with not enough breathing space. Plus there are some instances of unnecessarily meanspirited, and inexplicable, dialogue exchanges and banter between characters.

Well, it's 'DeadEndia', and it's weird and wonderful and queer, if not as fresh and breezy as the first volume. It remains funny, though it is less cute and endearingly cartoony and more cynical, morose and crabby this time round.

Read 'The Broken Halo' only to get to the third and final volume, 'The Divine Order', which makes it all worth it. My review of one of the greatest finales ever will be coming right up.

Until then, for more of my thoughts on the 'DeadEndia/Dead End' series, read my review of 'DeadEndia: The Watcher's Test'.

Final Score: 3/5

Graphic Novel Review - 'Gumshoe' by Brenna Thummler

In 'Gumshoe', by Brenna Thummler, postwomen and postal girls are also pink-and-blue cowgirls.

It is an Arizonian, letter-writing, letter-looting, stamp-collecting, cat-loving, gum-chewing, gooey s'mores-mouthwatering, campfire-ing, femme-filled retelling of Louis Sachar's 'Holes'. Heck, it starts off with the protagonist, eleven-year-old Willa Rivera, stamping and delivering a letter to a Louis Sachar - the graphic novel is a literal love letter to another author and his work!

Willa is a shy, quiet girl with social anxiety, who dreams of becoming a postwoman. Through a misunderstanding with her town's mysterious postman, whom she aspires to be like, she becomes a runaway and an outlaw, and subsequently a cowgirl-postgirl in the Gumshoe Gang, who are runaway girls like herself.

There is a legend of Two Gum Tilly, a notorious bandit who chews disgusting gum and steals other people's letters from their letterboxes, and throughout the generations she has never been caught. She plays a huge part in the story of these girls.

I found I could relate to Willa, in her quietness and trouble making friends, and in her love of letters, and delivering them to different people (though that fancy of mine largely stems from my obsession with 

admiration of 'Kiki's Delivery Service', but still). Her three new runaway outlaw friends of the Gumshoe Gang, called Pepsy, Beanie and Whip, are very interesting, well-rounded and well-developed characters in their own right.

The artwork is colourful, expressive, endearing, shady and atmospheric, and the characters are so distinct, fully realised and alive it is almost scary. I loved imagining the Southwestern US accents of certain female characters. At 320 pages 'Gumshoe' manages to pack in carts and wagons' worth of interesting things. Female friendship is one of its major themes.

And did I mention it loves cats? And gum? Lots and lots of chewing gum?

'Gumshoe' - yes, the identity of the current Two Gum Tilly is almost insultingly obvious, and the ending is rather rushed and a little disappointing, after all that buildup and development (not to mention it's heteronormative, with Beanie's never-seen dads being the only exception), but it is such a funny and cute, yet mature and heartwarming middle grade graphic novel! It is certainly unique, and hardly like any children's graphic novel I've read before.

And it has Dogie, Willa's postman's cat, in it, who is drawn to gum like catnip, and is highly intelligent. There is a literal singing cat show! For a famous cat called Cat B'lou! She's "America's feline sweetheart"!

Have I not sold you yet?!

What a town-and-desert rodeo!

Final Score: 3.5/5

Graphic Novel Review - 'Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow' by Tom King (Writer), Bilquis Evely (Artist), Matheus Lopes (Colourist), Clayton Cowles (Letterer)

I had to read this dark, not-at-all simple 'Supergirl' comic twice in order to somewhat comprehend, understand and appreciate it.

And in conclusion, after needing a full day's reading of 'Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow', I've found I really like it.

This is despite how it demonstrates both the best and worst traits of Tom King as a writer; meaning, he comes up with the most brilliant, creative, subversive, introspective, existentialist, and out-of-this-world-and-cosmos concepts, of which he doesn't waste any potential, and his fearlessness in thinking outside the box and giving expectations a whiplash is exceptional...but my goddesses and garters is it hard not to disagree that he might have been better off as a novelist, because nearly every comic of his is wordy as hell. Waxing poetic about everything and nothing like there is no tomorrow (heh) appears to be his favourite vice. You do not read his works for a quick, breezy, action-packed time, that's for certain. It's great that they are not brainless, but they can be far too much if all you want to do is enjoy a colourful superhero comic.

It's like King is afraid of editors--or is it the other way round? That it's editors that are afraid of him, of even suggesting he cut a single word out of his overwhelming deluge of narration boxes and dialogue balloons?

This is especially troubling as it breaks the number one rule of storytelling across all mediums: "Show, don't tell". And King absolutely loves to tell, without letting the artwork speak for itself, for a chance - for room and space - to convey atmosphere. Readers are left with hardly anything to infer from and interpret for themselves.

Ofttimes King borders on being like an unrestrained, pretentious, egotistical, overrated and overblown classic male movie director. That he seems to be restlessly writing for every comic nowadays regardless of the mixed quality of his output doesn't help his "keeps getting hired over everyone else and it's suspicious and seedy" case.

Yet in spite of all this (wow did I go longwinded myself, huh?), 'Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow' (2021) is an excellent comic book, and I can see why it would be widely considered a masterpiece and an instant graphic novel classic. It's also not hard to see why it would pretty much serve the basis of the new 'Supergirl' movie coming out in 2026.

Sure, there are some random, superfluous and nonsensical things in it, and I find the ending to be only a little less frustrating and confusing on the second read, but its merits outweigh its shortcomings. I can appreciate better what King was doing, now with the knowledge of what to expect, plus a refreshed memory, and I can therefore properly exercise the patience required to enjoy it.

'Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow' - such effort is especially heartening to see in a 'Supergirl' comic in general. Tom King does not undermine the superheroine. Based on his writing, it is clear he respected her, and wanted to show her at her best, at her most rounded and three-dimensional...and most painfully tragic.

No one would forget about, ignore, dismiss, or underestimate Supergirl after reading 'Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow', even if they had read lesser comics about her before, that do not do her character justice in the slightest, and seem to despise her existence.

Supergirl/Kara Zor-El is no mere distaff counterpart, distressed damsel, fridged woman, and "girl hero" - she is her cousin Superman's equal in every respect, perhaps more so; and is perhaps better than he is, due to her having experienced, struggled and survived far greater in her comparatively shorter life (she is in fact much older than he is - as a young teen she was originally sent from her decayed and destroyed Krypton civilisation(s) to earth to protect baby Kal-El; space and time travels, and depending on the rocket ship, and all that).

'Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow' is basically a retelling of Charles Portis's 'True Grit', set in outer space, with aliens, and the most devastated, hostile, barely habitable, and/or corrupt alien worlds, and genocidal space criminals and thugs and pirates.

Twenty-one-year-old Supergirl is on a mission that takes her across the universe. She is accompanied by Ruthye Marye Knoll (now that is a pretentious name), a girl from another planet, like Supergirl. Ruthye will stop at nothing to seek revenge on a monstrous man who murdered her father in cold blood, with a sword.

Over the long, hard and heavy course of her revenge quest, Ruthye comes to know of the unspeakably tragic past, and the inner and outer journey, of the Woman of Tomorrow. But by the ends of the universe, she will attempt to speak them, unceasingly, via her one notable characteristic of never shutting the @#&*! up, in her narration and her dialogue. Whether anyone likes it or not, Ruthye is the one telling the whole story - the story of her and Supergirl, from her perspective and memory, from when she is an old woman.

Kara's beloved Krypto the Superdog is there, too.

Supergirl, whatever she is doing, and whatever occasion she finds to smile and be kind and help those in need, there can be no doubt: she is suffering. She is depressed. She is constantly living, surviving through the trauma of losing her home on the blown-up planet Krypton, then in Argo City, and of losing her parents. In having to take care of the younger, naïve, stubborn and impulsive Ruthye, her PTSD reaches its full potency; it is showing up to the surface, beyond her control. With all her superpowers, that are without limits (kryptonite effects aside, and depending on what sun she is under, and magic is another weakness of hers), she is not so insuperable and perfect, after all. Heck, she's drunk in her first appearance in this comic. She has a short fuse and mood swings, and swears a lot (though it's censored).

But she will keep trying.

Keep defying.

Keep flying.

Keep finding and improving herself.

Keep saving lives.

She knows she has to cling on to hope somehow, or else there really is no reason for her to go on, to help others.

To save herself.

And there will always be other people who will fight to save her, sometimes from herself. People who stand up for her, admire her, and love her.

Through all her trauma, and personality flaws, she is Supergirl, fighting for truth, justice, and compassion and kindness in the face of all the evils, all the destruction, obliteration and oblivion, of the indifferent universe.

She is not a god, and she never asked to be compared to one. She never asked to be a hero, either. But that's the role she's been given, that's the hand she is dealt. And she will accomplish her tasks and duties to the best of her capabilities.

'Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow' - a grand, epic, emotional, horrifying, poignant, complex, and compact standalone superheroine graphic novel, if overly wordy and flowery in language, for this supposedly visual art medium. It swings between pretension and genuine cleverness on almost equal footing. It showcases the best and worst of Kara Zor-El, in a good way. It may just make a Supergirl fan out of anyone, if they are not already.

If you want, you can read my reviews of the other 'Supergirl' comics I like:


'Supergirl: Being Super'

'Supergirl Vol. 1: Misadventures in Midvale'


And to further show I do not completely hate Tom King's work, read these:


'Jenny Sparks'

'Helen of Wyndhorn'


Final Score: 3.5/5

Graphic Novel Review - 'Supergirl Vol. 1: Misadventures in Midvale' by Sophie Campbell (Writer, Artist), Rosi Kämpe (Artist), Paulina Ganucheau (Artist), Tamra Bonvillain (Colourist), Marissa Louise (Colourist), Kendall Goode (Colourist), Becca Carey (Letterer)

I figured I'd read more 'Supergirl' comics, what with the new film coming out this year, and the new comic, 'Supergirl Vol. 1: Misadventures in Midvale', is one of them.

Up until now, 'Supergirl: Being Super' was the only 'Supergirl' comic I liked (a reread of 'Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow' would also rectify this, but that's for another review), and although 'Supergirl Vol. 1: Misadventures in Midvale' is far from perfect, and kind of a confused mess that doesn't seem to know who its target demographic is, it is a fun, funny, bright and colourful superheroine comic.

I'm not sure how old Supergirl/Kara Zor-El/Linda Danvers is supposed to be here, when she looks and sometimes acts like a teenager, albeit a very responsible and seasoned one with more of a level head than she is often given credit for. But regardless, there is zany and silly stuff to be had in 'Misadventures in Midvale', such as an imposter Supergirl (Lesla-Lar, later called Luminary, and she has a pet bunny rabbit named Kandy), Krypto the Superdog, Streaky the Supercat, Tinytano the tiny super gorilla, Lena Luthor, the daughter of Lex Luthor (who is plenty goth, and seems to be connected to Brainiac somehow?), Luna Lustrum the psionic goth girl (there are a lot of L-names in the Super-Fam stories), Kandor, Princess Shark and her shark invasions, Supergirl being turned into Satan Girl, a goth party, an adorable and funny issue starring the Super-Pets, Nightflame, and Kara experiencing her worst nightmares and memories, and she breaks through and overcomes it all with the power of female friendship, and realising that her darkness is her strength, not her weakness (the tone really gets muddled there, in the final issue, but it's good character development for Kara).

I'm glad I'm giving Supergirl another chance, at least with her modern incarnations. Between this and the much darker 'Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow', I properly see now that she isn't Superman's frivolous, smiley and moody teenage cousin and distaff counterpart - Kara Zor-El is a truly tragic character, having experienced so much loss and devastation when she was just a child; the weight of her whole destroyed planet, civilisation, and family on her small shoulders. Unlike Superman, she remembers Krypton, and her Kryptonian family - she had a whole life on another world, that she took for granted, and only survived out of pure luck. While she always tries not to show it, under a youthful, sunshiny, compassionate and hopeful persona, she is a supernova of pain and grief.

But she will not let it end her. She will not let the memory of Krypton die with her. She will keep going; keep moving; keep flying.

And she will not let anyone else suffer like she has.

As Supergirl, she will use her godlike powers to help others, to do good, after having faced the worst the universe had to throw at her, as an innocent young girl, no longer so innocent and naïve.

Supergirl - a Schrodinger's cat of being both hopeful and happy, and despairful and sorrowful. Not quite a teenager, not quite an adult. Young and continuously learning, yet has experienced enough for multiple human lifetimes. Like a less "perfect" Wonder Woman.

Supergirl is a survivor. The epitome of strength and endurance and perseverance, in a stereotypical young, small, skinny, pretty, weak, female body.

What an inspirational heroine. Finally allowed to shoot like the brightest, fastest star, out of her cousin's shadow.

Power Girl isn't the only interesting female Super-Family member, after all. My apologies, dear, dear Kara. You are a miracle, a girl of hope, come to earth from the stars.

Final Score: 3.5/5

Graphic Novel Review - 'Harley Quinn Vol. 1: Destructive Comics' by Elliott Kalan (Writer), Mindy Lee (Artist), Triona Farrell (Colourist), Lucas Gattoni (Letterer)

Well, I'm back reading a new 'Harley Quinn' comic.

Now Harley and Poison Ivy are on a sort-of trial separation, that has to do with the events of Ivy's own current comic run. So Harls is out of the swamp and back in Gotham, in Throatcutter Hill, in a reconnecting-with-your-past, gentrification and condo development storyline, where she flirts with building developer, estate mogul, industrialist and capitalist girlboss bitch Althea Klang (who is so much like a female Seto Kaiba, it is too funny), in a love/hate war for Throatcutter Hill's rotten and rotting soul.

Don't worry, she's still in love with Ivy. In fact, in one issue they are back together in Ivy's swamp, fighting a psycho pig man. Harlivy are OTP forever.

There is a bum "superhero" from Harley's college days, a cranky, cantankerous old landlady, a family of Clayfaces, the destruction of new monuments, the thwarting of Amazon delivery vans, the bombing of septic lines, a found family theme, Harley constantly arguing with her brain 'The Simpsons'-style, and Harley's hyenas, that get forgotten about after the third issue.

It is all absolutely bonkers. Unadulterated nonsense. In others words, it is a superhero/supervillain/antihero comic. 'Destructive Comics' indeed.

'Harley Quinn Vol. 1: Destructive Comics' is one of the most hilarious comic books I have ever read. There are genuinely funny and clever moments, jokes and lines of dialogue. It is unabashedly irreverent, chaotic and topsy-turvy, and you've got to love it for it. It is like the best comedy manga/anime.

Colourful, subversive, anarchic, hell-ter-skelter, queer fun. A sugar, pork and chicken rush.

Wild!

A mad-dash comedy goldrush!

With the Joker completely absent from the whole thing.

Now this is Harley Quinn, as she should be!

Final Score: 3.5/5

Graphic Novel Review - 'The Lost Daughter of Sparta' by Felicia Day (Writer), Rowan MacColl (Artist)

'The Lost Daughter of Sparta' is a monumental and phenomenal powerhouse of a feminist Greek mythology graphic novel.

It explores the story of Philonoe, the youngest and forgotten sister of Helen of Troy. She's a woman who's been lost to time. Even the mists of myth no longer acknowledge her existence.

Until now.

Considered cursed because of a facial birthmark, Princess Philonoe was sent away as a baby to live as a poor goatherd. Quite appropriate, seeing as she is one of her family's female scapegoats - has been since birth. Her life is that of abandonment issues, and starvation of love, value, worthiness, and belonging. When she comes of age, she is finally allowed back into the presence of her parents, who she hopes to "earn" their love, and make them see her, by behaving exactly as she is supposed to; meaning: by becoming the perfect wife to a prince from an allying Greek city. And by hiding her face with a veil at all times.

Youthful, naïve, and desperate, Philonoe believes she has to conform to a patriarchal system of total submissiveness, faithfulness and loyalty to men in order to fit in and be loved, regardless of what is true and what is right for her.

But on her Twelve Labours-style quest to break her curse - and another curse placed on her and her older sisters, that causes them to inevitably "betray their husbands" - all initiated by Aphrodite - Philonoe, guided by Artemis, learns that the misogynistic patriarchy by its very concept will never love and accept her, and it will never make her happy. It will never allow her to be happy, to belong, to be free as she is. People living in and benefitting from that hierarchy will always hate and judge her, no matter what she does. A "perfect wife and mother" is a lie and a trap.

Philonoe will find the strength and resolve to love herself, to put herself and her needs first, no matter what anyone thinks. She will realise that she deserves love and respect too.

She will love other women, including her sisters, who she only knew by their "traitorous, treacherous, scandalous and destructive" reputations, and "monster" women. Like her, they are in fact victims of the machinations of insecure and power-mad male gods and heroes, and kings.

Perhaps she will also find love in a certain goddess who has her eye on her...

I'm so glad that, even with my knowledge of Greek mythology, I've finally gotten to know Philonoe, and other female figures - such as Clytemnestra, Timandra, Echidna, and including the genderfluid Caenis/Caeneus - who are more than worthy of having their stories told, and remembered.

Philonoe is a real immortal heroine in 'The Lost Daughter of Sparta'! She is so human, vulnerable, lost, naïve, scruffy, scrappy, relatable, and imperfect, and her development throughout her journey is a beautiful thing to witness. She is loved and seen, and respected, as herself - %$*^! any "curses", and how she looks.

I love this interpretation of my girl Artemis, as well. She's a stubborn, hard-arse warrior woman with a heart of gold - and a crescent moon on her forehead! - and she's a feminist LBGTQ+ icon who is forever exploring her sexuality and horizons. Artemis's design in the graphic novel resembles that of Pearl from 'Steven Universe', so much so that I suspect it was intentional.

How happy I am that stories like 'The Lost Daughter of Sparta' are still being told; are continuing to exist in the mainstream public eye. And how happy I am that I decided to buy it on a whim upon seeing it for the first time in my local bookshop, despite having reservations about the rough, cartoony black and white and red artwork, and having never read anything by Felicia Day before.

'The Lost Daughter of Sparta' - just read this feminist graphic novel mistress-work, that respects, understands and celebrates forgotten women in history, myth and legend. Independent, LBGTQ+ women, that is. It is an epic tale matching (and marching!) that of 'Odysseus'. For fans of 'The One Hundred Nights of Hero', 'Young Hag', 'The Fox Maidens', 'Heathen', and 'The Girl, the Priest, and the Devil', it is definitely a must-hunt-down-and-devour.

Also recommended are 'Goddess of The Hunt', 'Great Goddesses', and 'Warriors, Witches, Women: Mythology's Fiercest Females'.

(In my opinion, 'The Lost Daughter of Sparta' is much better than any of the modern bestselling novels that retell Greek myths with a "feminist twist", that are being churned out ad nauseum.)

Final Score: 4.5/5 (five Artemis's crescent moons!)