Bitch Planet, Vol. 1

In one of the most stunning works of satire this medium has seen in recent memory, DeConnick (Pretty Deadly, Captain Marvel) and De Landro (X-Factor) craft a modern riff on pulp sci-fi exploitation novels that’s equal parts brutality and thoughtfulness. In a nightmarish future, “noncompliant” women are rounded up for minor infractions (or none at all) and sent to a prison planet. One inmate, Kamau Kogo, catches the attention of the Fathers and is put in charge of a doomed sports team designed to be annihilated in the name of compliance. Using her wits and raw strength, Kamau must turn adversity into an asset if she is to bring change to her world. DeConnick pulls no punches, crafting a relentless narrative that is hauntingly reminiscent of the misogyny facing women around the globe today; De Landro expertly supplies gritty inks, in-your-face colors, and a host of diverse character designs that underscore the book’s intersectional feminist message. The result is a must-read unlike anything else being published in comics. (July)