REVIEW: ‘Monstress,’ Issue #33

Monstress #33 is published by Image Comics, written by Marjorie Liu with art by Sana Takeda, and letters by Rus Wooton. Utilizing the necklace left to her by her mother, Maika summoned her grandmother, The Wolf Queen, to Revanna. While the aftershocks of this royal guest are felt within the city, the Federation prepares their next offensive outside its walls.

This issue opens with Colonel Anuwat and Lady Lo Lim as they prepare a superweapon to unleash against Revanna’s walls. This scene shows the stark contrast in personality between the two villains. While Anuwat is a ruthless military leader bent on destroying Archanics simply because they exist, he at least has compassion and a sense of duty, where preserving his troops’ lives is concerned. 

In contrast, Lady Lo Lim cares only about the acquisition of Maika. If she has to burn the entire world to recover her prize, she will. The stark madness in her words and obsession are brutally clear in this opening. 

Moving on from this beginning, Monstress #33 takes a momentary trip to the past as we glimpse a moment of history between Zinn and The Wolf Queen. This enlightening moment is followed up by a present-day exchange between the two. Throughout this exchange, the seething hatred between the two is palpable. Liu’s dialogue is perfectly chosen to deliver the long-held feelings with exacting potency. 

Once this exchange is broken up, Monstress #33 bounces between several different groups of characters for the middle portion of the book. Plans are hatched, threats are made, and complicated emotional states are explored. Plus, Kippa gets to be once again the unadulterated ray of sunshine she always is. Lui’s ability to manage Kippa’s place within the ongoing story continues to be superb. The character can keep the story from becoming too dark or depressing while not undermining the book’s overall tone.

The story’s key moment, though, comes from a particular interaction between Maika and her Aunt. While saying what transpires between the two would be spoiling things, I will say that Lui utilizes the moment to deepen the Warlord’s character greatly.  All this is disrupted, though when the book enters its final stretch and The Federation renews its attack on the city, despite the continued presence of the Dawn Court’s airship fleet. 

The book’s heavy emotions continue to be augmented beautifully by Takeda’s fabulous art. From the in-your-face delivery of Lady Lo Lim’s wild-eyed menace to the heart-melting kindness of Kippa, Takeda never stops bringing every moment this book delivers to vivid life through her unique and hauntingly beautiful art.

Rounding out this book’s presentation is the continuing skillful letter work of Wooton. The letters deliver the story in a clear, easy to follow manner and are always placed out of the way of the key points of the art.

As Monstress #33 comes to a close, we see The Federation’s newest weapons brought to bear on Revanna. With the book’s ending leaving the city in complete confusion and a huge confrontation about to erupt, the next issue can’t come soon enough for me. 

Monstress #33 is available now wherever comics are sold.