Comic book reviews for Insexts #4, Insexts #5, Insexts #6, and Insexts #7 by Marguerite Bennett and Ariela Kristantina
Average rating: 2.75/5 stars
Insexts #4 by Marguerite Bennett
Art: Ariela Kristantina
This is a book I want to like. It’s a book that I should like. But it’s kind of becoming The L Word of books where I read it because there are so few representations of lesbians in comics, even if I’m not in love with the text. I wish I liked the characters more.
I don’t really understand why Lady Bertram falls ill when they go to the mental hospital and witness the work of the butcher. Of course, it could just be her being a lady. Or a combination of being upset with changing into her insect form.
William is sure comfortable with the insect ladies. He’s far too much on their side, and he’s helpful for moving the historical plot forward. And probably help keep George and Sylvia at bay.
The sex Mariah and Lady Bertram have in order to track Jack the Ripper was less than hot. I’m not sure if it was moving from one being sick into the sex scene or because of its purpose.
Of course, they accidentally kill the werewolf who turns out to not be Jack the Ripper. When they could’ve had an ally.
Insexts #5 by Marguerite Bennett
Art: Ariela Kristantina
This plot is still really messy. Though Bennett here is desperately trying to piece it all back together.
They ended up not killing their werewolf friend Talal. Plus, they quickly sort it out with him that Lady Bertram isn’t the butcher of London. In a weird twist, Adom, the butler, has been keeping news secret so Lady Bertram and Mariah were missing information about just how many killers were on the loose in London. Bizarre.
Then George goes and meets the actual villain, the Hag, who’s either the madam of a brothel or in the body of a madam. One brothel that Lady Bertram’s dead husband owned and visited frequently, enough to rape and impregnate Elsie. At least, I’m assuming Elsie was raped giving how excited she seems to be to meet George. (That was sarcasm.)
Then the Hag goes to kill Lady Bertram’s kid by possessing Sylvia. Because for some unknown reason, the Hag really cares about who inherits the Bertram title. Lady Bertram, of course, kills Sylvia and goes into full bug mode. Which the werewolves are like “dang.”
Insexts #6 by Marguerite Bennett
Art: Ariela Kristantina
This issue felt not only light on plot movement, but also short on pages. There was a ton of ads at the end of the issue. I get that Aftershock’s a new press, but I’m surprised they’d stretch the resolution into issue #7.
Their plan to take down the Hag seems like a terrible one. Especially knowing how powerful she is. William pretends to be a rich man who wants to rent the entire the brothel — how rich are they?! — with his two women by his side and a bunch of dogs to save the women.
Yeah, why did the Hag even pretend that she didn’t know their plot? Seemed like a bit of ridiculousness for no reason.
Oh, Lady Bertram, she definitely has some emotional weaknesses and the Hag doesn’t.
Insexts #7 by Marguerite Bennett
Art: Ariela Kristantina
This issue surprised me. Despite the bad pacing and weird slowness of this a third of the way through the arc, the ending was well-done. It wrapped the story up nicely, gave us some insights finally into the world, and left the book open for future storylines. Which looks like AfterShock will be publishing more.
However, since I’m having to pare down my pull list, Insexts was already on my cut list. In addition to the pacing problems, I’m not a huge fan of the art and its sketch style.
It wasn’t surprisingly when Lady Bertram fully transformed in order to defeat the Hag. I never believed anyone, but William, would actually die. Part of what the Hag and part of what Mariah point out over his death is that William did play a traditional masculine patriarchal role in protecting them. He may never had expectations about taking Lady Bertram and Mariah to his bedroom. But in order for Bennett to push this story into a feminist utopia, William had to stop playing that role.
Bennett finally explained a few things about this world that should’ve been explored in that slow third of this book’s plot. I wish this team the best on the future of the book.
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