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DC Comics: Bombshells
DC Comics Bombshells, Vol. 3: Uprising
EUROPE, 1941. War is raging across the continent. The forces of darkness are on the march—and the magic powers of heroes like Zatanna, Mera and Constantine have been stripped away. And in the underground cabarets of Berlin, the Joker’s Daughter rules with an iron fist.
On the home front, the Batgirls—an army of freedom fighters modeled after their favorite Bombshell—battle against Gotham City’s most infamous criminals with the help of Maggie Sawyer and Lois Lane. And deep inside enemy territory, a rebel alliance is forming. Batwoman, Catwoman, Zatanna, Harley Quinn, Poison Ivy, Raven, Constantine, the Huntress and Renee Montoya are ready to strike hard and fast against the Nazi menace.
But when one Bombshell turns traitor, all bets are off…
The thrilling alternate-history saga of DC’s greatest heroines continues! Inspired by the hit DC Collectibles line, DC COMICS: BOMBSHELLS – VOL. 3: UPRISING reimagines the greatest conflict in human history! Collects issues #13-18.
On the home front, the Batgirls—an army of freedom fighters modeled after their favorite Bombshell—battle against Gotham City’s most infamous criminals with the help of Maggie Sawyer and Lois Lane. And deep inside enemy territory, a rebel alliance is forming. Batwoman, Catwoman, Zatanna, Harley Quinn, Poison Ivy, Raven, Constantine, the Huntress and Renee Montoya are ready to strike hard and fast against the Nazi menace.
But when one Bombshell turns traitor, all bets are off…
The thrilling alternate-history saga of DC’s greatest heroines continues! Inspired by the hit DC Collectibles line, DC COMICS: BOMBSHELLS – VOL. 3: UPRISING reimagines the greatest conflict in human history! Collects issues #13-18.
200 pages, Paperback
First published March 21, 2017
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609 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 164 reviews
February 20, 2020
Probably my least favorite of the series so far, but still plenty of silly fun to be had with the Bombshells!
This volume opens with a Batgirls story back in Gotham City, where they mess with the plans of a certain Mr. Cobblepot with the help of a spunky reporter named Lois Lane. We then move back to Europe, where Batwoman gangs up with Ivy, Harley, Zatanna and Raven to organize an uprising in a Jewish ghetto. Meanwhile, Mera wakes up on the shores of Ireland and makes a, ahem, friend who will help her fight to get her kingdom back from her traitor brother-in-law.
I especially liked the glimpse into Harley's backstory (yes, this includes a version of my beloved Mistah J!) and Batwoman's Spanish Civil War tale. While the overall story feels a little scattered, the plus side is that the art remains vibrant and gorgeous, that characters' alternative history evolution are great re-imaginings of the canonical stories - and the (not very subtle) messages of female empowerment, solidarity and resistance in the face of human evil are still strong.
Onward to volume 4 soon!
This volume opens with a Batgirls story back in Gotham City, where they mess with the plans of a certain Mr. Cobblepot with the help of a spunky reporter named Lois Lane. We then move back to Europe, where Batwoman gangs up with Ivy, Harley, Zatanna and Raven to organize an uprising in a Jewish ghetto. Meanwhile, Mera wakes up on the shores of Ireland and makes a, ahem, friend who will help her fight to get her kingdom back from her traitor brother-in-law.
I especially liked the glimpse into Harley's backstory (yes, this includes a version of my beloved Mistah J!) and Batwoman's Spanish Civil War tale. While the overall story feels a little scattered, the plus side is that the art remains vibrant and gorgeous, that characters' alternative history evolution are great re-imaginings of the canonical stories - and the (not very subtle) messages of female empowerment, solidarity and resistance in the face of human evil are still strong.
Onward to volume 4 soon!
March 18, 2019
Okay, not nearly as good as the first 2 volumes but still fun.
Also gonna warn that one part of this review gets a bit political.
What’s it about?
That’s sorta hard to explain. Basically, it continues the story of this series.
Pros:
The story is still very interesting. I said in my review for the first volume that I like war stories and superhero comics so mixing the 2 makes for a really good story and I haven’t got fed up of it or anything yet so there’s a good sign.
The characters are still awesome! We’re introduced to a few in this volume, most notably (to me) Raven. This book’s rendition of her is pretty awesome. Oh and I can’t say much without spoilers but the take on SHAZAM that is introduced is cool. Like I said in previous volume reviews these heroines are a great mix of strong, powerful, full of emotion that some superhero characters don’t show and cute AF!But it’s not just the ladies that shine in this, the male characters are often interesting too (I wouldn’t say their cute though since I ain’t into guys but good characters either way 😁).
This comic has some fucking awesome action scenes! Seriously: shark attacks, tanks, explosions, a surprising amount of bloodshed, giantess Raven and more! What kind of person doesn’t enjoy that?
This comic is still suspenseful. People who follow my reviews know that I sometimes think superhero comics, while fun, are too predictable but this series is definitely an exception.
There are multiple romantic subplots and they’re all interesting and sweet. My personal favorite is probably Zatanna and Constantine.
Cons:
The social commentary just... (sigh). Okay, so the feminist messages are still done well but other than that this volume’s social commentary gets dumb. Most notable is how the whole first issue is basically “How could we lose an election after 8 fucking years of our way? NOOO!” and no matter how you see politics the execution is a bit ridiculous and the way it’s forced as fuck (there’s even a fourth wall breaking joke in the issue that acknowledges that)... I get that some people don’t like Trump, fine, hell I even like seeing other points of view but poorly written commentary and taking up an entire issue with what felt like a tantrum will just encourage people to vote Trump if anything. At least it ain’t the whole book like I’ve seen some people do.
The comic relief is pretty weak in this volume. A few laughs but most of the jokes try too hard or are just plain stupid.
There are a few parts that are occasionally confusing.
Mixed thoughts:
The art is mixed. I know that might surprise some of you because in my reviews for the first 2 volumes I was talking about how amazing the art is but in this you sometimes get stuff that looks amazing but other times you get stuff that looks a bit off, especially with a few of the faces.
Overall:
Good but not nearly as good as the first 2 volumes.
Yeah, the whiny first issue, poor comic relief and confusing moments are annoying but are far from being able to fuck up a good time with all these interesting characters, bad-ass action scenes and a suspenseful story.
I would say while the first 2 volumes are masterpiece level, this is just slightly above the quality of an average superhero comic to me but hey, I enjoy superhero comics quite a bit so it’s mostly a winner to me!
4/5
Also gonna warn that one part of this review gets a bit political.
What’s it about?
That’s sorta hard to explain. Basically, it continues the story of this series.
Pros:
The story is still very interesting. I said in my review for the first volume that I like war stories and superhero comics so mixing the 2 makes for a really good story and I haven’t got fed up of it or anything yet so there’s a good sign.
The characters are still awesome! We’re introduced to a few in this volume, most notably (to me) Raven. This book’s rendition of her is pretty awesome. Oh and I can’t say much without spoilers but the take on SHAZAM that is introduced is cool. Like I said in previous volume reviews these heroines are a great mix of strong, powerful, full of emotion that some superhero characters don’t show and cute AF!But it’s not just the ladies that shine in this, the male characters are often interesting too (I wouldn’t say their cute though since I ain’t into guys but good characters either way 😁).
This comic has some fucking awesome action scenes! Seriously: shark attacks, tanks, explosions, a surprising amount of bloodshed, giantess Raven and more! What kind of person doesn’t enjoy that?
This comic is still suspenseful. People who follow my reviews know that I sometimes think superhero comics, while fun, are too predictable but this series is definitely an exception.
There are multiple romantic subplots and they’re all interesting and sweet. My personal favorite is probably Zatanna and Constantine.
Cons:
The social commentary just... (sigh). Okay, so the feminist messages are still done well but other than that this volume’s social commentary gets dumb. Most notable is how the whole first issue is basically “How could we lose an election after 8 fucking years of our way? NOOO!” and no matter how you see politics the execution is a bit ridiculous and the way it’s forced as fuck (there’s even a fourth wall breaking joke in the issue that acknowledges that)... I get that some people don’t like Trump, fine, hell I even like seeing other points of view but poorly written commentary and taking up an entire issue with what felt like a tantrum will just encourage people to vote Trump if anything. At least it ain’t the whole book like I’ve seen some people do.
The comic relief is pretty weak in this volume. A few laughs but most of the jokes try too hard or are just plain stupid.
There are a few parts that are occasionally confusing.
Mixed thoughts:
The art is mixed. I know that might surprise some of you because in my reviews for the first 2 volumes I was talking about how amazing the art is but in this you sometimes get stuff that looks amazing but other times you get stuff that looks a bit off, especially with a few of the faces.
Overall:
Good but not nearly as good as the first 2 volumes.
Yeah, the whiny first issue, poor comic relief and confusing moments are annoying but are far from being able to fuck up a good time with all these interesting characters, bad-ass action scenes and a suspenseful story.
I would say while the first 2 volumes are masterpiece level, this is just slightly above the quality of an average superhero comic to me but hey, I enjoy superhero comics quite a bit so it’s mostly a winner to me!
4/5
March 28, 2023
While I did miss Kara and Diana, the introductions of I loved seeing the Batgirls in action again (plus a canon trans girl in Alysia) and the increase in Harley and Ivy romance--as well as John and Zatanna, of course. The parts with Mera and Hila didn't interest me much but the resistance uprising plot and the other storylines more than made up for it. I can't wait to see where the series goes next!
July 19, 2023
Probably the volume that engaged me least thus far- as much as I love me some Mera content, the magic stuff and the Harvey Dent-as-Trumpian-Populist felt a little too drawn out.
I will likely continue as the art and the alt-history setting are compelling but I hope the series can regain a little focus.
I will likely continue as the art and the alt-history setting are compelling but I hope the series can regain a little focus.
October 6, 2020
My gender and racial identities are warring with each other. I don't know how to explain that this book appears to represent everyone EXCEPT black women well. It feels like a glaring absence and I just don't understand it.
This is a tough one to rate and I don't really know how to write a review that doesn't come across as somewhat bitter without getting a few things out of the way:
1) I have a lot of respect for Marguerite Bennett as a creator. Not only is she managing a lot of storylines here and doing so effortlessly, she has written books in the past that felt quite female centric and rather brave.
2) I'm shocked DC allowed for such a queer positive book to exist on their main line.
3) I appreciate that there are a lot of Jewish, Romani (although I believe they're only referred to with slurs but I'd have to reread), latinx and queer characters in this story.
4) I have read Bennett writing black women in Sleepy Hollow and she did a great job.
5) I did my research to confirm my suspicions and they're true: DC comics does not have great, prominent black female superheroes. You can name Vixen and Bumblebee, but they've never been huge characters and Vixen was only given a short solo series. You can name Thunder and Nubia but they have never been given solos or huge roles. You can name Amanda Waller but she's never been a superhero - at best she's been grey morally.
That being said: the reason the lack of black female representation hurts me so much in this series is that the canonical backgrounds of some characters were changed to suit this story. So, if they can be changed, why weren't they changed to add black women? Why do we only have the minuscule, expositional appearances of Amanda Waller and one Batgirl with no backstory or significant role?
Dudebros and racists can complain all the livelong day about DC having Iris West, Dinah Lance and Selina Kyle played by black actresses (light skinned only in the films, but that's a different conversation) but I swear DC did that because they looked at their selection of female characters and realized there were hardly any black women to be found. I will give Marvel one plus over DC, they actually have black female characters and they give them solo series and focus (we could always have more but still, I give them a plus over DC). I say this because I've seen quite a bit of DC's animated properties and read quite a few comics and I struggled for quite some time to name black female DC characters.
There's a lot to love about this series. I love the focus on Jewish people during this time. I adore Kate Kane's backstory and the flashbacks to the short lived life she shared with Renee Montoya. I really liked their story with Jason. I enjoyed the Batgirls short story for what it was. I really liked what was done with Harley and Ivy. While John/Zatanna and Mera/Arthur aren't my jam, I appreciate the effort with those storylines. The final battle in this volume was great!
I just felt like the absence of black women became so much more glaring in this volume. It did not help that this book ends with a "ta-da!" in presenting a I just don't know... I don't want to gloss over the wonder that this series was. I just feel conflicted because I am bisexual and I am a woman... but I don't feel represented or all that immersed in this series as I have with other diverse properties because the absence of women that look like me is so incredibly apparent.
Again, I think I'd feel differently if the backgrounds of other characters hadn't been changed. At least then there's the excuse of trying to stay close to canon (although, I don't really care about that sort of thing. Times have changed and people finally realized that black people weren't invented in the 1980s). It just feels like effort was made to allow for more representation... for everyone but black women.
This is a tough one to rate and I don't really know how to write a review that doesn't come across as somewhat bitter without getting a few things out of the way:
1) I have a lot of respect for Marguerite Bennett as a creator. Not only is she managing a lot of storylines here and doing so effortlessly, she has written books in the past that felt quite female centric and rather brave.
2) I'm shocked DC allowed for such a queer positive book to exist on their main line.
3) I appreciate that there are a lot of Jewish, Romani (although I believe they're only referred to with slurs but I'd have to reread), latinx and queer characters in this story.
4) I have read Bennett writing black women in Sleepy Hollow and she did a great job.
5) I did my research to confirm my suspicions and they're true: DC comics does not have great, prominent black female superheroes. You can name Vixen and Bumblebee, but they've never been huge characters and Vixen was only given a short solo series. You can name Thunder and Nubia but they have never been given solos or huge roles. You can name Amanda Waller but she's never been a superhero - at best she's been grey morally.
That being said: the reason the lack of black female representation hurts me so much in this series is that the canonical backgrounds of some characters were changed to suit this story. So, if they can be changed, why weren't they changed to add black women? Why do we only have the minuscule, expositional appearances of Amanda Waller and one Batgirl with no backstory or significant role?
Dudebros and racists can complain all the livelong day about DC having Iris West, Dinah Lance and Selina Kyle played by black actresses (light skinned only in the films, but that's a different conversation) but I swear DC did that because they looked at their selection of female characters and realized there were hardly any black women to be found. I will give Marvel one plus over DC, they actually have black female characters and they give them solo series and focus (we could always have more but still, I give them a plus over DC). I say this because I've seen quite a bit of DC's animated properties and read quite a few comics and I struggled for quite some time to name black female DC characters.
There's a lot to love about this series. I love the focus on Jewish people during this time. I adore Kate Kane's backstory and the flashbacks to the short lived life she shared with Renee Montoya. I really liked their story with Jason. I enjoyed the Batgirls short story for what it was. I really liked what was done with Harley and Ivy. While John/Zatanna and Mera/Arthur aren't my jam, I appreciate the effort with those storylines. The final battle in this volume was great!
I just felt like the absence of black women became so much more glaring in this volume. It did not help that this book ends with a "ta-da!" in presenting a I just don't know... I don't want to gloss over the wonder that this series was. I just feel conflicted because I am bisexual and I am a woman... but I don't feel represented or all that immersed in this series as I have with other diverse properties because the absence of women that look like me is so incredibly apparent.
Again, I think I'd feel differently if the backgrounds of other characters hadn't been changed. At least then there's the excuse of trying to stay close to canon (although, I don't really care about that sort of thing. Times have changed and people finally realized that black people weren't invented in the 1980s). It just feels like effort was made to allow for more representation... for everyone but black women.
May 22, 2017
I still really love the concept and characters of Bombshells! I struggled a tiiiny bit with this just for "lazy DC reader" reasons, ie I refused to look up "tenebrae" even though they kept talking about tenebrae.... (Here: I just googled it for you, GoodReads. "Tenebrae is a being from another universe that is part of the Mergence, a group mind. She is sent to Earth prior to the Mergence's arrival to get everything in order for the absorption." Is that even this same thing? IDK IDK I don't care)
Also I don't know anything about Atlantean politics so I struggled a little bit to understand Mera's whole arc here...but still! Bombshells! Fun! The final scene was very moving I thought! I love Harley and Ivy! I love muckraker Cuban-American Lois Lane! The artwork is beautiful!
Also I don't know anything about Atlantean politics so I struggled a little bit to understand Mera's whole arc here...but still! Bombshells! Fun! The final scene was very moving I thought! I love Harley and Ivy! I love muckraker Cuban-American Lois Lane! The artwork is beautiful!
April 26, 2019
4.5 stars
I have so many feelings, I CAN'T. This series is getting better and better, I love how many DC comics characters are getting involved and I love Mera and Kate Kane with my entire heart.
I have so many feelings, I CAN'T. This series is getting better and better, I love how many DC comics characters are getting involved and I love Mera and Kate Kane with my entire heart.
November 8, 2020
This continues to be a really good series. The art is great, and I love that it is feminist without putting down men. The story is also really cohesive, which is great from a New 52 run. Overall, I higly recommend this!
March 29, 2017
This was SO much better than the first 2 volumes! And I got Harley x Ivy, just like I always wanted!
October 11, 2017
This series is SO GREAT, and also Shazam’s Origin Story is one of the best things I’ve ever read.
June 15, 2017
3.5 I didn't love this one as much as the last two, but I still enjoy this series. I love Mera's story here, but I missed Wonder Woman, Stargirl and Supergirl, who are absent from this volume. Also, I think I'm the only person who is completely indifferent to Harley Quinn (not just in Bombshells, but like, in general). Laura Braga and Mirka Andolfo have some spectacular art going on in this series.
November 10, 2019
Onwards with volume #3. They're quick reads with very nicely done art work.
The basis of this series with kick-ass heroines in the lead were a line off 1940s pinup style Bombshells variant covers and a series of statuettes. Set in a WWII alternate universe we follow our female superheroes and how they came to be. I really like how this is done.
Themes: DC Comics, female super heroes kicking ass in WWII, alternate universe, super powers,zombies, robots, feminists.
4 stars
The basis of this series with kick-ass heroines in the lead were a line off 1940s pinup style Bombshells variant covers and a series of statuettes. Set in a WWII alternate universe we follow our female superheroes and how they came to be. I really like how this is done.
Themes: DC Comics, female super heroes kicking ass in WWII, alternate universe, super powers,zombies, robots, feminists.
4 stars
April 20, 2017
I stopped buying the individual comics for bombshells and decided to wait for the graphic novels as I like being able to read a longer story. This one picks up where I left off in the comics. It was good to go back and re-read the batgirls story again, (I skipped the straight Mera love story). But the rest I really enjoyed. It was good to see the villains not quite villains, and have a good ending and explanation for the Joker's daughter, Zantana and Constantine. I really do like this series. It's the only superhero comic I've really gotten in to. I'm looking forward to vol. 4.
March 23, 2025
If you are a fan of Mera or are Jewish this book is a MUST read!!
Comics being a distinctly Jewish developed medium, does not do many stories with Judaism (besides Moon Knight), but the issues in here are beautifully deeply rooted in the religion and history.
Mera always deserved more for being one of the first women superheroes ever and this book showcases her magnificently!
This book continues to throw in new characters and give them just as interesting of an adaptation in this universe as the other characters that are now very established in it.
There's one character that I would not want to spoil that was just handled as one of the best of this Bombshells universe!
I appreciate the redirect on who the villains are in this book. Sometimes the allegory is so thin (Harvey Dent) that we are just talking about our real world, but sometimes it still runs historically poignant as the issues today are too!
Comics being a distinctly Jewish developed medium, does not do many stories with Judaism (besides Moon Knight), but the issues in here are beautifully deeply rooted in the religion and history.
Mera always deserved more for being one of the first women superheroes ever and this book showcases her magnificently!
This book continues to throw in new characters and give them just as interesting of an adaptation in this universe as the other characters that are now very established in it.
There's one character that I would not want to spoil that was just handled as one of the best of this Bombshells universe!
I appreciate the redirect on who the villains are in this book. Sometimes the allegory is so thin (Harvey Dent) that we are just talking about our real world, but sometimes it still runs historically poignant as the issues today are too!
August 14, 2017
Possibly the timing helped, but I finally got around to finishing this today and I teared up at the last section.
December 22, 2017
After the big battle in the previous volume, you'd think the Bombshells would take a minute to relax, but there's a war on and a Bombshell's work is never done.
A lot of the disparate stories in the last few volumes finally dovetail together in this one as many of the Bombshells link up for a secondary assault on the Germans, specifically the magically powered Joker's Daughter. Meanwhile, Mera comes to terms with her abandonment and exile from Atlantis, with a little help from a certain blonde lighthouse keeper.
I really love how inventive Bombshells is with its continuity, familiar faces popping up all over the place with new identities, new backstories, and all fitted perfectly into the World War II setting - Mary Marvel's adaptation is perfect, and even side-characters like Jason Todd get interesting ways to be part of the plot.
The artwork is mostly handled in this volume by Laura Braga, whose art is the most detailed, and Mirko Andolfo, who is a close second. There are a few chapters by Sandy Jarrell, but these don't hold up to her more recent work on Black Canary, coming off a bit unfinished.
Year 2 of Bombshells is off with a few big bangs, and the cliffhanger for this volume promises even more going forward.
A lot of the disparate stories in the last few volumes finally dovetail together in this one as many of the Bombshells link up for a secondary assault on the Germans, specifically the magically powered Joker's Daughter. Meanwhile, Mera comes to terms with her abandonment and exile from Atlantis, with a little help from a certain blonde lighthouse keeper.
I really love how inventive Bombshells is with its continuity, familiar faces popping up all over the place with new identities, new backstories, and all fitted perfectly into the World War II setting - Mary Marvel's adaptation is perfect, and even side-characters like Jason Todd get interesting ways to be part of the plot.
The artwork is mostly handled in this volume by Laura Braga, whose art is the most detailed, and Mirko Andolfo, who is a close second. There are a few chapters by Sandy Jarrell, but these don't hold up to her more recent work on Black Canary, coming off a bit unfinished.
Year 2 of Bombshells is off with a few big bangs, and the cliffhanger for this volume promises even more going forward.
August 15, 2017
These are the Jewish heroines I needed as a little girl - the ones who actively kick Nazi butt rather than live in fear. Not that I resent historically-accurate WWII children's books; they're incredibly important. But as a little girl, they were also the only books I had with Jewish characters until my mother dug up her copy of All-of-a-Kind Family for me, and it made me worry that someday the Nazis would come for me. If I'd had Miri Marvel, maybe I wouldn't have had those fears.
On another note, Miriam Batzel is definitely my favorite reinvention of a Golden Age superheroine. She looks enough like Mary Batson and Mary Marvel to be faithful to the original character, and she retains the sweetness and optimism that characterized Mary, but she's also stronger and uniquely her own person. Well done, Bombshells.
On another note, Miriam Batzel is definitely my favorite reinvention of a Golden Age superheroine. She looks enough like Mary Batson and Mary Marvel to be faithful to the original character, and she retains the sweetness and optimism that characterized Mary, but she's also stronger and uniquely her own person. Well done, Bombshells.
December 11, 2017
I'd say 4 stars for the story (the Mera arc confused me a little), but 5 stars for the whole book because this is prime Harley/Ivy ship content. Queer female creative teams mean that queer ships finally get realized. No more queerbaiting. <3
October 8, 2017
Best of the series both story and art wise.
October 9, 2017
Raven has arrived. Also others.
Read
August 9, 2019I suspect I should probably bail on Bombshells. Yes, it's beautifully drawn, and sweet, and fabulously Jewish, and oh so queer (though not exclusively so – Mera's straight, albeit cross-species, romance is every bit as heartwrenching here as Harley and Ivy, or Batwoman and the Question, which is to say very). But it's so intent on those wins, those air-punching panels and pages, that I never feel it really hanging together as a story – something that's all the more noticeable the more strands and characters come into play as it goes along. In particular, the first issue here, with Harvey Dent as a Hitler/Trump analogue in forties Gotham, is reduced to lampshading its own creaky topicality with fourth wall breaches and anachronisms that only serve to make things more awkward, before offering a pat and incredibly quick resolution that's painful in how little it reflects back on the real-world problems at which the story glanced.
June 26, 2017
(originally reviewed at
thelibraryladies.com
)
With the way that the last “DC Bombshells” collection ended (if you’ll remember, it was devastating), I was wondering if we were going to get into more pathos in which we’d have to potentially say goodbye to another of our beloved heroines. I suppose that I should have steeled myself for that possibility from the get go, as this is WWII and with war comes death. And given that our ladies are spread out across various fronts, battling not only Nazis, but also Nazi Zombies, the stakes are pretty high. And we jumped right back into it.
But first, we went back to the home front to check in with the Bat Girls! They’re continuing there time of taking up the mantle for Batwoman while she is overseas, and this time they have a new ally to go along with Maggie Sawyer.
LOIS LAAAAAAAANE!!!! Seeing Lois introduced (and giving her a very interesting backstory that gently but deftly touches on the immigrant experience) was a serious treat for this Lois Lane fangirl. It was also great seeing her jump in without having to worry about needing help from Superman (still nowhere in sight), and helping the Bat Girls break up a crime ring (involving the Penguin!), though they find themselves wanted in the process. Seeing this and a non-Two Face-d version of Harvey Dent going on and on as a political candidate with an “America First” platform made this story feel pretty close to home.
But meanwhile, in Europe, we catch up with our Bombshells on the front lines. We don’t get to see Wonder Woman, Supergirl, or the aftermath of Stargirl’s death this time, but that’s okay by me. I’m not ready to see the fallout from that. But that isn’t to say that we have a lack of stories this time around, as we are juggling a number of story lines. We have Batwoman, leaving Wonder Woman and Stargirl to try and get back to the front lines, who meets up with an old flame, Renee Montoya (aka The Question). They first met during the Spanish Civil War, and fought on the rebel side against the fascists. Now they are teaming up again, in spite of bad memories of losing a young protege and friend named Jacon (YES AS IN JASON TODD I AM SCREAMING) and the end of their love. You have Zatanna, who has been sent to a ghetto because of her Jewish and Romani heritage, and is being tormented by Joker’s Daughter, who has taken away her powers. You have Mera, who has washed up in Ireland without her powers, banished from Atlantis and her rightful throne. And we finally come back to Harley and Ivy, who have become freedom fighters for the resistance, and have found love with each other as they try to make their way to Berlin to take down the Nazis from their home base. And I haven’t even mentioned Huntress, Miri Marvel, Joker, Catwoman, Raven, and Aquaman, who all make appearances as well.
It’s definitely a lot to balance. But Bennett does a really good job of slowly but surely weaving all of these stories together. It was SO lovely to see my girls Harley and Ivy again, and to see how they play into this whole thing. I was wondering how it was all going to fit together, but it does. I was also really relieved that even though we did get a bit more romance with some of the heavy hitting men of the Universe (Aquaman and Constantine, specifically), it didn’t bring down Mera or Zatanna. Even though Mera has found lighthouse keeper Arthur, there is no sign of him having powers that are going to outdo hers as of yet. Their romance is just another part of her as a person, but Mera remains Mera and isn’t distracted from her goal of getting her powers and Atlantis back. The same can be said for Constantine, who is in the ghetto with Zatanna. He is there to support her, but his presence doesn’t weaken her or make her seem like he is her only strength in a horrific situation.
I loved seeing all of these women come together to fight against Joker’s Daughter and the Nazis, and that a number of these women in this story are Jewish or of Jewish descent, as Batwoman, Zatanna, Miri, and Harley all make mention of their heritage while they are inside the ghetto during a shabbat dinner. There was great beauty in this entire moment, as it wasn’t solely a ‘savior’ moment, as these women are also targets because of their heritage. The symbolism was bittersweet, and I really appreciated it. It was also good seeing the concept of abusive and controlling relationships being addressed, and not just in romantic ways. There was a small moment with Harley and Joker as she tells Ivy about her past, but there is also the relationship between Joker’s Daughter and Zatanna, and the relationship between Mera and her former beau. There is also poor Raven, who has only known Joker’s Mother as her mother figure, and is so damaged in her need to please her but also her need to escape. These are things that women in real life have to grapple with, and I so appreciate that this series dares to bring up the toxicity of relationships like these, and contrast them with healthy relationships. Harley finds Ivy. Zatanna finds Constantine. Raven finds a new group of women to mother her. Mera finds Arthur. And they all find more self respect. It’s just so positive!!! I can’t gush about it enough!!
There is just so much to love in this series. It continues to be super feminist, it continues to strive for diversity, and it continues to have some awesome action sequences that are just as good as any other superhero comic out there. I am once again sitting on the edge of my seat waiting for the next one in the series (out this fall I think!). While I’m worried that some characters are done, I am excited to see who else could show up.
With the way that the last “DC Bombshells” collection ended (if you’ll remember, it was devastating), I was wondering if we were going to get into more pathos in which we’d have to potentially say goodbye to another of our beloved heroines. I suppose that I should have steeled myself for that possibility from the get go, as this is WWII and with war comes death. And given that our ladies are spread out across various fronts, battling not only Nazis, but also Nazi Zombies, the stakes are pretty high. And we jumped right back into it.
But first, we went back to the home front to check in with the Bat Girls! They’re continuing there time of taking up the mantle for Batwoman while she is overseas, and this time they have a new ally to go along with Maggie Sawyer.
LOIS LAAAAAAAANE!!!! Seeing Lois introduced (and giving her a very interesting backstory that gently but deftly touches on the immigrant experience) was a serious treat for this Lois Lane fangirl. It was also great seeing her jump in without having to worry about needing help from Superman (still nowhere in sight), and helping the Bat Girls break up a crime ring (involving the Penguin!), though they find themselves wanted in the process. Seeing this and a non-Two Face-d version of Harvey Dent going on and on as a political candidate with an “America First” platform made this story feel pretty close to home.
But meanwhile, in Europe, we catch up with our Bombshells on the front lines. We don’t get to see Wonder Woman, Supergirl, or the aftermath of Stargirl’s death this time, but that’s okay by me. I’m not ready to see the fallout from that. But that isn’t to say that we have a lack of stories this time around, as we are juggling a number of story lines. We have Batwoman, leaving Wonder Woman and Stargirl to try and get back to the front lines, who meets up with an old flame, Renee Montoya (aka The Question). They first met during the Spanish Civil War, and fought on the rebel side against the fascists. Now they are teaming up again, in spite of bad memories of losing a young protege and friend named Jacon (YES AS IN JASON TODD I AM SCREAMING) and the end of their love. You have Zatanna, who has been sent to a ghetto because of her Jewish and Romani heritage, and is being tormented by Joker’s Daughter, who has taken away her powers. You have Mera, who has washed up in Ireland without her powers, banished from Atlantis and her rightful throne. And we finally come back to Harley and Ivy, who have become freedom fighters for the resistance, and have found love with each other as they try to make their way to Berlin to take down the Nazis from their home base. And I haven’t even mentioned Huntress, Miri Marvel, Joker, Catwoman, Raven, and Aquaman, who all make appearances as well.
It’s definitely a lot to balance. But Bennett does a really good job of slowly but surely weaving all of these stories together. It was SO lovely to see my girls Harley and Ivy again, and to see how they play into this whole thing. I was wondering how it was all going to fit together, but it does. I was also really relieved that even though we did get a bit more romance with some of the heavy hitting men of the Universe (Aquaman and Constantine, specifically), it didn’t bring down Mera or Zatanna. Even though Mera has found lighthouse keeper Arthur, there is no sign of him having powers that are going to outdo hers as of yet. Their romance is just another part of her as a person, but Mera remains Mera and isn’t distracted from her goal of getting her powers and Atlantis back. The same can be said for Constantine, who is in the ghetto with Zatanna. He is there to support her, but his presence doesn’t weaken her or make her seem like he is her only strength in a horrific situation.
I loved seeing all of these women come together to fight against Joker’s Daughter and the Nazis, and that a number of these women in this story are Jewish or of Jewish descent, as Batwoman, Zatanna, Miri, and Harley all make mention of their heritage while they are inside the ghetto during a shabbat dinner. There was great beauty in this entire moment, as it wasn’t solely a ‘savior’ moment, as these women are also targets because of their heritage. The symbolism was bittersweet, and I really appreciated it. It was also good seeing the concept of abusive and controlling relationships being addressed, and not just in romantic ways. There was a small moment with Harley and Joker as she tells Ivy about her past, but there is also the relationship between Joker’s Daughter and Zatanna, and the relationship between Mera and her former beau. There is also poor Raven, who has only known Joker’s Mother as her mother figure, and is so damaged in her need to please her but also her need to escape. These are things that women in real life have to grapple with, and I so appreciate that this series dares to bring up the toxicity of relationships like these, and contrast them with healthy relationships. Harley finds Ivy. Zatanna finds Constantine. Raven finds a new group of women to mother her. Mera finds Arthur. And they all find more self respect. It’s just so positive!!! I can’t gush about it enough!!
There is just so much to love in this series. It continues to be super feminist, it continues to strive for diversity, and it continues to have some awesome action sequences that are just as good as any other superhero comic out there. I am once again sitting on the edge of my seat waiting for the next one in the series (out this fall I think!). While I’m worried that some characters are done, I am excited to see who else could show up.
November 19, 2022
[Welcome to a series called I-am-insane-and-trying-to-finish-my-unfinished-series-even-ones-that-are-picture-books-and-ones-I-didn't-like-the-first-time. Reminder that my ratings are relative to other books of a similar genre/format/age level]
There's way too much going on here at all times. Feels like they tried to cram as many characters as humanly possible in here. The art is nice, but trying to keep track of everything at once is exhausting
There's way too much going on here at all times. Feels like they tried to cram as many characters as humanly possible in here. The art is nice, but trying to keep track of everything at once is exhausting
November 16, 2017
I'm not going to lie, I read this series simply because I love the designs and Harley and Ivy actually get to be lovers. It's a dumb series overall, but it has some heart. This issue was quite chock full of ever single character they could think of, and who knows where the plot is going. But it's pretty?
May 12, 2018
More Bombshells fun! I can't remember the last time I truly enjoyed a comics series like I enjoy DC Bombshells. I don't love all of the characters and plot-points, but the ones I love totally compensate for the others. However, I do feel the plot at the end of the volume was a bit more superficial the previous plot points, and hope for improvement in vol 4.
April 17, 2017
While the parallels between current events and those of the 1940's are not lost on me, the first chapter felt very forced in it's message and very anachronistic.
December 28, 2017
Gets five stars just for the debut of giant sized Raven.
May 11, 2019
Visualmente sigue siendo espectacular pero la historia flojea mucho. Una lástima, esta serie me estaba gustando.
February 22, 2025
I need more lesbian content if you’re gonna make me sit through that much boring het romance
Displaying 1 - 30 of 164 reviews