This was... unexpected.
I literally bought 'Domino, Vol. 1: Killer Instinct' the day I first heard of it, because it seemed to fit into my goal of reading about as many kickass heroines as possible. And because Gail Simone. I'd never even heard of Domino beforehand (I haven't seen 'Deadpool 2' yet), but I was curious. I didn't really expect to like it, per say.
But I did. Turns out that I can trust my own instincts sometimes.
'Domino, Vol. 1' is as well-written, clever and engaging as you'd expect from Gail Simone. I continue to be surprised that this is a Marvel comic and not a DC comic. I'm not sure why. Maybe it's because I'm so used to how Simone writes for DC. I don't think it's because it's "dark". Is it? It contains the dark tone, aesthetic and art style often associated with DC. Eh.
Domino, aka Neena Thurman, is indeed a badass anti-heroine. She's a mutant assassin and merc possessing a small scale degree of luck powers. She is mostly associated with the X-Men and other Marvel mutants, so she encounters a lot of prejudice and hate in her life. Like X-23, she was a failed evil scientist's experiment, who grew up abused and tortured in an isolated, bare, sterile prison room. Trust issues aside, she is friends with Deadpool and many of Marvel's other eccentric characters. They'll throw her a birthday party and give her a puppy! Domino is like a female Deadpool - similar powers, backstory, line of work, and dark humour - except she works best as her own original creation in her own solo series, in the company of supportive and loving girl-friends. And she looks like Rogue from the 'X-Men: Evolution' animated series.
Domino, the goth merc with the mouth.
'Killer Instinct' works as both an introduction to this gal and as a continuation of her previous appearances (which I've heard are not that good and don't do her justice). Trust a female writer like Gail Simone to make me invested in a relatively unknown superhero.
The comic mainly focuses on Domino and her relationship with her lady besties, Outlaw and Diamondback. What wonderful characters, and fellow badasses! They are there for our troubled heroine, when a couple of mysterious villains from her past show up and negate and control her luck ability. For the first time ever, Neena's luck might run out, and she is genuinely afraid she'll die in her next fight. Outlaw and Diamondback will not give up on her, however, when she might be giving up on herself and on letting anyone become close to her.
Domino even remarks on how she never really had any female friends before. Anyone she'd ever worked with previously had been male. Now, with the kind of care, support, understanding and trust that only women can give you, she can experience true happiness all over again. Bless Simone for her writing female leads and female friendships!
Domino's romantic involvement with men is mostly played for laughs, and represents positive female sexuality without shaming her. Plus the entanglements don't last. Either way, Domino is a blast (hey, that rhymes!)
Go ahead and read the underrated, new modern comic by DC--I mean Marvel, 'Domino, Vol. 1: Killer Instinct'. It's fun, dynamic, smart, complex, funny, shocking, grisly, touching, and satisfying.
There is character development, dangerous yet sympathetic and tragic villains you will not forget, the horrifying prejudice theme, a further insight into how mutants live their lives in a scary and uncertain world where most people still want them dead, Hong Kong, a hot martial arts master, a pug puppy, and let's not forget: it stars a goth merc anti-heroine with depth and a wicked sense of humour.
Kudos for the Spider-Man cameo.
Final Score: 4/5
No comments:
Post a Comment