Maneaters, Vol. 1

Description:

Adolescent girls can be real monsters. Maude is twelve -- which is just about that age when some girls turn into flesh-eating wildcats. As her detective dad investigates a series of strange mauling attacks, Maude begins to worry that she might be the killer. From the creative team that brought you the groundbreaking Eisner-nominated series Mockingbird, this trade paperback collects the first story arc of the unconventional coming-of-age tale -- including the informative survival handbook, "CAT FIGHT! A BOYS' GUIDE TO DANGEROUS CATS" and all-new never-before-published extras! Collects MAN-EATERS #1-4

My thoughts:

In true Japanese manga style, this book is neither age appropriate to American standards nor is it really an easily marketable book. Saying that, the last Saturday in April is National Independent Bookstore day so this is a good book for my favorite neighborhood book store, Gecko Books & Comics in Kaimuki, Oahu. When my son was younger, our dream was to open up a comic and manga store in Hilo, Hawaii and this would fit right into our inventory of our overstuffed books of new and used comics and manga, comfy chairs wedged near the front window, my son's large cat wandering the aisles or sleeping amongst the stacks. 

I digress. Comics like this, at its best, are a mirror to our contemporary society so 12 year old Maude in a pussy hat puts this book in a specific time and place (Trump's America). The premise: the idea that girls who get their period sometimes transition to mauling cats during their monthly links in to the ancient traditions of many cultures worldwide that have always seen the female menstrual cycle as a time when women are dirty, evil, when women need to be isolated, and something to be ashamed of. Unfortunately, these women creators play into that but I have to see this as a way not to continue the marginalization of these young girls, but more to make a statement of empowerment. The solution that society comes up with (the blocking of nature to keep girls girls forever and thus tamping down both the murders as well as the ability to bare children) is only made ok because our heroine cannot be tamped down. 

I like that this book made me uncomfortable because being uncomfortable is a good way to face my own meaning making, cultural lens and societal lens. In short, I am not sure what reader I would give this to besides female. I can see it on our make believe shelves in our make believe store.