Monstress, Vol. 1: Awakening

To me, there's a difference between graphic novels and comics. For starters, comics are often serialized, and graphic novels can stand on their own (though they may be part of a series). There's a stylistic difference—comics either move at a breakneck speed for larger stories or provide a small snippet of daily living; graphic novels, on the other hand, tend to have a slow burn. Surely, there's some overlap and some comics may indeed fall under the umbrella of graphic novel, but I do think the two terms are used interchangeably often when a distinction is in order.

Because of its epic nature, Monstress may blur the lines some, but I do think it bears much more similarity to traditional comics. My views, therefore, are reflective of this categorization.

Of the handful of comics I've read throughout the years, Monstress has some of the best illustrations I recall seeing. Details of both the foreground and background are not skimped on. Each page is bursting with lines. Though the nature of the comic is rather dark, the blacks, grays, browns, and blues have a certain vibrance to them. In both text and illustration, the world created here is interesting and vividly drawn. It has an alluring quality that pulls the reader in.

Unfortunately, there's something about comics that keeps me at a distance, and while Monstress succeeded in being breathtaking, it failed to bring me into the fold. The biggest issue was that I couldn't follow the story. Throughout this entire volume, I couldn't quite follow who the various factions were. I had a tough time distinguishing characters and how they were related to one another. There's just such a strong emphasis on keeping the action moving, and action has a tendency to bore me. Entire pages were filled with it: weapons wielded, powers displayed, blood splattered, and BOOMs, BLAMs, WHAMs, ZZZHAMMs, YAHHs, AAIIEEEs, UMMMPHs, KRRNCHs uttered. Holy comics, Batman, this just isn't quite for me!

For the sake of being able to recommend a quality comic, I'm glad I read Monstress, but my lack of connect and understanding will keep me from reading more in this series. I'm still open to other comic recommendations, however, so if you know of one I just have to read, let me know.

Merged review:

To me, there's a difference between graphic novels and comics. For starters, comics are often serialized, and graphic novels can stand on their own (though they may be part of a series). There's a stylistic difference—comics either move at a breakneck speed for larger stories or provide a small snippet of daily living; graphic novels, on the other hand, tend to have a slow burn. Surely, there's some overlap and some comics may indeed fall under the umbrella of graphic novel, but I do think the two terms are used interchangeably often when a distinction is in order.

Because of its epic nature, Monstress may blur the lines some, but I do think it bears much more similarity to traditional comics. My views, therefore, are reflective of this categorization.

Of the handful of comics I've read throughout the years, Monstress has some of the best illustrations I recall seeing. Details of both the foreground and background are not skimped on. Each page is bursting with lines. Though the nature of the comic is rather dark, the blacks, grays, browns, and blues have a certain vibrance to them. In both text and illustration, the world created here is interesting and vividly drawn. It has an alluring quality that pulls the reader in.

Unfortunately, there's something about comics that keeps me at a distance, and while Monstress succeeded in being breathtaking, it failed to bring me into the fold. The biggest issue was that I couldn't follow the story. Throughout this entire volume, I couldn't quite follow who the various factions were. I had a tough time distinguishing characters and how they were related to one another. There's just such a strong emphasis on keeping the action moving, and action has a tendency to bore me. Entire pages were filled with it: weapons wielded, powers displayed, blood splattered, and BOOMs, BLAMs, WHAMs, ZZZHAMMs, YAHHs, AAIIEEEs, UMMMPHs, KRRNCHs uttered. Holy comics, Batman, this just isn't quite for me!

For the sake of being able to recommend a quality comic, I'm glad I read Monstress, but my lack of connect and understanding will keep me from reading more in this series. I'm still open to other comic recommendations, however, so if you know of one I just have to read, let me know.