“Bitch Planet” is back and with an origin story! There are spoilers ahead that will be discussing elements from the previous issue of “Bitch Planet.”
Written by Kelly Sue DeConnick
Illustrated by Taki SomaNEW STORY ARC
“Extraordinary Machine” uncovers the past of the Bitches’ secret weapon Meiko Maki, how she went from promising engineer to killer-and the ace up her sleeve. From KELLY SUE DeCONNICK (PRETTY DEADLY, Captain Marvel) with guest pencils by TAKI SOMA (Takio, The Victories).
As odd as it sounds, Roger Corman has been a huge part of my life for years. For those who do not know, he was the king of indie cinema dating back to the 1950’s. Sure, he is a Detroit guy, but that is not the only reason to like him. He was the king of making an outlandish idea into a film. I came from a circus family, who boasted two magicians and a film maker, and Corman was a frequent topic of discussion. He might not be the inventor of woman exploitation films, I give that to Russ Meyer, but Corman put women in prison films on the map. “Bitch Planet” is not a foreign concept to me, if anything, it is a reminder of so many films of my youth at the advent of the DVD revolution.
Ironically though, this particular issue is not focusing on women in prison. That is the main hook of the book, but this detour is fascinating. I am sure a few readers are disappointed, but I am happy to report that this actually gives a lot of detail. Fair warning though, for those who have not read issue #5, stop reading right now. I will be discussing details pertaining that issue with direct connections to this one.
The return issue begins with a disclaimer about sexual assault. Specifically, “In a 2008 Deportment of Justice survey of former prisoners, 1 in 6 female prisoners reported being sexually assaulted while incarcerated.” This alarming stat is followed by Meiko, being assaulted in prison. Her commentary is reflective, if someone what troubling. She compares her body (and other females) to a violin. “The Soul supports the structure. It keeps the body from collapsing under the pressure created by the tension of the wires on the bridge…the heart strings.” From here, we see a familiar face in Makoto Maki an engineer working on a large project. Meiko, along with her sister Mirai, lead a normal family life. However, things get complicated when Makoto’s co-worker Doug Braxton invites himself over for dinner. Doug want’s one (or both) of Makoto’s daughters for himself and he will expose a secret if Makoto does not comply. Meiko, however, as other ideas for Doug.
Plot wise, this is an awesome origin story for Meiko, who was killed at the end of issue #5. She knew of a flaw in the prison, which Doug is aware of, which is shared with Kamau Kogo. Kelly Sue DeConnick connects the act of Doug’s attempted assault with Meiko’s current assault organically. Interestingly enough, the actual assault in the prison is shown near the end of the book, paralleling Meiko’s past. Both times, she took full advantage of horny men, to her benefit. DeConnick could have easily made this a cliche moment that has been done, thankfully she takes a different direction. The trope is spun around, showing the power Meiko has gained from her imprisonment. Even further, she did not comply with Doug’s advances, which is what got her in prison in the first place.
DeConnick really puts it all on the page, making it clear that the men are the ones who are the prisoners. I say that in the sense, they are prisoners to their own libidos and authority. The totalitarian view is not something unheard of, but on this scale it is a different element to the story. In fact, the women become sympathetic because of how oppressed they are, not because of their actions inside the prison. DeConnick does not make a distinction between right and wrong explicitly. Meiko commits murder, but it is rightly justified. The system in place however fundamentally disagrees with Meiko’s actions. In a lot of ways, this is a commentary on the state of prisons today. If you replace women, with other minorities, the same outcome is likely to occur.
Continued belowTaki Soma is a guest artist for this particular issue and she is a welcome addition to the series. Her work has a classic comic vibe to it, which reminded me much of newspaper strips. More specifically, it is comic pop art on every page. The colors are like faded news prints, with the customary dots lining each panel. This was an unexpected surprise for me, because I had not seen Soma’s art prior to this. Soma gets a chance to show off a lot of great background details too, especially when Meiko’s assault occurs. She does not show the violence graphically, which would defeat the purpose, it is melancholy. The musical notes from the sheet music background play to the violin theme. It is unusual to write that critique about an incredibly horrific event in the book, but it adds to the mood. A female artist was the right choice for this, if a male had done it, I do not think it would be a poetic.
Another area that Soma excels is in the homages to the films, Audition & Kill Bill towards the end of the flashback. For those who have seen Audition, the piano wire scene is mimicked here, with a violin wire. The result is perfectly gruesome, which is fitting. The Kill Bill nod is in how Meiko is dressed, much like Go-Go Ubari. The assumption is that Meiko as a school girl, is no match for a man in his world. Needless to say, she has the upper hand. I enjoy the fact that Soma’s art shows Doug’s murder in gory detail, a subtle commentary about violence against women. It is a nice touch for something that could have been many shades darker in incapable hands.
As a male, it is hard to walk away from this book without feeling awful. Not in the sense that the book is bad, but it is an eye opener into how women are portrayed in modern media. My view too is a little slanted, I grew up in a weird time for feminism. The late 1980’s to mid 1990’s hilariously set the feminist movement back quite a bit. There were not very many strong female characters, most were paired with the bumbling husband or were there simply for sex appeal. I myself was numb to the sexism, I was conditioned to accept it. Naturally as I got older, it becomes clear how wrong and how transparently stupid this media was in retrospect. Now in 2016, things have changed for the better, even if parts of the world are still socially backwards.
“Bitch Planet” is a book that does make you think about these ideas. Even the most dismissive of feminism, would have a hard time making an argument for anything else. Cleverly too, the book allows for more female readers, something comics has been lacking for a long time. I have always been one to be more inclusive, the boys club mentality is archaic. A book like this allows me to read a radically different perspective. While I cannot related to biological elements, the human ones and the heroics are not male exclusive. That is the point isn’t it? A great thought provoking book should open your eyes to ideas/perspectives you are not familiar with. To be clear, I am not a shining white knight to save women, I am someone who is trying to understand the plight. By no means does that make me perfect, hopefully it allows me to progress with a society and a culture that is changing around me. My hope too, is that those who might dismiss this as something that is only for women, give it a try. The back matter is worth your time as well, to bring you further into the feminist world. While this might not be the 1960’s again, the movement happening now is the new revolution.
Final Verdict: 8.1 – A great detour from the main story, with some interesting details on the mythology of “Bitch Planet.” Even with a stand-in artist, the book does not miss a beat. Recommended.
