If you dream of reading a violent and exciting sci-fi adventure populated by scantily clad women… look no further.
American artist Frank Cho is mostly recognized for his work illustrating comics over the last 30 years or so, with many projects for Marvel Comics and other publishers. Even though he has written some comics over the years—and some of them were good—nothing could have prepared me for how interesting and fun his miniseries Fight Girls, released as a collected edition in 2022, is.
In the story, the Queen of the Galaxy abdicates her crown, leaving a void in the empire. So, as per tradition, a group of ten women, each from a different colony, are chosen to participate in a very dangerous contest in which the winner (and survivor) will become the new Queen and the new wife of King Rufus. This being a Frank Cho comic, it goes without saying that all the contestants wear the smallest clothes possible.
The competition unfolds across many different worlds: one is a vast jungle, another a sprawling desert, and another entirely covered in water. Cho tells his story with clear cinematic influences—there’s a bit of Jurassic Park here, some Dune there, a touch of Jaws on one side, and a little Tremors in between. All of this is depicted in Cho’s brilliant style, with impressive visuals that make the reader linger on each page to fully appreciate the artwork, with colour by Sabine Rich.
Much of this is to be expected in a Frank Cho comic, of course. But fortunately, there is more. One of the contestants doesn’t seem to be who she claims to be, and an imperial investigation into her identity adds an extra layer of intrigue to the story. While the women fight for survival across distant worlds—being hunted by monsters and trying to eliminate the competition—a mystery unfolds that keeps the reader engaged until the final chapter.
Cho delivers an amazing and memorable comic that sets out purely to entertain. The plot is full of surprises, shocking moments, and twists that few will see coming. It doesn’t matter that we learn very little about this universe (what empire is this? how many colonies does it have?) or about the main characters, who are not deeply developed. This isn’t that kind of book—it’s the kind that simply wants you to have a great time without overthinking the proceedings. And in that regard, it succeeds brilliantly and earns its own crown.
Fight Girls (2022, AWA)
By Frank Cho
144 páginas
Nota: 9 nerds (de 10) 😎😎😎😎😎😎😎😎😎
