Review: JEM AND THE HOLOGRAMS #6

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JEM AND THE HOLOGRAMS #6
Written by Kelly Thompson
Art by Sophie Campbell and M. Victoria Robado
Published by IDW Publishing
Release Date: September 2, 2015

Ejected from the competition against the Misfits, the Holograms have a choice to make: crumble or rise to the challenge. Meanwhile, things fall apart between Kimber and Stormer, and nobody is happier about that than Pizzazz.

The first arc of the new Jem and the Holograms comic has wrapped and it’s time to take stock of what this book is doing — which is everything right. Every crazy awesome thing right.

First off, the pencils and inks from artist Sophie Campbell have produced a book that is dynamic, fresh, and energetic, without losing a sense of character or personality. All too often, sophisticated action comes at the expense of subtle facial emotion and personal drama (on heavy action pages or otherwise). Here, Campbell manages to infuse every panel with a physicality of the music that stands in for your classic punch-and-fly theatricality of the super-hero comic, and it is every bit as compelling and heart-racing.

The designs of every character, and how they evolve in new performances (as any rock star would) are simply breathtaking. It’s an aspect of the original cartoon that obviously couldn’t be taken as far as Campell and Robado can do here. Most cartoons, particularly in Jem’s era, had budgetary — and frankly, story — constraints that kept varied fashion and changing looks to a minimum.

But with issue #6, I found myself taken aback by the Holograms final costume change — hair, make-up, and absolutely cute and varied dresses — before being hit with a double whammy by the same with the Misfits. It’s one thing to see Jem in her hologram produced sparkle dress. It’s another to have cute high-waisted short-shorts on Kimber and an incredible inkblot number balanced by a rolling poodle-esque Mohawk on Shana. And then Pizzazz’s shaved head number? Squeeee.

It’s like having your favorite costumed heroes get new looks — over and over again, with each one better and more fun than the last. And what’s so incredible about it is, that it’s not all there is to the story. It’s just the beginning.

Thompson is doing so much right with this book that it’s hard to even understand how perfect a choice she was to take on this first ever revitalization of a much-loved childhood property. Yes, we can point to the diversity of character generally, but there’s two very specific things in issue #6 that are so perfect, that they need to be recognized.

One, Pizzazz’s reaction to the Holograms’ removal from the competition. I don’t think it’s a far stretch to think that the original Pizzazz of the cartoon would have taken a by-any-means-necessary approach to beating back Jem. Here, we see a woman who wants to beat them fairly, in competition, because she knows they’re the best. She knows it in her soul. And while she may not be the nicest of women, Pizzazz takes this concept of battles between women and removes the empty cattiness and replaces it with genuine drive and self-worth. This is not a fight for the sake of fighting. This is a fight for honor. ESPECIALLY in light of what Jem does at the end of the story, which frankly, was kind of assy.

Two, Thompson has centered the romantic axis of the book on one couple, and it’s not the one you’d expect. That the choice was made to feature Kimber and Stormer as the central romantic drama and not the Jerrica/Jem/Rio triangle is both affirming of lesbian relationships and a rejection of the overused trope of the love triangle (even if it only involves two actual persons). This is the tale of Romy and Juliet, and I truly truly love it.

It took a long time for Jem and the Holograms to come back into vogue, but clearly the wait was worth it. Thompson and Campbell are delivering one of the most fun and sophisticated action (and romance) titles of the year, and I could never have imagined it could be this good. Brava to all the creators, and a special shout-out to Campbell, whose reflection in the back of this issue makes the success of this title all the sweeter.

The Verdict: 10/10

 

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3 Comments

  1. Reese said:

    I agree with every point! I love the comics. They are not just like the cartoon, but not so different I don’t even recognize the brand. I wish the movie had been written by the writer of the comics.

  2. ARTASERSE said:

    Honestly, best issue so far. The run has been uneven and hit-or-miss for me, this issue was WOW
    Even when I haven’t been down for some of the art choices, this issue and specifically the pages showing JEM & The Holograms’ transformations and concert were the best so far.

  3. Theodore Turnquest said:

    I honestly liked the Jem comics, I have been reading it since the comics came out. And I really liked this issue. It has a complete homage to the original TV show and treated it with respect. The movie, em, eh, it’s just a departure from the original and I don’t think it is going to well with the direction of Hannah Montana.
    The comic series is great example of paying tribute to something that is once great and making it better. I can’t wait to see what they go for in this direction. 🙂

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