I adored the first volume of Marjorie Liu’s Monstress. Sana Takeda’s art is one of the most stunning that I’ve come across in a comic. At the same time, it’s also unbelievably violent and brutal. I find this pairing somewhat evocative of the Hannibal TV series, which I also loved. (I don’t know what this says about me – that I am ok with gore, provided it’s beautifully presented?)
Monstress is set an alternative, matriarchal, steampunk Asia, which is inhabited by humans, anthropomorphic animal gods known as ancients, and cats. Maika Half-wolf is 17 year old of mixed human and ancient ancestry, known as an Arcanic. Arcanics tend to have an antagonistic relationship with all the other societies, and Maika herself has an antagonistic relationship with pretty much everyone. Part of this may be down to her abrasive personality, but it’s not helped by the fact she’s possessed by a powerful monstrum capable of destroying the world.
The events of the first volume of Monstress have left Maika half-wrecked and determined to rein in the monstrum inside her. Usually, Maika’s ruthlessness leads her to fight, murder and even consume (thanks to the monster) anyone who gets in her way. But Maika herself has become downright disturbed with what the monster is capable of when she loses control. Her search for more information on what can be done about the monstrum leads to her raiding her dead mother’s possessions, taking passage on a pirate ship, and travelling to an island constructed from the corpse of a dead god.
If the first volume spent much of its time settings the stage, the second volume deals mostly with the lore and the interpersonal relationships of both Maika and the titular monstrum. In the case of the monstrum, these two are often one and the same. Don’t let it be said that monsters don’t have feelings – this one carries considerable emotional baggage. While this backstory goes some way into fleshing out the motivations of both characters, it means that the main plot progresses with the viscosity of treacle. If you thought the first volume was slow, volume two will be frustrating. This comic is also going to be off-putting to anyone who isn’t a fan of ‘grimdark’ settings. There isn’t much cheer to be had in this almost dystopian world, where even the cute little cats and monkeys cannot be trusted. The only shining light in the comic so far is Kippa, the little half-fox girl. And I’m starting to wring my hands with worry over her.
Even with the additional lore, answers are still being dolled out slowly. We still don’t know the motivations of Maika’s mother, or why everyone we meet is so pissed off about what she did when she was alive. (Like mother, like daughter, I suppose.) And while some light has been shed on the mysterious Sharman Empress, this has lead to even more questions that need answering.
And why are all the Gods dead?
Despite this, I’ve not yet succumbed to grim dark fatigue. I’m endlessly in love with the art. And after the last few pages of this volume, I’m dying to find out what else Marjorie Liu has up her sleeve. So I’ll be waiting for Volume Three with anticipation.