Enlisted
Bombshells #1
Cover Date: October 2015
Released: 15th July 2015
⋅ Writers: Marguerite Bennett ⋅ Pencilers: Marguerite Bennett ⋅
⋅ Inkers: Marguerite Bennett ⋅ Colourists: Marguerite Bennett ⋅
⋅ Letterers: Wes Abbott ⋅ Editors: Jessica Chen / Jim Chadwick ⋅
So whilst the first post on this blog was 25th March 2019 the actual first review was posted today (if you’re reading it live) on 17th June 2019, don’t bother though it’s terrible (rather than okay-ish). So I’m calling this our third birthday, and as it’s also Pride month, I’m going to indulge myself a little as look at a series I love Bombshells!
(And like the Queen I can always have two birthday to sneak more of these in!)
For those not in the know the Bombshells were originally a set of Chibi figures, based on the art of Ant Lucia. And yes I do have some, Power Girl (natch) and Harley Quinn. So this comic book is a tie in to a collectable that shouldn’t be as good as it really is!
It’s also very, very gay, and so much the better for it!
We start with the classic Batman scene, you know boy and his parents leave the movie theatre (the movie being Zorra is always a bonus) met by a criminal with a gun… Only for the criminal to be stopped by woman in a baseball uniform, the Batwoman!
We then cut to a game of women’s baseball with Batwoman in to bat, and look I’ll be honest I know nothing about baseball (or rounders as we like to call it 😀 ) but at I understand enough to get the baseball related pun and the fact it’s making fun of the old tyme sport commentators of the time. When thug make the mistake to try and rob the crowd Batwoman stop them with a series the aforementioned baseball related pun attacks. Maggie Sawyers, with great 40s hair, turns up to arrest the thugs all helpfully trust up by Batwoman.
We then cut to the home of Kate Kane, aka Batwoman, and her girlfriend Maggie Sawyer, living in Burnside. And yes for those paying attention this comic is full of reference both of the time and from the history of all these characters. We’re gotten up to speed how Kate runs Kane industries and how she was a adventurer who went to fight in the Spanish Civil War (with a great joke that Hemingway could shoot anything better than whiskey). We also get that the relationship is haunted by someone Kate knew and loved during that time. (Renee Montoya for those keeping track at home).
After a nice cuddle the two sleeping beauties, and suitable to it’s origins and the 40’s aesthetic this comic is full of cheesecake, only to be awoken to noises coming from the roof. There they find an autogyro landing, getting out of the craft is Amanda Waller who wants they to volunteer to help the war effort.
As the comic was a net exclusive this was the first issue, but we’ll carry on with the second part of the story.
This is because the second part is basically the retelling of the classic meeting of Steve Trevor and Wonder Woman. Y’know Steve’s plane crashed near Themyscira, and is the rescued by the Amazons. A few changes to fit the era is the cute joke of Steve imagining the dog fight he’s in scored to Ride of the Valkyries, just before the planes are bought down by the amazons themselves. Themyscira is in the Mediterranean this time, near Greece obviously, and has apparently suffered from the war in Man’s Worlds. As they point out when Steve protests those bomb and bullets have to go somewhere and some have fallen on the island, hence them attacking all the planes allies and axis alike. Sick from his dunk in the ocean Steve doesn’t have the chance to explain the fight against the evil Hitler passing out from his trying day.
There’s one more part to this issue but I think, if people are interested, I’ll cover it another time!
If you can’t tell I love this whole series! It’s charming and cute, but doesn’t shy away from dealing with the serious side of the Second World War. I can’t gush about this enough!