The Unstoppable Wasp #2 Review

The Unstoppable Wasp #2
Writer: Jeremy Whitley
Artist: Elsa Charretier
Colourist: Megan Wilson
Letterer: VC’s Joe Caramgna
Cover: Elsa Charretier and Nicolas Bannister
Publisher: Marvel Comics

A review by Stephanie Pouliotte

Nadia begins her ambitious mission to gather the best and brightest girls of the Marvel Universe in The Unstoppable Wasp #2! Jarvis arrives to bring Nadia to see a lawyer about her American citizenship, but our girl genius has her sights set on more important matters. She convinces him to delay the meeting so she can start recruiting the top names on her list for the G.I.R.L initiative. Though her first pitch goes smoothly, things get complicated when Nadia and her most promising recruit are attacked by a giant rodent.

In The Unstoppable Wasp #2, the series continues to embody a refreshingly optimistic spirit that channels the charm and humour of shows like The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. Nadia really has a passion for science. I loved learning about some of her homemade gadgets, and she shows young readers that there’s something wonderfully special about being a huge nerd. Her neat science facts are both insightful and comedic, playfully encouraging you to critically engage with the story.

This issue introduces two of the characters revealed by Jeremy Whitley earlier this year, Taina & Alexis Miranda. Taina, who’s of Puerto Rican descent, is a genius engineer and inventor who has multiple sclerosis. Whitley understands the importance of diversity and inclusivity in a title about broadening the horizon of female empowerment. Having a character with a visible disability in a superhero title that isn’t portrayed as incapacitated or weakened is a huge step for equal representation, which is about so much more than just writing an all-female cast. Taina is far from helpless and in Nadia’s eyes her brilliant knack for inventing is just as fierce and impressive as her sister’s athletic skills, if not more so. I think it was a powerful choice to have Taina be Nadia’s first stop, as it subtlety reinforces the idea that having a visible disability does not diminish your importance or your worth, nor does it signal that you are any less than your best self.

As the cover hints, this issue also features Lunella Lafayette, The Miraculous Moon Girl, who appears to be the centerpiece of Nadia’s sales pitch… though she has yet to actually recruit her. She’s getting to it though. I really hope Lunella joins the G.I.R.L initiative, as her feisty and confident personality is precisely what the team needs, and her scenes were certainly the highlight of the issue.

The Verdict
Buy It! For those who need help getting through these trying and divisive times, The Unstoppable Wasp #2 is a much-needed dose of openhearted courage and unabashed optimism. I’m also absolutely in love with Elsa Charretier’s artwork and Megan Wilson’s colours, which seem to evoke a modern take on Silver Age style and aesthetics.