Thursday, April 5, 2018

Review: Angel Catbird, Vol. 1

Angel Catbird, Vol. 1 Angel Catbird, Vol. 1 by Margaret Atwood
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

I spent most of this book wondering whether this was intentionally absurd or simply lazy. Perhaps it's a bit of both. Much of the dialogue and inner monologuing - maybe, I think, possibly - tried to poke fun at early pulp comics. Unfortunately, this questionable satire didn't have bite, ambition, or quality enough to elevate it beyond what it imitates. We're left with a dull distillation of all the oldest tropes in superhero comics and nothing else (except for occasional cautionary real-life tips about caring for cats, which might be the sole reason this comic exists). I'd say that it might be a passable comic for children, except that it uncomfortably sexualizes every relationship, including those involving animals. And Atwood's introduction reads like a fever dream or an apologetic excuse for what this comic became.

I can't believe there are any further books in the series, but even my vague desire to know why they exist is not compelling enough to read them to find out.

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