Jan Bazaldua

I'm having a hard time figuring out my thoughts on this book. I think I love the premise of the Spark and the Altar. And I definitely love Legion and (you know who) getting time together again, and also her decision and new place in the world.

Weaponless Zsen is a perfect foil for Nightcrawler and their arc is wonderful.

But I have mixed feelings about the Legionaries as a group. In some ways, this is kind of what police abolishment should look like? Crisis and outreach workers trained to de-escalate and then help with healing and rehabilitation. Rather than, you know, cops and prisons and state sanctioned murder. I think my issue with it is the religious tint to it. I know it's Kurt and he's coming from a world of churches and piousness and belief and all that junk. And I see him trying to believe in the people of Krakoa and encouraging that belief. But it's still a dogmatic approach to rehabilitation that seems to force allegiance to the Church of the Spark with the ever present threat (however remote, and however much Kurt would never) of being turned over to the Quiet Council and thrown in The Pit.

Which feels Off. But I guess that's good storytelling isn't it?… (meer)

The short stories up front provide a quick and enjoyable run-through of Marvel's LGBTQIA+ characters, but mostly left me wanting more and longer stories instead of some of the questionable reprints that fill out the book. The Northstar coming out story from Alpha Flight #106 is a milestone, sure, but boy is it dreadfully drawn and written. The other reprints are better, but I had read most of them before, and they are from the middle or start of longer stories so they don't exactly satisfy on their own. Throw in the essays and there are enough good things to rate a thumbs up.

FOR REFERENCE:


Contents:

Introduction / Steve Orlando

Marvel's Voices Pride (2021) #1
• Introduction / Luciano Vecchio, writer, artist, colorist; Mike O'Sullivan, research
• The Vows / Allan Heinberg, writer; Jim Cheung, artist; Marcelo Maiolo, colorist
• Under the Stars / Mariko Tamaki, writer; Kris Anka, artist; Tamra Bonvillain, colorist
• Something New Everyday / Lilah Sturges, writer; Derek Charm, artist; Brittany Peer, colorist
• When a Black Cat Crosses Your Path, You Give Them the Right-of-way / Leah Williams, writer; Jan Bazaldua, artist; Erick Arciniega, colorist
• Totally Invulnerable / Crystal Frasier, writer; Jethro Morales, artist; Rachelle Rosenberg, colorist
• Colossus / Kieron Gillen, writer; Rye Hickman, artist; Brittany Peer, colorist
• Good Luck / Terry Blas, writer; Paulina Ganucheau, artist; Kendall Goode, colorist
• Early Thaw / Anthony Oliveira, writer; Javier Garron, artist; David Curiel, colorist
• The Man I Know / J.J. Kirby, writer, artist & colorist
• The Grey Ladies / Tini Howard, writer; Samantha Dodge, artist; Brittany Peer, colorist
• You Deserve / Vita Ayala, writer; Brittany L. Williams, Layouts; Joanna Estep, artist; Brittany Peer, colorist
• A Man of His Dreams / Steve Orlando, writer; Claudia Aguirre, artist, colorist; Luciano Vecchio, Somnus Character Design
• Love Is Love / Jacopo Camagni, writer, artist, colorist
• An Interview With Former Associate Editor Chris Cooper / Angélique Roché
• Big Gay Moments

Alpha Flight #106
• Excerpt From Alpha Flight #106 / Scott Lobdell, writer; Mark Pacella, Penciller; Dan Panosian, Inker; Bob Sharen, colorist; Janice Chiang, letterer

Marvel's Voices #1
• Assemble / Luciano Vecchio, writer, artist, colorist; VC's Travis Lanham, letterer

Incredible Hulk (1968) #420
• Lest Darkness Come / Peter David, writers; Gary Frank, Penciler; Cam Smith, Inker; Glynis Oliver, colorist; Joe Rosen, letterer
• Green Mail / Michael Kraiger, Nicholas J. Vance, Barbara Slate, Fred Burke, Jeph Loeb, Joe Rubinstein, Mindy Newell, Chris Cooper, Gary Guzzo, Don H. DeBrandt, Tom A. Tenney, Kelly Corvese, writers

Astonishing X-Men (2004) #51
• [Untitled] / Marjorie Liu, writer; Mike Perkins, Penciler; Mike Perkins, Andrew Hennessy, Inkers; Andy Troy, Jim Charalampidis, Rachelle Rosenberg, colorist; VC's Joe Caramagna, Cory Petit, Clayton Cowles, letterer

King in Black: Wiccan and Hulkling
• In the Name of the Honeymoon / Tini Howard, writer; Luciano Vecchio, artist; Espen Grundetjerm, colorist; VC's Ariana Maher, letterer

America Chavez: Made in the USA #1
• Made in the U.S.A., Part 1 / Kalinda Vazquez, writer; Carlos Gomez, artist; Jesus Aburtov, colorist; VC's Travis Lanham, letterer

The United States of Captain America #1
• Excerpt featuring Aaron Fischer, the Captain America of the Railways / Josh Trujillo, writer, Jan Bazaldua, artist; Matt Milla, colorist; VC's Joe Caramagna, letterer

Marvel's Voices Essays
• Marvel's Voices: Essay / Chris Cooper, writer
• Marvel's Voices: Essay / Terry Blas, writer
• Even an Android Can Cry: Essay / Jasmine Estrada, writer
• Finding Ourselves in the Subtext: Essay / Conner Goldsmith, writer
• Afterword: Ever Forward / Danny Lore, writer

Covers, Variant Covers, and Cover Gallery / Olivier Coipel, Luciano Vecchio, Mark Pacella, Gary Frank, Dustin Weaver & Rachelle Rosenberg, Jim Cheung & Alejandro Sanchez Rodriguez, Sara Pichelli & Tamra Bonvillain, Alex Ross, Paulina Ganucheau, Kris Anka, Russell Dauterman & Matthew Wilson, Enanda Souza, Jeffrey Veregge, Phil Jimenez & Marte Gracia, Phil Jimenez & Federico Blee, artists… (meer)