Bitch Planet Volume 1

What does a feminist comic series look like? Bitch Planet.

Bitch Planet is one of the most interesting comic series being run today, and will almost certainly be studied for years to come. The premise is simple: take a dystopian future which differs from ours in that the prejudices against women are far more explicit than they are now. What would such a world look like? DeConnick's writing is brilliant in its simplicity and overtness. In her world, those prejudices (especially against women who are not "compliant" with the norms of society) are hunted down and imprisoned on the "Bitch Planet" colony. The story follows a band of women imprisoned in this colony for various reasons - some violent, others just for "disrespect" - as they struggle to keep their dignity and survive. The comic reads and looks just like an old-school exploitation film, and that's great for what they're trying to do. The art is gorgeous and each issue comes with a page or two of newspaper ads which help flesh out the world. Bitch Planet is an avowedly feminist comic, and worth a read by both average comic readers and academics. Read more