Posted in: Comics | Tagged: bitch planet, Comics, entertainment, image comics, kelly sue deconnick, Taki Soma

Bitch Planet #6 Standalone Special Issue Comes With A Content Warning

Published Wed, 09 Dec 2015 14:00:20 -0600

Image Comics, Bitch Planet was definitely my most memorable read of 2015. I stand by my stance of it being one of the most important comics to come along in quite some time. The sixth issue is going to be a standalone special, with writer Kelly Sue DeConnick (Pretty Deadly, Captain Marvel) being joined by special guest artist Taki Soma (Sinergy, Rapture). In Bitch Planet #6, Meiko Maki's past is uncovered: how she went from promising engineer to killer—and the ace up her sleeve.

For those of you who need a bit of a refresher, here's what happened previously:

A new crop of non-compliants settled in for their stay on the Auxiliary Compliance Outpost. When a small group was offered a chance to earn their freedom, they took it, knowing the odds would be stacked against them at every turn.

Writer DeConnick spoke about the standalone issue to warn readers of the content:

"After lengthy discussions between ourselves, we've decided to run this issue with the following content advisory: 'The following is a flashback issue, covering the events that lead to Meiko Maki's incarceration. It contains plot elements and images relating to sexual assault. The creators encourage you to evaluate your comfort level before deciding to proceed. Bitch Planet's main narrative will resume next month with Issue 7. The series recap therein will not recount the assault.' It's similar to the tack we've taken with racial epithets—these things have to exist in the world of Bitch Planet, we have to talk about them, but we're trying to figure out a way to do it that isn't exploitative, that doesn't contribute to trauma."

I always appreciated the honesty of Bitch Planet, no matter how hard it was to read/look at. I look forward to the standalone issue, and the continuation of the excellent series. It should be interesting to see Soma's art in this world. I enjoyed her work on Sinergy. Bitch Planet #6 (Diamond Code: NOV150504) hits stores Wednesday, January 6th. Final order cutoff deadline for retailers is Monday, December 14th.