Connect with us
Monstress #6 Review

Comic Books

Monstress #6 Review

And so we have arrived at the finale for the first arc of Monstress. The last issue left off on a dangerous and shocking moment, so let’s see how our protagonist gets out of this one. Is it good?

Monstress #6 (Image Comics)

monstress-6-cover

Listen to the latest episode of our weekly comics podcast!

The Lowdown

And… our protagonist does not get out of this one. Maika Halfwolf has been beaten and shoved into a box that has put her into a deep coma off-panel. She and the strange creature in her mind called a Monstrum are combing the memories of the past for some answers. Maybe something that could help them too. On the outside, a battle between the Federation and witches and the Arcanic rages on…

The Breakdown

Monstress #6 is a thrilling finale to the first story arc. While it is annoying that the last issue’s cliffhanger was just quickly glanced over (the whole epic battle happened off panel), the comic does make up for it by giving readers plenty of excitement. There are a couple of fights, including

The rest of the cast unfortunately doesn’t feel as developed. Kippa is alright, but she strikes me as the standard morality kid that’s there to be adorable and help Maika keep herself together. She doesn’t do anything and her trust in Maika seems iffy. Master Ren is amusing and smart, but that’s it. Corvin has motivations, but they’re vague and not well defined. The main villain is intimidating and the reveal with her was great, but the rest of the villains left a bit to be desired. Two of them, who were regularly chasing our heroes for most of the arc, disappear for most of the issue and only briefly cameo at the end. Yvette didn’t really do a lot, and I’m honestly surprised

Sana Takeda’s artwork is fantastic looking here. The characters are wonderfully drawn, being both distinguishable from one another and creatively designed (Mother Superior really stands out in particular this issue with almost Junji Ito-like influences). The layouts are nice and despite being a cluttered in some panels, never are a detriment to following what is happening. The action, while eye-catching in terms of design and brutality, is on the static side and does not particularly flow well or have a great sense of motion to it. Takeda also has these moments where her art style gets rather manga-ish with the big eyes and more exaggerated facial expressions in some panels. Unfortunately, while not often, this little quirk with the art doesn’t really work or fit the tone of the book. It always feels out of place in such a serious story whenever something looks very cutesy or Chibi-ish.

Is It Good?

Monstress #6 is a great finale for the first arc, especially for the fans that are able to keep up with its extensive politics and lore. If you have difficulty with that though, it does feel harder to get invested in when you don’t feel connected to the characters or understand the motivations that well. Otherwise, there’s a lot right to this comic when it comes to its main character, story, and artwork. Hopefully, the comic keeps up the momentum and excitement when it returns in August.

Join the AIPT Patreon

Want to take our relationship to the next level? Become a patron today to gain access to exclusive perks, such as:

  • ❌ Remove all ads on the website
  • 💬 Join our Discord community, where we chat about the latest news and releases from everything we cover on AIPT
  • 📗 Access to our monthly book club
  • 📦 Get a physical trade paperback shipped to you every month
  • 💥 And more!
Sign up today
Don't Miss:

Flash #52 Review

Comments

In Case You Missed It

Marvel unveils the new villains Bloodcoven appearing in 'Blood Hunt' Marvel unveils the new villains Bloodcoven appearing in 'Blood Hunt'

Marvel unveils the new villains Bloodcoven appearing in ‘Blood Hunt’

Comic Books

Gail Simone photo by Gage Skidmore Gail Simone photo by Gage Skidmore

Writer Gail Simone joins X-Men CBR message boards

Comic Books

X-Men Monday #241 - Steve Foxe Talks 'X-Men '97,' 'Dead X-Men,' and 'X-Men: Blood Hunt - Psylocke' X-Men Monday #241 - Steve Foxe Talks 'X-Men '97,' 'Dead X-Men,' and 'X-Men: Blood Hunt - Psylocke'

X-Men Monday #241 – Steve Foxe Talks ‘X-Men ’97,’ ‘Dead X-Men,’ and ‘X-Men: Blood Hunt – Psylocke’

Comic Books

Films to check out at SXSW Films to check out at SXSW

Films to check out at SXSW

Movies

Connect
Newsletter Signup