Jem: The Misfits #1 Review

Jem: The Misfits #1

Writer: Kelly Thompson
Artist: Jenn St-Onge
Colorist: M. Victoria Robado
Letterer: Shawn Lee
Publisher: IDW Publishing

A review by Heather Fischer

Let me begin by saying I loved the first run of the new Jem comics. Adored them, even. As someone that never got into the cartoon series apart from being drawn into the catchy theme song, I was fully expecting to read a few issues and never pick it up again. So when I was given the opportunity to read a title dedicated to The Misfits, Jem and the Holograms rival band, I was all for it! Now let me preface what follows by saying what we got in Jem: The Misfits #1 was not at all what I was expecting.  

With The Misfits dealing with the fallout of publicly making Jem and the Holograms their rival, Pizzazz and the rest of the gang (whose names are annoyingly repeated over and over and over to the point of nauseam) are enjoying a bit of a forced break while their manager Eric struggles to get them re-signed to a label. It seems that no one wants to deal with the rambunctious girl group with a propensity for havoc, even if they are the “greatest band in the world.”

The most rewarding part of this issue were the backstories that the reader was treated to of Pizzazz recruiting (or was it poaching since most of the girls were already involved in other projects) the members of The Misfits as we know them today. After the pages of flashbacks, Eric presents the melancholy Pizzazz with a solution: a reality show. Can you hear the collective groan? True, it is the perfect vehicle to let The Misfits enjoy their own spotlight outside of Jem’s enormous popularity but it just seems the girls know telling their rivals to get “outta my way” deserve better.  

Another redeeming aspect of Jem: The Misfits #1 is the art. Although the shapes are simple and the linework is clean, you cannot help but be drawn in by the pop of color on every page that keeps the comic true to its 1980s origin. St-Onge’s art and Robado’s colors are reminiscent of the Tarr/Stewart/Fletcher Batgirl run, particularly some of the panels during the flashback scenes. This digital style of art has become one of my favorites, and as a modern comic reader, I much prefer it to retro intricate line work (please don’t hang me for that).

The Verdict
Wait and See. As one that loved IDW’s run of Jem and the Holograms, I still have hope that Jem: The Misfits will not lead the readers down the rabbit hole of played out themes and outdated mediums. Reality shows are like, so, 2006 and I am not looking to relive that particular facet of my senior year of high school. Give me the sugary innocence of Jem with the punchy commentary from Pizzazz and the rest of the gals, but please don’t make me suffer through a run of watching Pizzazz, Roxy, and Jetta argue while Blaze struggles to find her place as a competing vocalist and Stormer pines over Kimber (which I totally love, don’t get me wrong).

I sincerely hope I did not just outline the remaining issues in one educated guess. I remain optimistic and await the coming issues where The Misfits return to “makin’ mischief.” 

If you are looking to catch up on the previous Jem comics or are looking for a quicky review, check out the article Jem and the Holograms Vol. 3 Dark Jem.