A Dastardly Tale
“Henchgirl” is a refreshing and cute story written and drawn by Kristen Gudsnuk. The main character Henchgirl, or Mary to her friends, is in the thick of a life of crime. She works for a baddie, Monsieur Butterfly, and is sent on missions to rob banks and pull heists. Her success never seems to fulfill his expectations of her. Mary struggles not being good enough and eventually this leads to her betrayal. She teams up with a good guy who has some strange powers, basically he can leave his body but when he does it turns almost cocoon like. Mary begins to gain a conscious about the bad things she did in the past. Mary starts to notice that a life of crime isn’t what she wants and starts applying for real jobs!
Everything changes when Mary’s betrayal is discovered by Monsieur Butterfly. His second in command kidnaps Mary and takes her to an evil doctor where she is injected with evil serum! “Henchgirl” goes on a rampage and eventually moves her way up the ranks to become Monsieur Butterfly’s right hand gal, she even wins “Employee of the Week”! Along the way she is forced to fight her friends, family (oh, did I mention her parents are superheroes?!), and a crazy Sailor Moon inspired princess warrior.
Courtesy of Dark Horse Comics
Something a Little Different
“Henchgirl”’s story is fun and new. Taking the perspective of a lackey instead of the main superhero/villain isn’t something I see very often in comics. Gudsnuk’s writing is witty and I really became attached to Mary and her plight. The humor in this book is top notch, I found myself laughing out loud on the airplane while I was reading it, and I probably got a few weird looks. Gudsnuk’s art is simple, yet fits the story very well. It gives it this innocent feeling that evokes a sense of child-like wonder while looking at the page.
I really enjoy Mary as a character. She’s relatable because she’s is neither good nor bad, and when she’s going through her problems you feel as if she’s a real person trying to make a decision, and not some perfect example of a human being.”Henchgirl” is also a good comic to put into the hands of someone who has never read one before too. I say this because it isn’t your run-of-the-mill superhero story and Mary is an endearing enough character that can draw anyone in. All in all, I would definitely recommend “Henchgirl” to anyone and everyone.
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