M.O.M Mother of Madness

Game of Thrones actor Clarke teams up with writer Bennett (Bombshells) and artist Leiz (The Last Book You'll Ever Read) for an ambitious, self-aware feminist superhero tale. Maya, a single mom with a career in chemical engineering supplemented by part-time sex work, balances a superhuman secret on top of her busy schedule. Due to a childhood chemical accident, her emotions and hormones trigger an assortment of powers. Anger gives her superstrength, happiness makes her stretch, her laughter is a sonic blast, and all her powers are heightened during her menstrual period. With the help of her supportive found family, Maya becomes M.O.M., a superhero in a funky, non-sexualized costume, and sets out to stop an evil CEO. Between villain bashings, Maya opines on social justice and affirms that she's "more than a body, or a brain, or the chemicals in my blood." Leiz's bright, dynamic art buoys this snarky but sincere effort, though the script suffers from trying to do too much in a limited space; in a thin volume, Maya and her team slog through battles great and small while tossing big ideas around, leaving little space for the story and characters to breathe. But it's a fun, flashy introduction to a superhero who will appeal to readers who enjoy a mix of politics and punching. (Dec.)