Marvel's Voices: Indigenous Voices #1 Reviews 

“Marvel’s Voices: Indigenous Voices” #1

By | November 20th, 2020
Posted in Reviews | % Comments

“Marvel’s Voices: Indigenous Voices” #1 showcases brilliant work from indigenous creators who tell fresh, authentic stories within the Marvel Universe. (Warning: may contain minor spoilers.)

Cover by Jim Terry
& Brian Reber

Written by Jeffrey Veregge, Rebecca Roanhorse, Darcie Little Badger and Stephen Graham Jones; Illustrated by Jeffrey Veregge, Weshoyot Alvitre, Kyle Charles, David Cutler and Roberto Poggi; Colored by Jeffrey Veregge, Lee Loughridge, Felipe Sobreiro and Cris Peter; Afterword by Taboo and Ben Jackendoff

MARVEL CELEBRATES INDIGENOUS HISTORY WITH A STAR-STUDDED SPECIAL! Today’s hottest Native American and Indigenous talent make their Marvel Comics debuts with a collection of super-charged stories as Marvel celebrates National Native American Heritage Month! Celebrated writer and artist Jeffrey Veregge explores the legacy of Marvel’s incredible cast of Indigenous characters! Hugo, Nebula, and Locus-award winning Black/Ohkay Owingeh writer Rebecca Roanhorse and Tongva artist Weshoyot Alvitre tell an Echo tale like none you’ve heard before. Geoscientist and Lipan Apache writer Darcie Little Badger joins acclaimed Whitefish Lake First Nation artist Kyle Charles for a Dani Moonstar story that’s out of this world! And Bram Stoker-winning horror writer Stephen Graham Jones of the Blackfeet Nation teams up with Qalipu Mi’kmaq First Nation artist David Cutler to revisit one of the darkest spots of X-Men history!

Prior to the release of “Marvel’s Voices: Indigenous Voices” #1, Marvel noted that the project had been in the pipeline well before this year’s ongoing national reckoning with racism and racial justice. Certainly, Marvel should be commended for their efforts. At the same time — for comics as a whole – this is long overdue. The hurtful, simplistic stereotypes of the “Hollywood Indian” were always b.s., concocted in the minds of white storytellers who fetishized Native culture even as they helped propagate harmful racist tropes.

Hopefully, last month’s publication of “Werewolf by Night” #1, by Benjamin Jackendoff and Taboo, and this month’s release of “Marvel’s Voices: Indigenous Voices” #1, signals a new era in which Native comics creators reclaim the numerous indigenous characters who’ve populated Marvel’s books for decades.

The introductory piece, brilliantly written and illustrated in traditional Formline style by Salish artist Jeffrey Veregge, sets the stage perfectly. With a stately, lyrical script and stunning artwork, it serves as both a prelude and a poetic meditation on stories and storytelling. “For eons I have silently observed,” says Uatu, the titular Watcher, “collecting the stories that would become your myths and legends….”

Turn the page and you’re met by a stunning, kaleidoscopic two-page spread. In circular, spiraling text Uatu raises up the names and deeds of 16 of Marvel’s most prominent indigenous warriors from across the Marvel Universe. It’s a pantheon of characters “who pledge to do what is both just and right for the sake and safety of their people . . . to both enlighten and inspire the next generation of heroes near and far.” Combining simple, but dramatic graphic elements and shapes in lush complimentary colors, it almost feels like you’re standing before a majestic mural painted in the great hall of a grandiose building.

From there, we segue into the first narrative, an open-ended 10-page piece that features Echo, aka Maya Lopez, a half-Cheyenne, half-Latina warrior who happens to be deaf. Here, she’s called upon by Captain Marvel to defeat a raging Swamp God who’s terrorizing a pacifist village on a distant planet. It may sound like a clunky set-up, but writer Rebecca Roanhorse handles it with ease. Illustrator Weshoyot Alvitre’s inks are outstanding, especially in the fight sequences, and Lee Loughridge’s colors are bold and otherworldly. The story ends with a great reveal, hinting that Echo’s role in the Marvel Universe is about to get much bigger.

“Mirage: Multifaceted,” by writer Darcie Little Badger may be the most compelling, intriguing piece in the collection. It centers on Dani Moonstar, aka Mirage. The basic plot is a rescue mission, but the theme is community, family and belonging. “We can be many things, Julian, and have many families,” says Mirage, comforting the Cheyenne teen mutant who’s wrestling with his identity. Kyle Charles’s inks and paneling are bold and efficient, visually driving the story to it’s climax in a short amount of time. Balancing earth tones with yellow and black, and the occasional brilliant fuchsia, Felipe Sobreiro’s colors are energetic and support the action well.

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Things conclude with “Silver Fox: Blue Moon,” a story set at the time of relentless westward expansion and imperialism. The story is a lament of a people overwhelmed – but not defeated –by pestilence, Gatling guns, soldiers and more diseases. Colorist Cris Peter’s predominantly blue color palette is perfectly interrupted by disconcerting fiery oranges and reds. At the same time, David Cutler pencils and Roberto Poggi’s inks are almost painfully gentle and understated, imbuing the story with an ethereal, dreamlike quality. Silver Fox and her husband Trigo do their part to fight the oppressors, even as Trigo is overwhelmed by horrific visions of the future that nearly tear him apart.

Despite the fact that each of the three main stories spans a mere 10 pages, every one of them could be the debut issue of a new series. As promised, this is indeed the next generation of indigenous heroes, authentically and expertly presented by indigenous creators. In the words of Tongva artist Weshoyot Alvitre, “Why aren’t Native people doing this work? It’s more impactful when Natives speak for themselves.”

Marvel editor-in-chief C.B. Cebulski said in October, ““Marvel’s Voices” #1, our first anthology in this program, was released this past February, and the reception from fans was incredible. It was clear we needed to do more to lift up more voices and talent and increase representation in and behind our stories.” All of this should have come sooner, but Marvel should be applauded for their efforts. With several dope variant covers to choose from, you should get down to your local comics shop and pick up a copy – or two – of “Marvel’s Voices: Indigenous Voices” #1.

Note: Aside from the variant covers for “Marvel’s Voices: Indigenous Voices” #1, Marvel is also releasing eight other variant covers in eight other series in honor of Native American History Month. Each cover features one of your favorite Marvel characters reimagined by Jeffrey Veregge. You can find the full list here.

Click here for a great list of other comics and graphic novels by indigenous creators.

To buy from and support Red Planet Books and Comics, the country’s only indigenous-owned comic shop, click here.

Final Verdict: 9.5 “Marvel’s Voices: Indigenous Voices” #1 is a landmark step in the reclamation of Marvel’s indigenous characters by indigenous comics creators.


John Schaidler

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