Jem And The Misfits #1 Review: Pizzazz Upstages The Holograms
By Alex Widen
Get a double dose of Jem this week! Pizzazz and the Misfits have their own spin off now! See how the rocky band rolls. Meanwhile, the Holograms get involved in a messy party!
Jem And The Misfits #1
Writer: Kelly Thompson
Artist: Jenn St-Onge
Colorist: M. Victoria Robado
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.According to the theme song from the Jem and the Holograms cartoon, the Misfits’ “songs are better.” That may be up for debate, but there’s no denying the appeal of Pizzazz and her less than merry band. Often geared as the primary antagonist of Jem and her sisters, Kelly Thompson has worked mightily to make Pizzazz more rounded. That, along with the fact that the Holograms’ book now has a regular cast of over 16 characters, justifies this worthy spin off from IDW.
Image by IDW Publishing
As established within the Jem and the Holograms comic, the Misfits were a major studio rock band before Jerrica and her sister hit the scene. Through Pizzazz’s miscalculations and arrogance, their rivals have risen to power. Now, some maneuvers aided by the Stingers band have caused the Misfits to be dropped from their record label, 5X5. So while Pizzazz and her long suffering manager Eric Raymond try to pick up the pieces, the Misfits have a rowdy volleyball game.
Image by IDW Publishing
Being the Ref Is the Hardest Job!
Pizzazz may be the force that holds the chaotic band together, but she’s also the main cause of their woes. When no other record label will take them, Eric proposes the unthinkable. Despite her temper, Pizzazz is all about the music, not fame or playing games. Therefore, an offer of a reality TV show is her ultimate nightmare. But with no other options, and a chance to snowball it into greater fortunes, there’s little choice. Is the world ready for Misfits TV? Will Jem be?
Image by IDW Publishing
Spliced into the middle of the issue is the long overdue tale of how the Misfits formed. As previous Jem issues highlighted, Pizzazz isn’t the way she is without reason. Phyllis Gabor may have been born into wealth, but had both her parents divorce and abandon her. Her father wouldn’t even visit her after she’d survived a car accident. Behind the temper and ambition is a very sad person trying to move on through sheer talent and force of personality. Pizzazz has been jaded by experience.
Image by IDW Publishing
While Pizzazz may seem to lord over the Misfits, this issue shows how she recruited them. From Stormer to Roxy to Jetta, and even Clash, she saved all of them from underwhelming or exploitative positions. Much as Phyllis was rejected by her parents, the rest of the band were rejected or underachieving elsewhere. Much like the Holograms, they’ve become a family. They may be highly dysfunctional, but aren’t most families when examined from the outside?
Image by IDW Publishing
Just Imagine a Misfits Thanksgiving!
In interviews, Thompson has often said how Pizzazz is the character who has seemed to take over even in scripts. This issue easily demonstrates that, without having to add anything extra to justify the extra page space. Thompson isn’t interested in painting the Misfits as stock villains, and readers benefit. After all, it was Pizzazz who assembled a band and drove them to thrive without the benefit of science fiction technology. Music’s a fickle industry, and only the tough thrive.
Image by IDW Publishing
In addition, the new status quo has made the Misfits into underdogs. It’s easy to root for underdogs, and the realms of music and reality TV have been mingling for a decade now. Besides, it’s an easy way to have the premise differ from that of Jem. Ideally, a spin off isn’t just a cash grab. It’s a chance to expand on some worthy characters with a premise which cannot easily be replicated in the core title. From this first issue alone, the Misfits have a lot of legs to them.
Image by IDW Publishing
M. Victoria Robado continues on colors as she does for Jem and the Holograms. The main artist is Jenn St-Onge, a longtime illustrator. Her artwork is utterly amazing, perhaps second only to Sophie Campbell on this franchise. Her pacing and expressions are vibrant, and she handles the designs for the whole cast, even years apart, magnificently. The volleyball game is fun, all of Pizzazz’s clothes rock, and all of the Misfits are in different shapes and sizes. That’s always key.
Image by IDW Publishing
And Now for Your Regularly Scheduled Issue of Jem!
Image by IDW Publishing
I also got Jem And The Holograms #22 this week. It’s written and colored by the same people, with Meredith McClaren on art. Even here, the Misfits are a key part of all of the antics within! Both the Holograms and new Euro-pop band the Stingers are performing at an elite masquerade ball arranged by 5X5. Pizzazz is determined to humiliate the Holograms by getting Dehlia Shen (Fox) to infiltrate the band as their new drummer. Meanwhile, Jerrica’s identity crisis hits critical mass!
Image by IDW Publishing
Across the globe in Italy, Shana and Regine turn their desperation into action. Ignored as interns of Airo Zangari, the pair stage their own fashion show. Shana manages to impress Francesca Zangari enough to get a job offer once the internship ends. Already torn on whether leaving both the Holograms and her sisters, this will only exacerbate her dilemma. This is bad for the Holograms, who seem to be falling apart without Shana’s calm presence and logical insight.
Image by IDW Publishing
Identity issues have long been a part of the Jem series, and Thompson really explores that here. Jerrica has gotten too used to using Synergy’s digital illusions to get out of jams. She also has clearly been smitten with getting to date a cute band leader in Riot, who is utterly fixated on her. This leaves the more practical Rio waiting in the wings. Aja is left to pick up the pieces, insisting Jerrica regroup and pick one of them. That gets rough when the Stingers sing a song about her!
Image by IDW Publishing
Will Riot Write Another Song If He’s Dumped?
Pizzazz and the Misfits weren’t invited to the party, since their label dropped them. They’ve infiltrated the party as waitresses to plot the downfall of both bands. It isn’t enough to plant a mole within the Holograms, Pizzazz wants to see them flop personally. The Misfits prove to be the angriest waitresses ever, and seem set to have a front row seat for the Holograms’ implosion. The cliffhanger is quite good, even if Thompson has telegraphed the resolution a little too bluntly.
Image by IDW Publishing
Meredith McClaren is the biggest transition from Sophie Campbell for any artist on the series. This issue is among her best on the run, however. The lavish costumes seem to be a ball for her, pun intended. She’s a little less strong on the musical sequences, but it seems few artists can handle those with the ease that Campbell did. The undercover Misfits were delightful, and Riot often has some of the best facial expressions. The cast introduction splash pages were also killer.
Image by IDW Publishing
The Holograms vs. The Misfits. Who Wins This Week?
Comparing the two, the Misfits definitely won the battle of the bands this time. Jenn St-Onge caters more to my preferences on art than McClaren does. And while Thompson’s skill at juggling almost two dozen cast members is commendable, the energy on Misfits seemed different. Right now, the Holograms are on top and trying to stay there. Pizzazz and her band, meanwhile, are trying to reclaim what they’ve lost. The real winners are readers, who have two great books here!
Image by IDW Publishing
Next: See how Fox stirred the Pot in Jem #21!
Kelly Thompson’s run on Jem (and now Misfits) has already been transitional. While Archie Comics likely planned their reboot for a while, who knows if they’d have included Josie & The Pussycats otherwise. Anyone who dismisses either because of not liking the cartoon or being into “girly comics” is seriously missing out on some great stuff. The art is usually fantastic, and Thompson always produces amazing characterization with exciting stories. 2017 looks to be bright for both!