MOON GIRL AND DEVIL DINOSAUR #3
Written by Brandon Montclare & Amy Reeder
Art by Natacha Bustos & Tamra Bonvillain
Published by Marvel Comics
Release Date: January 27, 2016
Devil Dino-slide to the rescue!
Lunella’s immediate threat may be quelled, but she has to deal with the fallout of being seen with Devil Dinosaur. The world around her is still trying to get her to adjust to their whims, and Lunella is dead set on finding her own solution to her problems. In a moment of crisis, she and Devil Dinosaur get to shine until a new and familiar face appears to shake things up.
Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur #3 has some truly wonderful moments. What struck me most were the first few pages, which became less heavy with dialogue and more involved with Lunella’s introspection. Slowly but surely, she has revealed more of her situation, which her parents agree may be dire. She is trying to find something that can help herself, and after losing her biggest lead, Lunella is justifiably upset. There were some moments that brought up questions for me that I thought were answered, so I’m interested to see where the series goes in creating a sense of resolution for our main character.
Lunella had some great development in this issue, courtesy of our writing team. Brandon Montclare and Amy Reeder highlight some important challenges for gifted children, especially those who are Black, and they come to the forefront for Lunella. There’s been some allusion and playground fare, but in this chapter Lunella comes face-to-face with the reality that she doesn’t fit in her current world, and definitely by no fault of her own. I like that Montclare and Reeder have been able to convey the struggles children go through when they aren’t like their classmates, an important feature for this series.
Natacha Bustos’ lines are somewhat realistic while depicting the animation and excitement of Lunella’s New York. Bustos’ work seems to convey much more emotion and expression than in previous issues, which helps to enhance the overall story. I like that there’s a wide range of feelings, from surprise to frustration to fear, that shine through each line and panel. Tamra Bonvillain’s colors are lighthearted but dynamic. They are very clean and segmented, drawing attention to every action and infusing life into Bustos’ work. This reduced range of hues serves to bring out the details of the images of the series, and Bonvillain makes use of less to create some striking images.
Yet again, Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur exemplifies adventure and curiosity through the eyes of a young Black girl. So many scenes resonated with me and remind me of the importance of giving young Black kids and other children of color a chance to see themselves excel at science and within the struggle of finding acceptance from your peers. This issue is highly recommended and I am definitely considering it for my upcoming therapy group using comics.
The Verdict: 9.0/10
