I may have been getting a bit too serious with my reading material, so I decided to get something fun from the library.
Jessica Jones Vol. 1: Uncaged!
I am not a fan of the superhero(ine) universe, but Jessica Jones is possibly the only superhuman I feel some affection for. I think this is because I watched the show on Netflix, and I enjoyed it more than I imagined I would.
In Uncaged, Jessica Jones is released from prison, and immediately starts working on a case. She is a private detective, the only employee of Alias Investigations. She has the usual duties: destroying evil, sacrificing her family life for the greater good, being a smart ass and a bad ass. Jessica Jones isn’t your average female lead who smiles often and is in constant need of help. She is cynical, abrasive and she truly doesn’t care what others think of her.
I would like add at this point that I am in no way what they call a Comic Book Nerd, I am not following anyone’s history, I haven’t been waiting for a decade for this issue to be out, and I certainly am not invested in anyone’s future.
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(H)afrocentric Comics: Volumes 1-4
(H)afrocentric is a stunning graphic novel that deals with racism, gentrification, and popular culture in contemporary America. It is written from the perspective of people of colour. At the centre of this story is Naima, a student at Ronald Reagan University. She is mixed-race, but identifies more with her black heritage. She is a fiery young woman; she looks up to revolutionaries and is always trying to organize her community to demand change.
The most enjoyable part for me was when Naima attempts to find an internship, one that would be perfect for a rebel like her. A fairy godmother appears then, and gives her a job as a Racial Interpreter. Her responsibility is to answer white people’s questions about black people. Naima finds that her callers’ ignorance and unwillingness to engage drives her crazy.
From the synopsis: “…The motley crew is poised to fight back against expensive avocado toast, muted Prius cars, exorbitant rent, and cultural appropriation.” Recently, I watched the television show Insecure, and I think this graphic novel could be a wonderful companion piece. Both help us understand current issues from points of view that are not seen frequently enough.
The first time I considered the word Gentrification, it was because I could not understand some of the humour in Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. I was naive enough to think of it as an American concept, this is an error of course. I can think of situations specific to the Indian context as well: the eviction of original inhabitants of an area for purposes of redevelopment, rising rent, or the poor maintenance of rent controlled housing, surging land prices, the spread of middle class mores. As a city expands, we witness the socio-cultural change that accompanies this transformation.
This is it for now. I have some interesting books lined up, so I should warn you that you might be reading more of these recaps.
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