America #1

[lordultimus]

Comments

[cyberghostface]

That first page is one of the most cringe-worthy things I’ve read.

[locuatico]

Eh. I still think Miles reacting to people reacting to discovering he was black/latino was even cringier.

[cyberghostface]

It makes more sense that Miles would be weirded out by fixating on his race than gushing over someone he barely knows (assuming he even met America).

[theflames]

Yeah that was awful. Has that character developed a true personality yet?

I followed him for two/three years (maybe more) when he was just a cypher of Peter Parker but not as smart and I'm desperately waiting for him to have his own voice.

(i think the upcoming movie figured that out)

[commodus]

I'm all on board for punching Hitler, but I'm afraid the art just doesn't do it for me. Everything just looks...off.

[mesmiranda]

I love America Chavez, and I love what she represents, and I love people punching Hitler...

...and even I think she's being shilled a little too hard here.

[thanekos]

When you write a character in their solo with nothing but banter and feats, like they're in a team book.

[theflames]

'Better than The Cure'... why did they ask 40 year olds for their opinion about this teenager.

There's a lot going on here and nothing really good.

[laughing_tree]

I have no idea why this particular book gets the concentrated hate it does. It's not really my thing, but I don't see how it's worse than dozens of other comics being put out...

[shakalooloo]

Why does America Chavez, interdimensional superhero princess, want to go to college? Why does she act so uncharacteristically impulsive when she gets there?

The America in this book is not the America from any of her other appearances, not even 'Vengeance' America.

[cyberghostface]

Just the level of bile fascination with lines like "Holy menstruation!", America's general characterization with past books, the general writing (huge boxes of text and stilted dialogue), etc. Apparently some Spanish-speaking people were annoyed by the use of the language as Gabby (the writer) herself doesn't speak it.

[locuatico]

I do. the translation is about the same level as most "spanish" dialogue in comics.

[lordultimus]

I think the backlash is because Marvel hyped this up as their "queer Latina superstar" book, only to alienate fans for having their protagonist be such a stereotype, particularly of the "fiery Latina" stereotype, which was a huge problem because A) America was always a tough girl, but she was also very in control of herself, so she comes across completely out of character and B) she'd lose her temper over stupid stuff, and yet the story would frame her as almost always being in the right, meaning she comes across like an asshole without consequences.

[katefan]

Well, D&C and a lot of other Youtubers got a helluva a lot of mileage out of this comic alone. Honestly, between recapping this comic and looking at Gabby Rievera's Tweets you could make an argument that America jumpstarted D&C's career.

The art is atrocious and the writing is terrible. I've noticed some people around here have roasted Bordertown; well, this is in the same vein only this is unintentionally hilarious.

Can't wait until I think it was issue 6 when Kate Bishop gives her "Lesbianism is cool" speech...

[laughing_tree]

"The art is atrocious."

You completely lose me there. I've loved Quinones' art since I first saw it. And it received a pretty good reception on his previous works like Green Lantern and Howard the Duck, so if it really was getting piled on with this series, I have to suspect there was more going on than objective criticism.

[malitia]

Me neither. I mean I think it's around the level of R.L.Stine's Man-Thing. (Bad, occasionally hilariously... Okay, Man-Thing had better art on average.) But that got totally (and deservedly) forgotten while this is pulled out to be mocked over and over. Odd.

[lordultimus]

Because Man-Thing never claimed to be anything other than Stine revisiting the horror comics that made his childhood (that are otherwise outdated). This is claiming to be the inspiring inspiration to every minority everywhere with a fan-favorite character while failing miserably at it.

[cyberghostface]

I’d say Man-Thing succeeded as a campy horror story and had a less obnoxious protagonist.

[informationgeek]

How dare you not want to move across country with me to fulfill my dreams!! Its not like I can easily hop between places and you can live here and that there wouldn't be a single problem... wait, why am I mad at you again?

This series pure Ann Nocenti's Catwoman levels of quality. Bad bad bad with its writing and characterization.

Which is worse: "Holy Menstruation" or "Vegetative Injustice"?

[deh_tommy]

The breakup scene sort of sums up almost everything I dislike about the book in general.

America tries to frame the titular character as being in the right, but she unintentionally just comes off as arrogant, selfish and rather inconsiderate (but whatever, the only one who's feelings and desires remotely matter in this book anyway is America's apparently). Things sort of happen because they need to happen, regardless of whether the set-up, motivation or actual happening makes sense for the characters involved to behave the way they do. She's always somehow oh-so super-duper perfect and wonderful and everyone loves her, while anyone who doesn't like or even slightly disagrees with her either hasn't met her yet or is literally Hitler (and even then they shower her with praise).

[strejdaking]

I love how the page still ends showing her girlfriend saying she still loves her. ANYWHERE else, this would be to show America as a heartless jackass, but here, it's to show how awesome she is.

Kinda reminds me that moment in Ultimate Avengers, where Fury's ex, after revealing he cheated on her with every single relative and friend she had, says sshe's still loves him cause "he's Nick Fury, every woman does". Except, while that too comes off to me as idiotic and obnoxious wish-fulfillment, at least Millar was deliberately potraying Fury as an asshole (and I'm not trying to say America is just as bad here, like obviously and objectively she's not, but that's beside the point).

[katefan]

Sweet Jesus, it's every bit as gloriously bad as I remember. :D

[dcbanacek]

How many of you are aware Miss Chavez actually has a theme song?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWRCsa1OO4k

[lurrel]

damn, lotta haters! i thought this book was a lot of fun, with some great joe quinones art.

[lordultimus]

I'm glad you liked it.