Monstress #35

Monstress (Single Issues)

by Marjorie M. Liu (Writer), Sana Takeda (Illustrator), Rus Wooton (Letterer)

Can Maika survive her own power…and what will she unleash upon the world?

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Fantasy, Steampunk, Horror, Adult, Comic Book

32 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 30, 2021

About the author

New York Times bestselling and award-winning writer Marjorie Liu is best known for her fiction and comic books. She teaches comic book writing at MIT, and she leads a class on Popular Fiction at the Voices of Our Nation (VONA) workshop.

Ms. Liu is a highly celebrated comic book writer. Her extensive work with Marvel includes the bestselling Dark Wolverine series, NYX: No Way Home, X-23, and Black Widow: The Name of the Rose. She received national media attention for Astonishing X-Men, which featured the gay wedding of X-Man Northstar and was subsequently nominated for a GLAAD Media Award for outstanding media images of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. Ms. Liu also wrote the story for the animated film, Avengers Confidential: Black Widow and Punisher, which was produced by Marvel, Sony Pictures Entertainment (Japan) Inc., and Madhouse Inc.

Her newest work is MONSTRESS, an original, creator-owned comic book series with Japanese artist (and X-23 collaborator) Sana Takeda. Published by Image in Fall 2015, MONSTRESS is set in an alternate, matriarchal 1920’s Asia and follows a girl’s struggle to survive the trauma of war. With a cast of girls and monsters and set against a richly imagined aesthetic of art deco-inflected steam punk, MONSTRESS #1 debuted to critical praise. The Hollywood Reporter remarked that the longer than typical first issue was “world-building on a scale rare in mainstream comics.”

Ms. Liu is also the author of more than 19 novels, most notably the urban fantasy series, Hunter Kiss, and the paranormal romance series, Dirk & Steele. Her novels have also been bestsellers on USA Today, which described Liu “as imaginative as she is prolific.” Her critically praised fiction has twice received the Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice Award, for THE MORTAL BONE (Hunter Kiss #6), and TIGER EYE (Dirk & Steele #1). TIGER EYE was the basis for a bestselling paranormal romance video game called Tiger Eye: Curse of the Riddle Box.

Liu has appeared on MSNBC, CNN, MTV, and been profiled in the Wall Street Journal.com, Hollywood Reporter, and USA Today. She is a frequent lecturer and guest speaker, appearing on panels at San Diego Comic Con, the Tokyo Literary Festival, the New York Times Public Lecture series, Geeks Out; and the Asian American Writers Workshop. Her work has been published internationally, including Germany, France, Japan, Poland, and the United Kingdom.

Ms. Liu was born in Philadelphia, and has lived in numerous cities in the Midwest and Beijing. Prior to writing full-time, she was a lawyer. She currently resides in Boston.

Reviews

[Jayson · Rating 4 out of 5]

(A-) 83% | Very Good
Notes: Read in trade paperback. Collective review for issues #31-35 and other included stories can be found here: Monstress, Volume 6: The Vow.

[Phoenix · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don’t know if it’s the length of this series, but my interest in it is starting to wane. I would like this to wrap up soon. The plot twists aren’t really doing it for me either, which is weird because in earlier volumes they did. Eh. Maybe I’ve just grown out of it? I don’t like to feel like this way about it, but this Ravenna war arc just feels never-ending.

Still some good moments of character development. But besides that I’m just not feeling it. 2.5 stars rounded up.

[Tim Nowotny · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the best issues in this arc. I would like the arcs to become more concrete and focused but as far as the war efforts go, this was a nice one

[Kurage · Rating 3 out of 5]

Oh dear, what an end D:

[Devon · Rating 5 out of 5]

THAT ENDING!!!!!

[Ajay Vishwanaath · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don’t know why, but the last few issues really haven’t captured my interest. This is, by far, my favourite ongoing series — but something about the recent plot twists and character decisions have really… irked me.

The problem is I can’t put my finger on what it is.

The art is still gorgeous, and Maika has grown to become one of my favourite characters. On paper everything is rosy.

Ugh.

This annoys me.

[Vyshakh Aravindan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Visceral and raw. The tide of war breaks. This issue blends action and emotion masterfully. There’s a powerful confrontation that forces Maika to face herself—her power, her past, her fear. The bond between her and Zinn is shifting, and it’s unclear if it’s a partnership, a parasitic dependency, or both. The battles rage on, but the real war is internal.

[M. Ashraf · Rating 3 out of 5]

Monstress
Issue#35
Volume#06
The Vow
Marjorie M. Liu

It has been a while since I picked this series
So here we are
The artwork is just amazing!
Th best thing in the series!
Great fantasy
Maika and Zinn are getting along
The series got comfortable with the R rated
Very good volume!

[Jennifer Zeman · Rating 5 out of 5]

DAMNIT TUYA!

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

THAT CLIFFHANGER ... NOOOOO

3.5

[Mousmi · Rating 5 out of 5]

My Rating: 5 Stars.

[Cats W. Bats, Esq. · Rating 5 out of 5]

5/5

>:O

[Colin Post · Rating 4 out of 5]

The cats are saving rare books and manuscripts from the ruins of Ravenna.

This cover is one of the best of the series — regal AF.

[Vincent Stoessel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Boom!

[Andy Hickman · Rating 3 out of 5]

#35 – Betrayed! (again) by a kiss!

[SMLauri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dios santo... ¿pero esto qué es?
No imagino cómo tuvieron que sentirse aquellos que lo leyeron según iban saliendo los comics y tuvieron que esperar para leer el siguiente con este sinvivir!

[Dakota Bedeski · Rating 5 out of 5]

Conflicts and betrayal. Just when everything came together, and it looked like they won, she was betrayed by someone close. Just because of some prophecy.