Comic book reviews for Insexts #1, Insexts #2, and #3 by Marguerite Bennett and Ariela Kristantina
Average rating: 3/5 stars
Insexts #1 by Marguerite Bennett
Art: Ariela Kristantina
Wow, I’m not sure how I feel about this book. I wasn’t expecting. Mostly, in that I didn’t expect a revenge tale.
In general, it’s exciting to have a Victorian lesbian couple — Mariah and Lady Bertram — and who have a bit of lesbianism separatist streak. Kristantina does a lovely job with the art and setting. Both the writing and the art lend themselves well to penny dreadful storytelling.
I did find the grossness factor a little over-the-top. Of course, ever since I saw Aliens at an inappropriate age, chests/stomachs bursting forth with creatures has been a big fear of mine. I wasn’t quite expecting that from this book.
Rape and assault of women for their motivation is not my favorite. I’m glad we don’t see it here — like we don’t see it in Jessica Jones — but still… I mean, I’m sure we can play the “history” card, but it’s also a story about insect-women.
The other aspect I’m not so keen on is that the women immediately have a child. Certainly, Lady Bertram wanted one and never had one with her husband. However, women needing children and lesbians settling down together to create a home and family immediately is a stereotype. Though we don’t know how long Mariah and Lady Bertram have actually been together.
Insexts #2 by Marguerite Bennett
Art: Ariela Kristantina
This issue was much more interesting than the first one. Mostly because it didn’t need the horror of Harry’s death to drive interest in the story.
I loved seeing Lady Bertram with her full butterfly powers. She’s both beautiful and super fierce. Especially as she takes out the werewolf. Adored that she protects the prostitutes out on the street. Though I also assume there’s some Jack-the-Ripper action happening, which is not my favorite.
I really want to know more about Mariah and where she comes from. Not to mention how she met Lady Bertram and how they fell for each other. Their scene in the bathtub much more lovely than their sex scene in the first issue, which was pretty gross.
Sylvia is going to be the real challenge for them. They can’t kill her in the same way, and she’s after money so there’s nothing that’s likely to stop her. We will see how much Sylvia actually gets away with.
Insexts #3 by Marguerite Bennett
Art: Ariela Kristantina
The plot here is flagging. I assumed Mariah knew a lot more about what was happening to her and Lady Bertram and why. She seemed to have much more control over her powers: she created them a baby, killed Lord Bertram, and made that one guy forget what happened. But it turns out that neither woman has much control, especially Lady Bertram, and they don’t really know what’s happening, which is why they want a doctor to check them out.
Sylvia continues to be the worst. And getting more than she ever bargained for. Even if she does continue to try to destroy Lady Bertram, Sylvia should be much more frightened to confront her. Though very smart of Lady Bertram to have Doctor Hascall take the blame for her husband’s murder.
Kristantina’s art is definitely a tribute to vagina dentata. (Which I’m not sure is a trope that we need to reclaim.) Are we in a world of monsters? How do these monsters get created?
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