REVIEW: ‘Female Furies,’ Issue #1

Female Furies #1 is published by DC Comics, written by Cecil Castellucci, with art by Adriana Melo, colors by Hi-Fi, and letters by Carlos M. Mangual. If you don’t know, the Furies are an elite group of warrior women that act as Apokolips’ strike force. The Female Furies are trained by Granny Goodness and a part of the new New Gods that are loyal to Darkseid. While the Female Furies are hardly new, as they first appeared in Mister Miracle #6 in 1972 as part of the mythology created by Jack Kirby,  the Furies have never helmed their own book. Well, until now.

Female Furies #1 walks you through a lot of this history helping to settle new readers into the bizarre but hostile climate that is Apokolips. Despite a new threat on the horizon and the forever people closing in, Darkseid and his closest advisors refuse to send the Furies to the frontlines with the rest of their forces.

This issue is uncomfortable. I understand Darkseid is a mighty evil and having read Mister Miracle I am well aware of the disgusting torture the people and warriors of Apokolips endure. What I was not prepared for was seeing Darkseid threaten a younger Granny Goodness into sleeping with him, shaming her in the following meeting, and then dooming her to a position that she is significantly overqualified for.

Watching Darkseid gaslight Granny only for her to continue that toxic behavior in the training of her elite taskforce is disturbing. Granny’s entire existence becomes less about worshipping and following with undying loyalty to Darkseid and instead about proving her worth to him. It feels like the relationship between Bellatrix and Voldemort without the subtlety.

Despite my serious issues with the story, Melo’s art on this book is well done. The book cleverly switches between the past and the present in Granny’s point of view with the differing art style and coloring giving readers a visual clue as to where the story is taking place at that moment. Additionally, Hi-Fi’s colors are brilliant and effortless create the distinct looks of Kirby’s original work in the flashbacks.

I have no doubt this story is headed for a redemption arc with these fierce ladies storming either Darkseid or his battlefield for the glory of Apokolips’ women but it is very predictable and unsettling. Within the book, the Furies are subject to a beauty pageant for lack of a better word and also sexually harassed and objectified.

Overall, Female Furies #1 is what would happen if a poorly written Mad Men took place on Apokolips. If you want to see a strong woman in action from the Furies, read Tom King’s Mister Miracle instead.

Female Furies #1 is available now at comic book stores everywhere.