Bitch Planet #1

by Kelly Sue DeConnick, Valentine De Landro & Cris Peter

Earlier this year at the Image Expo, Kelly Sue DeConnick announced a brand new creator-owned series. With a name like Bitch Planet, there was an immediate buzz following its announcement. Even with a basic synopsis presented at Image Expo of a prison planet full of women, there hasn’t been much else revealed about Bitch Planet. Well the wait is now over and Bitch Planet debuts its first issue this week.

Trying to categorize Bitch Planet into any specific genre after this first issue is a pretty useless task. It’s equal parts noir, sci-fi and a smidgen of campiness. DeConnick did an amazing job of using this debut issue to really established the kind of fucked up world we are reading that would even allow a planet-sized prison exist. This was a great first issue of Bitch Planet. Everything was perfectly paced making for a smooth read and was engaging enough to leave readers wanting more.

Artistically, Bitch Planet has a very familiar feeling. There is something very pulpy about the combination of Valentine De Landro’s pencils and inks and Cris Peter’s dark and subtle colors. You might even say that it’s reminiscent of Sean Philips art particularly on Fatale. That of course a very immediate knee-jerk reaction to have. As Bitch Planet progresses you then begin to really see its art as a thing of its own. It is a nice blend using such a grounded looking art team with Bitch Planet‘s outlandish story.

Bitch Planet‘s debut issue is a welcome surprise. It’s an almost silly concept that is executed so well that you accept it and feel entrenched within the pages of Bitch Planet‘s story. With all of the things displayed in Bitch Planet‘s debut, there is still plenty of room for the story to evolve. By the end of the issue, readers are left curiously wondering where this creative team will take Bitch Planet from here.