By Jacob Cordas — The first volume of The Goddamned was a fun reimagining of the story of Cain. Jason Aaron is the best fantasy writer in comic books today* and even when he is just having a good time, I am there for it. Add in some truly excellent art work by R. M. Guéra and some even better coloring by Giulia Brusco, and you have me sold. My one complaint was that the first The Goddamned comic suffered from a bad case of Boring Fantasy Protagonist, but the world that surrounded Cain was so interesting I didn’t care. I just threw on some Igorrr and jammed with every issue. 

In The Goddamned: The Virgin Brides, they remove Cain as the center of the comic, and it is so much better for it. The new leads, Sharri and Jael, are significantly more engaging to read. Instead of providing us insight into their thoughts, Aaron makes the excellent choice to let them express themselves through their conversation. And he excels at fantasy conversation. I loved their conversations and can’t wait to see what happens next to them. 

I especially adored the focus on menstruation. By focusing on the sexual development of the young women and the way their damned society stigmatizes it, the characters’ development is directly linked into their sexual revolt against the patriarchal system that the toxic Christianity forces them to exist in. It reframes their bodies' natural cycle as a revolutionary act. As it forces them to escape this toxicity, it creates an engaging endurance narrative against an uncaring god that only wants their bodies as tools for His own self gain. 

R. M. Guéra has never been better here. He brings a layer of filth to every page. The world is grimy and violent. It is ugly and unforgiving. And the art never lets you forget it. But where the world could get a little one note in the main series, The Virgin Brides’ focus on children allows a wholesomeness to creep in. It makes the ugliness hit harder. The savagery is just that much more savage. It’s excellent work all around and Giulia Brusco brings all of his work to life with such perfection. Her work accentuates every choice R. M. Guéra makes, bringing the world to life in all its imperfections and profanities.  

If you haven’t read the previous volume, don’t worry. You can jump on here and I highly recommend you do so. Any trip with a team this good is work taking. I can’t wait to see what happens to Sharri and Jael. 

Overall: The Goddamned: The Virgin Brides #1 is an ever better trip into this world than the original series. A filthy, profane fantasy adventure that you should check out. 9/10

*I do not know a better fantasy arc in all of comics than Aaron’s excellent arc on Thor, The Godkiller. While I had read a little fantasy growing up, mostly urban fantasy, that was the story that got me to appreciate fantasy in a way I never had before. 

The Goddamned: The Virgin Brides #1
Writer: Jason Aaron
Artist: R. M. Guéra
Colorist: Giulia Brusco
Publisher: Image
Price: $3.99
Writer JASON AARON and artist R.M. GUÉRA return to the stark and brutal world of THE GODDAMNED for the long-awaited second chapter of their biblical-noir epic.Genesis 6:4. “…the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men. And they bore children to them…”In the time before the Great Flood, the world of man is a place of wanton violence and unbridled depravity. But hidden high atop a mountain, there is a very different sort of world. One without men. Here, the holy sisters at a secret nunnery live in paradise, a new Eden, rearing their flock of orphaned girls to embrace their future as blessed Brides of the Sons of God. But when Sharri and Jael, two girls on the cusp of flowering, uncover what it truly means to become a Bride, they realize there’s only one way to escape the bonds of matrimony: run like hell.
Release Date: July 1, 2020

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My name is Jacob Cordas (@Jacweasel) and I am not qualified to write this.