REVIEW: The Unstoppable Wasp #1

I“ve always been a big fan of the wonderfully powerful and alluring character known as The Wasp. She“s courageous and always had such a striking design about her that could catch your eye from across the room. When I discovered there was a new wasp, properly titled The Unstoppable Wasp, I got a bit fan-girly and did that thing we all do when we feel a beloved fictional character is being approached on. But…I was as wrong as a pickle in a bowl of soy milk.

The Unstoppable Wasp introduces us to Nadia Pym, the daughter of Hank Pym, better known as Ant-Man. She“s a teenager who spent most of her life locked away doing nothing but science, but luckily for her, science is what she“s all about. Jeremy Whitley writes us a story that beholds a young woman who is so likeable, it“s infectious. She“s kind, positive, incredibly smart, and is not one bit jaded from the things she had to grow up around.

Nadia, helped by Ms. Marvel, is trying to become an American citizen and go about her day, but because this is a comic book, we know things don“t always go quite to plan. This is one of those books that seems a lot longer than it really is, which is a good thing. Nothing is drawn out, and we learn so much about this “new Wasp”“ that leaves the reader wanting more. We see a couple familiar faces through run-ins with other heroines in this book, and artist Elsa Charretier“s illustrations somehow become more beautiful with every turn of the page.

One obvious thing that could potentially be an easy problem is the design of Nadia“s Wasp suit, and not letting it look too similar to Janet“s. But the girl still has to essentially look like a badass bug, right? I never thought I“d say this, but I might just like Nadia“s superheroine outfit more than my previous beloved Wasp…I know, I know, but damn the thing is spectacularly laid out, and it“s one of the best designs I“ve seen in a long while. It compliments her personality perfectly, and throw Megan Wilson“s coloring brilliance on top and this book really ties up beautifully.

The whole book is so meowin“ fantastic that all my judgmental doubts were immediately dissipated, and I haven“t been this excited for a Marvel series in a long time. And Jeremy, man, the feminist angle and writing that brings to light some flat-out sexism in this universe was on point. For those of you who don“t know, there is a special list that compiles the names of the smartest super-people, and it“s ridiculous. Nadia points out how it was designed by men, for men, who know the same men, and thus repeats the one-sided cycle with such idiocy that it“s a wonder the damn thing even exists. But it“s the way Nadia goes out presenting this, and she does so in a well-informed and level-headed way with just the right level of “This is some straight up BS”“.

I desperately must see what happens in this series because with the present team working together and the premise, we“re definitely going to have a winner on our paws.

Story: 5 Stars
Cover: 5 Stars
Artwork: 5 Stars
Colors: 5 Stars

[yasr_overall_rating size=”large”]

Written by Jeremy Whitley
Art by Elsa Charretier and Megan Wilson
Lettering by Joe Caramagna
Published by Marvel Comics