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Monstress (Single Issues)
Monstress #40
With time running out, Kippa takes matters into her own hands—challenging the Dusk Court itself.
32 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 25, 2022
8 people are currently reading
52 people want to read
About the author
Marjorie M. Liu
318 books4,304 followersNew 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.
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.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
November 4, 2024
(A-) 82% | Very Good
Notes: Read in trade paperback. Collective review for issues #36-41 can be found here: Monstress, Volume 7: Devourer.
Notes: Read in trade paperback. Collective review for issues #36-41 can be found here: Monstress, Volume 7: Devourer.
June 26, 2022
This issue dwells a bit overlong on the politicking of the various factions vying for power - perhaps the one weakness of this series is the importance of the baroque court system to the narrative. That political system is superbly interesting and intricately thought through, but it can be extremely difficult to follow the nuances month to month.
As complex as the plot and cast of characters are, the series essentially boils down to this: Maika and Zinn are super powerful and everyone wants to control the uncontrollable. The book is at it’s best when that comes to a head. Fortunately, we get a foretaste of what’s sure to be a thrilling confrontation in the next issue, the final one in the present arc.
Even when the politicking can be overly complicated, we still get some gorgeous, truly weird visuals: a half-mech wolf flauntingly bathing in holy hot springs; a giant snake donning an experimental headset connected to the unconscious Maika.
As complex as the plot and cast of characters are, the series essentially boils down to this: Maika and Zinn are super powerful and everyone wants to control the uncontrollable. The book is at it’s best when that comes to a head. Fortunately, we get a foretaste of what’s sure to be a thrilling confrontation in the next issue, the final one in the present arc.
Even when the politicking can be overly complicated, we still get some gorgeous, truly weird visuals: a half-mech wolf flauntingly bathing in holy hot springs; a giant snake donning an experimental headset connected to the unconscious Maika.
June 5, 2022
Better All The Time
We are finally getting to the heart of the many mysteries that have surrounded both Maika and Zinn. And Tuya which I have been dying to discover. About time too. Though Liu handles it better than a lot of other writers, for a while there, I had that familiar and unpleasant sensation, of treading water while certain situations were set. Fortunately, that's something that doesn't happen often with this series. My only complaint? As usual, this volume ended on a cliff hanger!
We are finally getting to the heart of the many mysteries that have surrounded both Maika and Zinn. And Tuya which I have been dying to discover. About time too. Though Liu handles it better than a lot of other writers, for a while there, I had that familiar and unpleasant sensation, of treading water while certain situations were set. Fortunately, that's something that doesn't happen often with this series. My only complaint? As usual, this volume ended on a cliff hanger!
June 9, 2024
I am continuously in awe of this comic. I truly cannot comprehend how the twists and turns keep stacking up and how much the status quo keeps changing. Characters I think I hate are surprising me and winning me over, characters I think I love are disappointing me and confusing me, characters I think I have figured out have huge reveals that are better than I could have imagined.
I'm not sure I fully trust anyone because all these folks are psycho but boy do I love this comic. Masterpiece.
I'm not sure I fully trust anyone because all these folks are psycho but boy do I love this comic. Masterpiece.
July 4, 2025
Explosive. Everything starts to collapse—alliances, secrets, sanity. There’s a reveal here (no spoilers) that reframes earlier chapters, and it lands with shattering impact. Zinn is no longer just a voice in Maika’s head—he is a coiled, ancient thing with his own tragic path. The emotional unraveling is matched only by the breathtaking visual chaos.
February 3, 2023
#40 - “.. the beginning of your slow apocalypse..” – Blood Court’s emissary. “Tat is too great an insult.” – Dust Court elder. “She’s goading you. Come along, sister. This is politics.” – Dust court elder2.
December 7, 2024
#40 - “.. the beginning of your slow apocalypse..” – Blood Court’s emissary. “Tat is too great an insult.” – Dust Court elder. “She’s goading you. Come along, sister. This is politics.” – Dust court elder2.
May 27, 2022
Love, love, love!!!
July 24, 2022
I desperately need a family tree scroll for this series.
September 7, 2022
Liked this one a bit more again. There are too many fractions and characters by now but the series does good by concentrating on the original core group again
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews