Graphic Novel Review - 'Tiffany's Griffon' by Magnolia Porter Siddell and Maddi Gonzalez

What a wonderful, fantastical treat of an all-ages graphic novel.

'Tiffany's Griffon' - Nearly all the things I love, stuffed into a single graphic novel. The best comic of 2024 so far, hands down.

Okay, I'm getting ahead of myself. It's just there is so much to love and gush about 'Tiffany's Griffon'. It is colourful, adorable, rosy, exciting, creative, funny, clever, heartwarming, heartwrenching, sad, and hopeful. It is about magical girls, action heroines, magical worlds, a fantasy book series, pop culture, geek culture, fan fiction, fan art, real hardships, writer's block, anxiety, isolation, and above all, friendship.

Friendship, and how it can be formed through understanding via fandoms. It also means exploring new horizons; leaning about different types of fandom and geeky pop culture stuff can help people to see different perspectives in life.

Basically, 'Tiffany's Griffon' is like 'Eliza and Her Monsters', 'The Owl House', 'The Neverending Story',

'Inkheart', 'She-Ra and the Princesses of Power', 'Magic Girls: Kira and the (Maybe) Space Princess', and 'Roll Call (Dungeons & Dragons: Dungeon Club, #1)', with the magical feel of Gail Carson Levine's ''Writing Magic: Creating Stories that Fly'. But it manages to stand - victoriously and majestically - on its own griffon's claws.

As an apropos note, it is everything that the new 'Princess Gwenevere and the Jewel Riders' comic should have been.

Okay, now I'm really ahead of myself. For hopefully a better grasp and understanding of just how special and awesome 'Tiffany's Griffon' is - including its astral atmosphere and many tones and colours - here is a summary of the glorious plot:

Preteen Marnie Plummer - friendless, invisible and temperamental - is a huge fan of the 'Griffon Riders' series of books. More than anything, she wishes it were real and she can have her own griffon. And one day, miraculously, her wish comes true!

Sort of.

The world of 'Griffon Riders' is real, and it is in danger from the evil Witch Elel. A weird, funny-looking fairy named Orion portals into the real world, due to a prophecy that says only the Chosen One - a human girl, plus her griffon egg which she will hatch and rear - can stop the witch and save the fantasy book world.

The problem?

The Chosen One is not Marnie, the biggest fangirl who has been waiting for something like this her whole life.

It is Tiffany Rodriguez.

Tiffany is a pretty and popular girl who is actually nice and caring, but Marnie has already decided she hates her because she seems to have everything. Now Marnie has another reason to be jealous of the "perfect" girl.

She thinks she deserves to be the Chosen One, and she ought to hatch and bond with the griffon egg. So she lies to Orion and says she is Tiffany Rodriguez.

From there, an unlikely, reluctant, strange, yet endearing and heartfelt friendship forms and develops between Marnie and Tiffany, two very different girls, as they end up parenting a cute griffon together. Though Tiffany clearly has the strongest bond with the creature, and Marnie's lie will soon be exposed.

She feels guilty, once she gets to know Tiffany, who is much more complex, more human, than she initially thought.

Also fandoms, fanfiction, fan entitlement, writers, writer's block, both the benefits and the dangers of escapism, an "everyone is special and important" message, and the ultimate power of friendship, of human connection. And cat ears (don't ask - read the comic).

I won't spoil any more, but I ask to be believed when I say that there are so many clever metaphors, and much clever symbolism, in 'Tiffany's Griffon'. It's cute, fun and funny, and serious when it needs to be, in how it deals with real life issues. It is smart, teary and enjoyable. It has remarkable depth.

It is a "kids' comic" that respects its audience.

The artwork is another starlight highlight. It is cartoony, and beyond cute, expressive and bold. I can't decide on a favourite character, but Tiffany... oh sweet, dear Tiffany. Her well rounded, three-dimensional, and wholeheartedly lovely, lonely and melancholy personality is complimented beautifully by how she is drawn (and how her overall aura is drawn and coloured). Her emotions, her many raw, very human facial expressions, and how they're shadowed - they're the best. I love her. She's queer-coded, too.

Plus, her griffon is too cute!

'Tiffany's Griffon' should have been an instant favourite of mine. But woe! It is not quite as close to being perfect for me as I would have liked. Not everyone and everything receives a resolution by the end. There's a little character trait mix-up/confusion that I'm surprised escaped an editor. Marnie has two younger brothers, who she plays card games with, along with a friend, at the beginning of the second chapter, but then they disappear and are never mentioned again. Every griffon we are introduced to - a few, but still - is male. What is up with that?

But the flaws are tiny, in the grand, epic, magical worldly scheme of things in this griffon graphic novel.

It's great. Even if it's not a 'Top Ten Comics of All Time' favourite, it comes close.

It earns Artemis Crescent's gem and seal of approval, charm, enchantment and recommendation.

Happy, feathery flights of fancy, fantasy reading!

Final Score: 4.5/5

Book Review - 'The Spellshop' by Sarah Beth Durst

I feel like I should apologise to this book for taking so long to finish it. It's a big book, and life keeps getting in the way, but with a beautiful and special fantasy like this, every bookworm instinct and heartbeat in me tells me it ought to have been my top priority, you know?

But on the other hand, 'The Spellshop' is the kind of beautiful and special fantasy that might be best read gradually, carefully, savoringly. It is like discovering and then reciting a spell, where, for the most effective results, one must take the time to absorb it and take it in, bit by bit, in order to appreciate its charming, dainty magic all the more. You devour it like a daily three-course meal. It is relishing.

It is a slow-moving, practically-plotless-in-every-way cosy fantasy - a slice-of-(tomato)life story about unpredictabilities and predictabilities, the mundanities and the extraordinaries, that's set in a world full of magic and magical creatures - but each chapter truly feels like stepping into a magical world; it's a different experience every time, and you almost don't want to read on right away for fear of losing that light, miraculous, wonderous, spectacular feeling. Of enchantment.

But you do, because you are a reader and that's what readers do, and 'The Spellshop' is an engrossing, addictive novel.

It is one of the few entries in the 'cosy fantasy' - other names I've found are 'cottage fantasy' and 'cottagecore' - genre that is genuinely well written, creative, relaxing, yet exciting, and careful, believable, and, well, spellbinding. It is at Travis Baldree's 'Legends & Lattes' level and high bar in the newest popular trend. But it definitely doesn't feel like a trend or a gimmick. It is simply a passionately-written, quiet fantasy/romantasy book.

It is tea-cosy. And jam-cosy, bread-cosy, pastry-cosy, tomato-cosy, and pinecone-cosy.

The content is so enriching and near-perfect!

'The Spellshop', as well as being about a former empire librarian fugitive and her sentient spider plant assistant who find refuge in her childhood cottage home on an outer island, and who in that cottage in the woods open a shop that sells jam and (secretly, on the side) illegal magic spells that help people (seriously, the originality of that premise alone, how enticing!)... *ahem*, it is also about community, friendship, trust, bonds, love, moving on from the past and shaping a better, brighter future, books, scholars, sharing knowledge, environmentalism, the beauty of nature, and anti-imperialism, and -what a relief - it turns out it does not in fact demonise revolutionaries.

It is about how complicated people are, and how, thankfully, not all of them are horrible. No one has to be a one-dimensional villain, or a villain in any way, who harms people; that's no way to live. People have no need to be cruel, selfish, unkind, cold, nasty, distrustful, bigoted, and just plain awful, and who find joy in bringing misery to others. Small-mindedness, warped, shut-in perspectives, politics and capitalism make them like this; like it benefits them. It doesn't. They can be better. Better than who they were, or who the previous generation was.

In addition to the solid, well-planned-out, charismatic and lovely writing, what a warm comfort read 'The Spellshop' is!

I love the characters. I won't forget them anytime soon: from the blue-skinned, blue-haired librarian-cum-jam shopkeeper-cum-sorcerer protagonist Kiela, to her spider plant assistant and best-and-initially-only-friend Caz, to another sentient plant - a baby cactus - to Bryn the friendly and no-nonsense faun woman baker, to Bryn's cheeky and funny nephew Tobin, to the centaur Eadie, to Ulina the multiarmed woman, to, of course, Larran. Larran the neighbour, the merhorse herder, and the love interest.

This guy?

Larran?

He is perfect.

He is like everything a man should be, with all the taint of the patriarchy and toxic masculinity purposefully removed. He is a resilient sea lover, a handyman, and a gorgeous, nice, kind specimen of a man. I haven't had anything even coming close to what could be called a "book boyfriend" in a very long time, but Larran is it, no hesitation. He is not "unrealistic"; he got where he is through hard work, patience, and learning from his family's abuse and mistakes. He knows how important it is to be kind.

A male who is sensitive, and cares for people, no matter who they are or where they come from - that is not a flaw. It is, sadly, a triumph and something to be lauded nowadays. Larran's personality is as miraculous as the magic in this book. He is always striving to better himself, no matter how "good" he already is.

The bar should not be so low when it comes to basic human decency in men!

And he builds bookshelves.

I repeat: HE. BUILDS. BOOKSHELVES!

Larran is my new book boyfriend!

He will come to melt the heart of the shy, isolated, antisocial, neurodivergent, grief-filled Kiela, as he will melt the hearts of the readers of this precious, harmonious, cordial romantasy.

In the magical world of 'The Spellshop', there are talking plants, mermaids, merhorses, multicoloured cats with wings, cloud bears (like tree spirits and guardians), and dangerous storms caused by magic. And a unicorn. And a singing tree.

The human-enforced politics that affect this world feel organic, and run parallel to how our world works (tragically), but it is understated, and does not overwhelm or interfere with the overall light, cosy, yet exciting and enchanting story. A heartwarming and heart-pumping story, where you are not sure what will happen next.

It is so good! I want to live in this world and meet the characters.

Unfortunately, now that I am close to ending the review, I have to bring up 'The Spellshop''s flaws. But it'll be brief:

It is rather long for a book about living life, with no "structure", though there are stakes introduced near the end; I kind of wish we could have had more of Kiela selling jam and spells in her little cottage, though her casting spells in her garden, and further into the woods, to help out the island and preserve its nature is creative and exciting to read about; a character who goes by they/them pronouns is misgendered at one point (oops! and the book is so careful and carefully proofread otherwise); a side romance that is sapphic is presented near the end, and it seems like an afterthought, with no buildup, chemistry, or even an aftermath that is seen; why is this marketed as for adults when there isn't any "mature" content in it?; and how did Kiela's parents, who moved from the humble little island to the big empire city when she was a child, die? It's never explained, although maybe that bit of ambiguity is for the best?

Sarah Beth Durst is a great writer, and always has been. A few of her books I've read in the past - the YA 'Drink, Slay, Love' and 'The Queens of Renthia' series - I used to love, but now I view them as being problematic and not having aged well. Still, I recognise and appreciate how good her writing is in general, plus her clear, sparkling passion and talent. In her Acknowledgements at the end of 'The Spellshop', she says she wanted to write a book that feels like drinking hot chocolate, or eating freshly-baked goods with raspberry jam. Like drinking up joy and sunshine.

In my opinion, she succeeded with 'The Spellshop'.

Reading it is like spending a summer in a garden, surrounded by nature and trees and brambles and berries and nettles. And the sea. It is like summer, and spring water. It made me feel nostalgic for when I spent time in a grandparent's big garden as a child.

What a hopeful, captivating, endearing, pleasant, affectionate, magic-filled teacup this book - this spellshop - is.

In case it wasn't obvious, I recommend it wholeheartedly.


'We've all been through a lot over the past few years. This book is my gift to anyone who wants to escape and sink into a world filled with kindness and enchantment' - Sarah Beth Durst.


Final Score: 4/5

Book Review - 'W.I.T.C.H. Annual 2008'

First the 2007 annual, now the long forgotten 2008 annual. Long overdue for a review.

'W.I.T.C.H. Annual 2008' is much like the previous annual, with quizzes, games, info, horoscopes, comics and absolutely beautiful artwork. (And they're both British publications, to coincide with the W.I.T.C.H. newsagent magazines at the time - it happens, and I'm glad this licenced property did!).

Here there's a continuing-in-parts, Christmas-themed comic with the W.I.T.C.H. girls, and it's weird, random, nonsensical, and barely has anything to do with the 'W.I.T.C.H.' universe or Christmas. But at least the art is gorgeous. And the girls always have such nice clothes!

The annual is a product of its time in one obvious sense (besides the heteronormality): there's the implication that only skinny girls can be pretty, attractive, happy and confident.

There is reused art from the previous volume, too.

But regardless, it is a nice, soft, sparkly, colourful little gem of an annual for me. It really took me back to how it felt to be a young girl again, happy to escape into this girly, happy, exciting fantasy, with no worries or anxieties, and where good always wins in the end.

W.I.T.C.H. and Winx Club are my 2000s nostalgic, European magical girl babies, and I will defend them forever.

Link to my 'W.I.T.C.H. Annual 2007' review here.

Better yet, link to my entire W.I.T.C.H. review collection on Goodreads here.

Final Score: 3.5/5

Graphic Novel Review - 'Hovergirls' by Geneva Bowers

'Hovergirls' - yet another contemporary western Magical GirlTM comic that mixes its fantasy and sci-fi elements with real life issues, such as the struggles of growing up and being an adult in the economy of the 2020s. It's a coming-of-age journey of two magical girls - who just get their water-based (and flight) powers by chance one day, and they could not be more different from each other. Their outlooks and attitudes on being "magical girls" differ tremendously.

'Hovergirls' is set in an alternate earth, in an alternate LA (Los Aguaceros), and with alternate social media platforms. Meet Kimmonique "Kim" and Jalissa Vasquez, young cousins (teens at or around fifteen? Then what's their school situation? If Jalissa is expelled, how did Kim get out it?) who move to rainy Los Aguaceros. For Kim this is a chance to make her dream of being a famous model and fashion designer a reality, and she brings along Jalissa to help her cousin start a new life and manage her serious anger issues. On the same day they move in they suddenly receive mysterious water powers at a beach, and later on, monster fish made of water appear and begin threatening LA. The girls defeat them, for now, and Kim excitedly declares that they must be magical girls, destined to save the city from monsters, wear cute outfits, and be internet famous!

They are the Hovergirls!, so says Kim. Jalissa reluctantly and nonchalantly goes along with it, and for her beating up creatures is a vent, a release for her pent-up rage. She draws the line on fame and cute outfits.

They also work at a café to pay the bills.

Naturally this becomes a world-saving endeavour by the end of this part sci-fi/part slice-of-life magical girl superhero comic.

'Hovergirls' is a very funny and oddly relatable and realistic comic. There are laugh-out-loud, clever moments and dialogue. It also deals with darker issues, such as complex family dynamics.

Kim is an extrovert to a T. Small and plump, she loves talking, creating, expressing herself, cute things, and cute fashion. She is warm, bubbly, ambitious, shallow, sensitive, genre-savvy, and may have ADHD. Jalissa is an introvert. Tall and skinny, she never smiles, almost never asks questions (she observes, makes statements, and takes things in stride), and tries to repress her cartoonish rage and violent tendencies by building a rigid wall around her emotions to an unhealthy degree. She is stoic, cold, no-nonsense, smart but unappreciated for it, and seems to only care about watching her soaps on TV. She may be on the low-to-no empathy scale on the autism spectrum. She's a "I missed the part where that's my problem" kind of person.

From what is revealed about their family, sporadically in dialogue, Jalissa's side is rich, and her parents cut off Kim's side; the two sides hate each other, and Jalissa's parents don't know how to deal with her - and don't want to, judging by how, in a flashback set several months before, they dumped her in a house arrest apartment and didn't visit. Kim's parents don't seem to care much about their daughter, either. It's implied they threw a party as soon as she left for Los Aguaceros.

So the girls, practically abandoned, only have each other. They are proof that money isn't everything and it cannot buy happiness. Privilege isn't all it's cracked up to be, and it comes in many facets, and with its own set of problems, especially when it comes to maintaining a stable family and community. Money changes people, and more often than not, it is not for the better. It warps them.

With the duo's polar opposite personalities, they should clash (they do), and they shouldn't work well together (oftentimes they don't). Their relationship can be read as codependent on both sides (both are alone in the world, and only Kim overtly cares), and even abusive, given Jalissa's violent and destructive temper when pushed over the edge, and both are selfish in their own way. They don't seem to care about helping people as magical girls, or they don't care as much as they should; it's about their own self-interests and psychological issues.

And yet, they do kind of work together, if in a dysfunctional, oddball couple sense. They bounce off of one another fluidly and naturally, and help bring out the healthy, positive aspects of the other. Kim enthusiastically nurtures Jalissa, trying to help her grow and be nice (succeeding 15% of the time), and Jalissa states common sense to Kim, and brings her back down to earth when she needs to. For example: Kim's love life, consisting of abusive and/or neglectful boyfriends.

The titular Hovergirls' complicated relational dynamic is reflected and enhanced, literally and symbolically, in how they fight monsters as "magical girls" - Kim is wishy-washy (pun unintended), airy, showy, and wants to look and sound like a proper magical girl - meaning, a successful heroine, idol, celebrity and influencer - and Jalissa is aggressive, blunt, straightforward, practical and quick, no BS - and this is mirrored on a smaller stakes scale in their new everyday life in a new rainy city (water is a major theme in the comic).

Besides, I don't want to believe in lost causes and hopeless cases when it comes to teenagers. We should listen to young people. Jalissa needs help, love and support, and deep down, she does care for her "annoying", scatterbrained cousin. She isn't really a sociopath (which is what she calls Kim's string of bad boyfriends). She's seen to feed the homeless, after all. Plus, she's on her way to getting a girlfriend. Hooray for her!

Who cares about female characters' "likeability", anyway? F%*&! that. Give them their human flaws.

The pretty, cute, colourful, watercolour palette and art suits the book perfectly. It is also manga-esque, and the rainy scenes - wow, and there are a lot of them! And the cute, beautiful outfits and fashion choices! It's all gorgeous and lovely. I love it.

In conclusion, 'Hovergirls', hmm, let's see:

I would like to see more. I would like to see more of these girls, and what adventures might come next for them. It gets seriously, rushed-up mad and bonkers near the end, at the climax, and there's a weirdly-placed-but-not-really environmental and eco-friendly message. But it's a fun kind of silly. The character development for Kim and Jalissa remains.

Geneva Bowers is clearly very talented, and I would like to continue showing support.

So for rainy days, beachy fun, satirical magical girls, pretty colours and clothes, economic teachings, both obvious and subtle, and a dark edge, like in the dysfunctional family content and theme, as well as an understated poverty theme - and if you like 'A Magical Girl Retires', 'Flavor Girls' and 'Magic Girls: Kira and the (Maybe) Space Princess' - then read and enjoy 'Hovergirls'!

It's a water beauty!

Final Score: 3.5/5

Graphic Novel Review - 'Rainbow! Volume 1' by Sunny and Gloomy

'Rainbow! Volume 1' is an absolutely adorable, cute, beautiful, girly, and simultaneously dark, harrowing and scary serialised webtoon by Tapas, now out in paperback, published by Graphix.

It is true to life in a way that is tragic, and in another way that shows how real life should be. It's simple yet effective as a character piece and a coming-of-age piece.

It is all about seventeen-year-old Boo Meadows, a shy high schooler and part-time café worker with low self-esteem, who often escapes into fantasy and imagination to deal with her hard, intense, traumatic life in taking care of her unemployed, alcoholic and drug addict mother. She wants to be like an innocent child, who daydreams about being a magical girl, being like Kiki with her red bow and purple dress and flying bicycle, being amongst fantasy creatures, and overall being in a world where she wears cute outfits and is competent at everything she does and helps people, no problem.

But sadly, that's not the real world. And she has to grow up fast.

The reality she is made to live in consists of having no friends at school, and being the adult when her dangerously irresponsible and selfish mother refuses to be. She shuts people out because of how difficult, fragile and teetering-on-the-edge her life is; much like how her emotions and psyche are.

But Boo's life turns upside down the moment she meets Mimi, a new student at school. Mimi seems cool, confident, funny, open, friendly, understanding, spontaneous, and not afraid to stand up for herself and others. Boo finds herself becoming obsessed with the girl, for reasons she can't explain. Mimi is like everything she wishes she could be, and yet, gradually, as the two get to know each other more and more, they see they have more in common than first impressions, surface level appearances - the masks behind the troubled life and mind - reveal.

Boo and Mimi become fast friends, blossoming buds, and in a combination of dire life circumstances, verging on a nervous breakdown, and fate (?), they end up doing things together they otherwise would never have imagined...

It's a messed up real world, after all, full of complicated people.

It's scary how much I relate to Boo. I too recurrently feel lonely, and I like to escape into fantasy, imaginings and daydreams in order to deal with how dreadful and painful real life is, and with my depression and anxiety. A lot of her problems were me when I was younger.

Boo doesn't fantasise as much as I expected - as in, there aren't many fantasy sequences - and she never fights monsters as a magical girl, like the blurb says. The blurb lies about a lot of things, in fact, and is a bit confused on what 'Rainbow!' is actually about.

But anyway, Boo Meadows is a socially awkward and insecure human who loves fantasy, anime, magical girls, dresses, bows, pink and girly things, and helping people (at the expense of taking care of herself, tragically), so I relate to her. I think lots of young people will relate to her.

She's lovely, and deserves all the love in the world, and you will (I hope) want to give her a hug by the end of the book.

There is misery in her life - who can blame her for her childlike personality and escapism inside her head? - but also great hope.

No teenager - no child - should go through what she does. It's not normal and it shouldn't be normal. And some "adults" are not meant to be parents.

Oh, can I take the time to mention that Boo has the best boss ever? Seriously, all bosses should aspire to be like Clarice the café owner. She's so nice, helpful and understanding, and is always looking out for Boo, and willing to give her chances to prove and improve herself - insists on it, even - while also not taking anyone's crap. Clarice is an adult who's like a best friend, and your kindest, most favourite teacher - the best kind of adult! Firm yet flexible and caring for her employees' health and well being, that's Clarice.

Representation and inclusion: Boo is fat, possibly on the autism spectrum, though I'm not sure (it could just be anxiety), and both she and Mimi are definitely on the LBGTQ+ spectrum. Their romance is slow-building, with a sweet innocence to it, where they talk and listen to each other like human beings, which I appreciate. They can be read as just friends at this point. Boo has pink hair and Mimi has green hair, if that counts as part of the queer rep. Mimi is POC, as is a side character, Milo, Boo's fellow employee at Clarice's Café, who is also definitely queer.

'Rainbow! Volume 1' is, of course, not perfect. There is the aforementioned lack of actual magical girls seen on-page, as well as the lack of fantasy creatures and anime references (though it could be a sign of needed restraint?), and as the first volume of a continuing serialised webcomic, it is unfinished. That ending is so abrupt and sudden, like WTF? But it does leave me wanting more. I can't wait for the second volume to come out next year. Coming from me, who mostly doesn't bother with sequels, that should tell you something about how special this comic is.

So, 'Rainbow! Volume 1', sweet thing: If you like 'Steven Universe', 'Heartstopper', magical girls, and cute comics with a dark, real life edge they don't shy away from, then check it out. The colour palette is bold and gorgeous - the cutest! - and it is just my taste and style.

It's about the simple, beautiful, bright things in life. The life outside of your own head. Appreciate them while you can.

Final Score: 4.5/5

Graphic Novel Review - 'Birds of Prey, Vol. 1: Megadeath' by Kelly Thompson (Writer), Leonardo Romero (Artist), Jordie Bellaire (Colourist), Arist Deyn (Artist, Colourist), Clayton Cowles (Letterer)

Is this a good comic? Ehhhh, yes, in most parts.

Is it a good superhero comic? Again, yes, in most parts.

It is a coherent, smooth, flowing and consistent modern DC superhero comic that manages to stand on its own? No, not really. DC may have the worst editorial staff out of any comics company. And keeping track of what's going on with hundreds of characters, spanning decades, and of what continuity to use, can be a colossal headache and arse-ache.

But you know what? I don't care. For I came for butt kicking action and camaraderie starring a roster of superheroines - both the personal and the world saving stakes apply - and that's exactly what I got.

My good goddesses Hera and Hecate (plus Hades, and Hel), is 'Birds of Prey, Vol. 1: Megadeath' a lot of fun. It's funny, dynamic, enjoyable, self-aware, and crazy - with an all-female cast. What more could you want? It's like DC's version of Marvel's cancelled 'The Fearless Defenders' - random kitchen sink nonsense and all! It's what superhero comics is about!

I won't reveal the plot, but in this Birds of Prey team, you have Black Canary (it isn't the Birds without her in it, and as the leader), two Batgirls - Cassandra Cain and Barbara Gordon (who doesn't actually appear until the very end and isn't part of the action, sadly) - Big Barda (yes!), Harley Quinn (yes!!!), Zealot/Zannah, and Maps/Meridian/Mia Mizoguchi.

Who the hell are Zealot and Maps? I don't know, but anyone's lack of knowledge about them doesn't hinder their enjoyment of the comic as a whole.

There's also Sin, Black Canary's adoptive daughter/sister (why call her a sister and not a daughter? Again, I don't know), and, *drum roll* Wonder Woman! She's still dealing with her own next round of a BS current political storyline, but she's not out of character here, and will either help the Birds of Prey or turn against them for understandable reasons (or because she's possessed - it's comic books, it's to be expected).

The list of male sidepieces-- er, side characters, who are given bit parts, half of whom only appearing in one issue, include Green Arrow, Grifter (Zealot's lover, who I don't know, and it looks like it doesn't matter that I don't care), John Constantine, and Nanaue, the King of Sharks.

The sketchy, shadowy, expressive, detailed, gritty and kinetic artwork (except, suddenly, in the fifth issue, which is weird even for big superhero comics) harkens back to the classic eighties and nineties era of comics. 'Watchmen' comes to mind. It's charming and looks awesome.

'Birds of Prey, Vol. 1: Megadeath'. In conclusion:

Yes, it can come across as messy, confused and confusing, especially towards and at the end, with what appear to be missing scenes, rushed scenes, and loose continuity.

Yes, some characters aren't given strong key moments to shine and be badasses with their own badass character arc, such as Cassandra and Harley - a real crime in my book. Harley Quinn should never be treated like an extra or be pushed to the background!

Yes, I expected a bit better from modern female comics writer and legend Kelly Thompson. It seemed fitting that she would eventually be hired, as a sort of spiritual sister successor to Gail Simone and her famous 'Birds of Prey' run.

But it's fun and heartfelt, so I don't care!... much.

The superheroines/antiheroines act like themselves, with their own fully realised and distinct personalities, that bounce off of one another, in banter and in fighting. The Birds of Prey are a team of hard-arse ladies saving the world, and I am here for it!

I'll leave off with a very special message:

Dinah Lance, don't go looking for a new team. Don't keep looking for a new team! Keep the one you've got!

Seriously, yeesh!

Final Score: 3.5/5