Synopsis: Set in an alternate matriarchal 1900's Asia, in a richly imagined world of art deco-inflected steam punk, MONSTRESS tells the story of a teenage girl who is struggling to survive the trauma of war, and who shares a mysterious psychic link with a monster of tremendous power, a connection that will transform them both and make them the target of both human and otherworldly powers.
Review: This is a comic series I’ve wanted to start for a long time. The protagonist is a girl named Maika and it starts with her being enslaved. She is a fascinating character who isn’t quite human. We see her fight for her freedom, and her sanity, as she comes to possess part of a mask and some kind of demon or god becomes a part of her. I read the first collection of comics which contains issues 1-6. This is the kind of story that throws you into the plot, and the world gets built up later. Seeing Maika fight off her urges was heartbreaking, but empowering. Through flashbacks, we watch as she struggles to survive as a child, and we see how it turned her into the woman she is now.
The story is a bit hard to describe, but there are essentially 5 different species in this world. Maika begins the story by trying to answer questions about her past, and avenge her mother’s death. Along the way, she obtains part of a mask and catches the attention of a group called the Inquisitrix. She has to dodge the Inquisitrix while she looks for a way to take control of this new found power. I wish there was a bit more understanding of the world dynamics, but I have to remember that these are comics. There’s not much more text they can add without taking away from the art.
The art, by the way, is incredible. I don’t know if I’ve been exposed to Sana Takeda before, but she does a great job with all the characters, whether they’re mostly human or completely animalistic. Seeing her art paired with the text is wonderful, especially when we see Maika’s internal, and external conflicts. All of the characters, whether they’re major characters or not, have great expressions. The art really brings this story to life.
Interesting first volume to a comic series. Can’t wait to check out more
4 howls
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