Victorian Vixens? Yes, please.
Creative Staff:
Story: Marguerite Bennett
Art: Ariela Kristantina
Colors: Bryan Valenza
What They Say:
At the dusk of a century, a pair of vengeful Victorian vixens discover a horrifying power that transforms them into rich and strange new creatures. Armed with their dark, evolving forms, they descend into a world of the cultured and occult, with new senses and new sensuality, to forge a life for themselves and the child of their love.
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers):
With AfterShock Comics now getting their books out digitally, making them accessible to me as I don’t do print anymore, the first book I wanted to get my hands on was Insexts. I’ve avoided reading anything about it since its debut but have craved it as I thoroughly love what Bennett has been doing on DC Comics Bombshells and my recent exposure to Kristantina on Dark Horse’s Rebels series made me want to see a lot more of her work, especially something creator driven like this. As an opening installment of a gothic-like horror series, it definitely delivers in a big way, though it’s tantalizing and teasing with certain elements that keep you from really knowing everything. There’s more than enough mystery in the air.
The book takes place in 1894 in London where we’re introduced to Lady Bertram, a young woman who ended up married to her husband only because he wanted her dowry. He’s a cruel man who spends his time with the household staff and most everyone else but her. He’s been cruel enough recently that he did something to the husband of one of the maids in the household, Mariah, who tends to Lady Bertram in a very faithful way. While she wants to send Mariah off to her sister in America to protect her from her husband, Mariah is intent on freeing Lady Bertram and doing something far different. Is it what she’s really after or is there a larger and bigger game afoot here? We don’t know at the moment, though we do know that Mariah is willing to go the distance no matter what as she beds Lady Bertram and implants… something in her.
It’s that something that she later implants in her husband, causing a new kind of family to explode forth. This new and unusual family is setting itself up for something surreal within this time period and we get a healthy dose of it here in seeing how Mariah talks about the origins of what she got and that they have so much to do, once they cover for Lady Bertram’s sudden birth. It’s very loose and superficial in terms of story at the moment as the real focus is on bringing out the characters so we can get a sense of their personality, the situation, and the social structural issues of the time for women. It’s certainly familiar enough, but it’s so well executed and with a kind of raw passion about it that it grips you even as you see the dark times ahead.
Bennett’s script is certainly solid, though I’m frustrated by the lack of a first name for Lady Bertram, but it’s Ariela Kristantina’s artwork that takes it to a whole other level. With a strong sexual encounter coming after some very restrained and proper Victorian moments and a wonderful sense of design for the time period in its interior locations, there’s a whole lot to love with the look of the book – especially with the spot on coloring style that Valenza brings to the table. There’s such a raw and rough nature about it but also a surprising amount of smooth beauty that I’m captivated by the look of it. Kristantina got my attention before this book but now she commands it.
In Summary:
I have no idea where this is truly going to go nor how long it’s going to run but damn it has its hooks into me with this first issue. There’s a sense that the creative side is totally in sync here to bring out something that’s distinctive and intriguing while being sensual and disturbing in very different ways. We get glimpses of the characters but no true understanding of who they are yet, but we want to know. It’s sharply written, beautifully illustrated, and wonderfully colored as it’s brought to life. Insexts was my primary desire from Aftershock when they announced titles for their launch lineup and the opening issue has paid out in spades.
Grade: A-
Age Rating: 17+
Released By: AfterShock Comics via ComiXology
Release Date: December 9th, 2015
MSRP: $3.99
