Bitch Planet: Triple Feature, Vol. 1

Bitch Planet (Collected Editions)

by Kelly Sue DeConnick (Presents), Valentine De Landro (Illustrator), Kit Cox

DECONNICK & DE LANDRO PRESENT: The Triple Feature!
Ripped directly from the world of BITCH PLANET, a crack team of creators spin fifteen teeth-clenching tales of rage, revolution and ridicule.
Patriarchy beware...this scifi kidney punch can't be stopped...!
100% Grade A satire. Accept no substitutes.
Featuring writers CHERYL LYNN EATON, ANDREW AYDIN, CONLEY LYONS, CHE GRAYSON, DANIELLE HENDERSON, JORDAN CLARK, ALISSA SALLAH, DYLAN MECONIS, KIT COX, MARC DESCHAMPS, SARA WOOLLEY, VITA AYALA, JON TSUEI & MORE!

With art by creators MARIA FROHLICH, JOANNA ESTEP, CRAIG YEUNG, SHARON DE LA CRUZ, TED BRANDT, RO STEIN, NAOMI FRANQUIZ, ALEC VALERIUS, DYLAN MECONIS, VANESA R. DEL REY, MINDY LEE, SARA WOOLLEY, ROSSI GIFFORD & MORE!

Collects issues 1-5.

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Science Fiction, Feminism, Fiction, Dystopia, Short Stories

144 pages, Paperback

First published December 13, 2017

About the author

Kelly Sue DeConnick’s work spans stage, comics, film and television. Ms. DeConnick first came to prominence as a comics writer, where she is best known for reinventing the Carol Danvers as “Captain Marvel” at Marvel and for the Black Label standard-setting Wonder Woman Historia: The Amazons at DC. Her independent comics Bitch Planet and Pretty Deadly (both from Image Comics) have ranked as New York Times best-sellers and been honored with Eisner Awards, British Fantasy Awards and Hugo nominations.

Ms. DeConnick’s screen work includes stints on Captain Marvel, a film that earned $1B for Disney worldwide, and 2023’s forthcoming The Marvels with Marvel Studios; in addition to having consulted on features for Skydance and ARRAY, and developed television for NBCUniversal, Legendary Entertainment and HBOMax. Her most recent stage work is the mythic spectacle AWAKENING, which opened at the Wynn Resort Las Vegas in November 2022.

Mission-driven, Ms. DeConnick is also a founding partner at Good Trouble Productions, where she has helped to produce non-fiction and educational comics including the “Hidden Voices” and “Recognized” series for NY Public Schools and Congressman John Lewis’ Run, in partnership with Abrams Comics.

In 2015, Ms. DeConnick founded the #VisibleWomen Project, whose mission is to help women and other marginalized genders find paid work in comics and its related industries. The project continues to this day and recently expanded in partnership with Dani Hedlund of Brink Literacy.

Ms. DeConnick lives in Portland, OR with her husband, writer Matt Fraction, and their two children.

Reviews

[Baba · Rating 4 out of 5]

The De Landro and DeConnick creative team behind Bitch Planet invites 15 different teams to create their own Bitch Planet short story. The stories are pretty good relying mostly on the dystopian world created by DeConnick and De Landro - I just feel they would have had a lot more impact if they'd been allowed to use some of the characters from the main series.... which hey weren't! 8 out of 12.
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2019 read

[Chad · Rating 2 out of 5]

Random stories of women from the world of Bitch Planet. I'm interested in where the story of the main book is headed. These random depressing stories set in the same world not so much. How many stories can you read of stupid, aggro men putting down women before you want to go slit your wrists? I'm getting depressed just reading this review. Plus, it's mostly by sub-par indie artists. Who thought this was a good idea?

Received a review copy from Image and Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.

[47Time · Rating 2 out of 5]

All these stories are one big 'meh.' At least the members of the 'crack team' were consistent. The fifteen 'teeth-clenching' tales don't have a chance to shine in under three minutes of reading. I suppose the intention was to expand this dystopia and to some degree they manage it. Still, I prefer named characters that I can follow for at least a full story arc. I'm starting to hate anthologies. While the completely independent stories were sometimes fun, they didn't get me hooked, in part because of all the in-your-face misogyny. Why some writers went with 'wa wa wa waaaa' comedy is beyond me. The artwork changes along with the writing and it can go from sexy to cartoony in an instant.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I feel like punching something now.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I prefer to read these as individual issues, because I love the back content of articles & discussions, but Hoopla has the complied volume so I’m finishing up this run that way. I really liked these shorts set in the Bitch Planet world, and I especially liked the branching out we got in stories to include some related intersectional topics like me too, police profiling, race appropriation, dysmorphia/unrealistic beauty standards, and other issues all seen through the lens of this world.

[Jerrie · Rating 3 out of 5]

These short vignettes are filled with the satirical social commentary you expect from Bitch Planet. Of course, I liked some more than others, but overall this was great fun.

[Elizabeth · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5* rounded down - The blurb that described the collection, "...15 teeth-clenching tales of rage, revolution, and ridicule. Patriarchy Beware...," is right on the mark. The collection dealt mainly with various forms of discrimination, particularly regarding gender and race, providing cautionary criticism of modern trends. It was a mixed bag - I was laughing out loud, singeing in anger about the truth behind the satire, rolling my eyes at the lack of nuance, and cringing at attempts at absurdist humor. Generally, the satire was a bit too heavy-handed for my taste, often times weakening important points because it was so OTT.

I mistakenly started with this story collection rather than the main series, so my disorientation, which hugely affected my overall experience, was my fault. So, my rating might be lower than the work deserves, but that remains to be seen.

[Cat · Rating 3 out of 5]

although there's some good stuff in here, I felt like most stories were too short to really get some point across. only can say I enjoyed a couple of them but I do appreciate the work and ideas put in this.

full review soon

[Hilary Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm thinking of going to my next Comic Con as Non Compliant. :)

[BellaGBear · Rating 2 out of 5]

Confusing

[taro]

good satire

[Sam (she_who_reads_) · Rating 4 out of 5]

But of a mixed bag, but definitely more winners than not

[Alex Sarll]

Shocking to realise that Bitch Planet launched in 2014, yet has only managed ten issues since - and those are years during which its nightmare patriarchal future seems to have come distinctly closer. Obviously one can't hold deConnick and de Landro's workrate entirely responsible for the rise of Trump, but that unkind line of Peter Cook's about the wonderful Weimar cabarets does spring to mind, and it would have been nice if they could have kept up a little more momentum. So, tiding us over, an anthology title set in the same world - five issues, each with (as the title suggests) three stories, from a world where old gender rules have been reasserted with a vengeance, and women who don't like them get labelled Non-Compliant and shipped off to space gaol.

Most of the creators are new to me - the exceptions being Elsa Charretier, Vanesa del Rey, deConnick's husband, and one of John Lewis' collaborators on March. But I think I'm right in saying that there are few, if any, Brits, which is a shame, because whatever else may have gone horribly wrong with this country, in 2000AD's Future Shocks and the like, Britain does have the world's finest academy for short SF comics. Not that they're all winners, by any means - but even at their worst they at least offer some pointers on what to avoid. Whereas here, with everything being set in the same world, the first three issues in particular are prone to story after story where the Surprise! Twist Ending! is 'Aaaah, patriarchy.' Well, yes, we knew that - it is pretty much the premise of the setting, after all. There are exceptions, of course, stories which rather than going for a gotcha use their scant space to weave a claustrophobic vignette; 'Without and Within' and 'Love, Honor & Obey' both sculpt horribly compelling examples of the double bind whereby women are damned if they do and damned if they don't (though the latter then feels the need to add a twist anyway).

The hit rate picks up in the fourth issue; 'Life of a Sportsman' encapsulates the way that sport celebrates and accentuates everything that's most toxic in masculinity, though it's debatable whether it even needs a science fiction setting; the grotesque 'Bodymods', on the other hand, takes full advantage both of that and the comics form. But for me the highlight is the final issue's 'Everyone's Grandma is a Little Bit Feminist', which flips the stereotypical scene of the awkwardly unreconstructed grandparent at Christmas dinner for an era when progress has been thrown into reverse. An excellent piece of satirical science fiction, and here's hoping it stays that way.

(I had this from Edelweiss as an ARC but, as with volume 2 of the parent series, the file simply wouldn't work - I think that, ironically, the deliberately retro and pulp look Bitch Planet uses for the art is very intensive to render digitally. So in the end I read this from the library, but I'm going to do the declaration of interest anyway to be on the safe side)

[Renata · Rating 3 out of 5]

(read as single issues)

I feel likeeeeeeeee the thing about these being set in the world of Bitch Planet but not moving forward the main plot is that it just really depressed me, like for the same reasons I haven't watched Handmaid's Tale show yet...like I feel like I'm not ready for satire about extreme patriarchy right now, maybe in a few years or something. Also I appreciate the concept of having all these short stories with great authors/artists but they are all so short I never got that invested in any of them.

Just not really my cup of tea. As ever the single issues include great interviews and other back matter though.

[Adrian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Much has been done to combat the rise of the radicals and make the world safer for men. In the age of unruly activists, family values keep women safe and fulfilled. A comfortable home is crucial to every family's happiness. When a woman no longer has the stress of work, her only role is to be her best self. Several television shows dedicated to women's interests help keep the focus on feeling good and looking great.

Set in the dystopian world of Bitch Planet #1 where misogyny rules and rebel women are sent to an off-world prison, this anthology brings together 15 stories from different guest writers to expand the on the main series.

I think I missed some of the subtler nods to the main story and have ordered the first volume so I can get up to speed before reading the second volume of triple feature stories. 3 1/2 stars.

[Guilherme Smee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Já tinha lido as duas edições normais de Bitch Planet, mas não tinha curtido muito. Achei a premissa muito boa, mas a realização deixou a desejar, um pouco diferente do que estou acostumado a ver no trabalho de Kelly Sue DeConnick. Esta nova edição, Sessão Tripla, por sua vez, tem uma outra proposta. As autoras convidaram diversos talentos da indústria dos comics para desenvolver pequenas histórias que se passam no universo de Bitch Planet. Como toda antologia, ela tem altos e baixos. Acredito que as histórias mais legais são aquelas que ousaram mais dentro deste universo em que a exploração das mulheres está na ordem do dia. Outros fizeram histórias que poderiam ter como pano de fundo qualquer outro universo, sem fazer sentido estarem nessa antologia. E outras histórias com desenhos muito ruins, que parecem amadores mesmo e não algo vindo de uma editora grande como a Image Comics. No fim das contas acho que a Sessão Tripla é ainda melhor que a série regular, hein?!

[Jenny Clark · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the covers, they had the vibes of the 50's pulp novels/movies down pretty well. The stories were alright, it was kinda interesting to see how this whole world started, with first the schools separating boys and girls, and the ad campaigns to get women to beautify themselves intensely, to the point where they had to quit work to keep up with it, the protests ect. I did like the one story about the grandmother talking about how it was in her day, our current day.
Some of the art was just too strange for me to really enjoy the stories, and some of them were just eh. The beauty pageant one was creepy as all get out though.
The cosplay pictures were a nice touch too. Overall, I would say this is not necessarily a must read for Bitch Planet fans, since the stories just take place in that universe, but it may be a good way to see if you would like the series from a story point.

[Ma'Belle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This collection of short stories set within the world of Bitch Planet, each written by a different insightful author, is a fantastic way to give Kelly Sue DeConnick a break (presumably). The art styles vary quite a bit, which might not jive with some readers, but I found this mini-series to be generally as good as the main series. I'd love to keep seeing the Triple Feature issues alongside or alternating with the ones by DeConnick.

Fav story was probably the one called "It's Good For You!"

[Verity W · Rating 3 out of 5]

I find Bitch Planet fascinating, scary and a little off the wall and these short features are no different. There's humour here, but it's very, very black, and I some times feel like I'm not comic-literate enough and am missing things. But I like that they challenge me and put me out of my comfort zone.

[Aaron · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dang, this feels timely coming at the end of 2017. But I suppose that's the whole point, that Men in power have been doing this shit the whole time and we're just now acknowledging it.
I gave the volumes 1 & 2 of the main series silly winking "The Patriarchy recommends" ratings of 3/5 and 5/5 respectively, but this anthology is detached from the main story and takes place within that world. It's depressing and heavy-handed, but doesn't lose much steam for all that. While I enjoyed this read, I think I'll stick with the main series and pass on future anthologies unless they come highly rated.

[Audrey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Like most collections, the quality is uneven amongst the contributors. But, it was a fascinating view into the scary (hopefully not a portent to come) world of Bitch Planet, from the ground. An origin story would be welcome.

[Lindsay · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this collection! I like seeing the expanded universe and how some of these stories emphasize the negatives of such extreme gender dichotomy and inequality on people who identify as male, as well.

The modification story really creeped me out. Just wow.

[Sierra Dean · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really excellent side stories. A great collection to introduce people to the world of Bitch Planet, with some biting social commentary on gender, race, and the state of the world we live in.

[Marcela · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shudder.

[Krista · Rating 4 out of 5]

A couple of these fell flat for me, but overall this collection is a good expansion of the Bitch Planet universe. Pure dystopian horror.

[Jess Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought the original Bitch Planet series lacked world building, but this anthology gave me everything I was missing. I loved to hate all of these stories.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Insanely smart, cutting, and painfully close to the real world: this is exactly what I'd hoped a Bitch Planet anthology book would be and more.

[Sarospice · Rating 1 out of 5]

Other artist and writers try to depress you with tales of feminist oppression. Only the last story ( cultural appropriation for fashion) makes a point. Everything else fails. Can you still cry feminist if you still got married had kids and your husband makes the money? Still?

[Jodie · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5/5 Stars

[Renée S · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded up. I would rather have had a continuation of the main storyline, rather than this series of vignettes set in the same universe, but it scratched an itch.