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Angela: Queen of Hel #1-7
Angela: Queen of Hel - Journey to the Funderworld
Hel hath a new fury! She was stolen from Asgard, exiled from Heven, and robbed of her greatest companion - now Angela plunges into the blackest depths to save Sera. But once there, the lost princess will claim a throne of her very own. To rescue her beloved, Angela must conquer this domain and rewrite laws as old as death!
All hail Angela, the new Queen of Hel? Not if the old Queen, Hela, has anything to say about it. When Angela and Sera come face-to-face at last, will their reunion be joyous - or tempestuous? Who else will join this rebellion in the underworld?
Collecting: Angela: Queen of Hel 1-7
All hail Angela, the new Queen of Hel? Not if the old Queen, Hela, has anything to say about it. When Angela and Sera come face-to-face at last, will their reunion be joyous - or tempestuous? Who else will join this rebellion in the underworld?
Collecting: Angela: Queen of Hel 1-7
160 pages, Paperback
First published June 7, 2016
16 people are currently reading
405 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 85 reviews
May 31, 2019
This was far better than I expected. I feel like Marvel has abandoned this character a bit after going through the effort of buying her from Neil Gaiman. The first arc has a very Greek mythology feel to it with Angela descending to Hel to do what it takes to free her love Sera. I love Sera's wise-cracking fourth-wall breaking nature. The last two issues are even more fun where they come to earth to be a happy Brooklyn family. The 7 year flash forward was so much fun. The only bad point was the villain coming out of Angela's Secret Wars mini. No one should be forced to read any of those garbage series. Kim Jacinto has something of a 90's Rob Liefeld look to his art, especially the hair. I actually quite liked it. Stephanie Hans flashback scenes looked like something out of an ancient manuscript. They're beautiful.
August 24, 2016
The first five issues are fantastic, honestly some of the best work I've seen out of Bennett. For once, her storytelling ability matched her characterization. I was a total skeptic about Angela when she first came to the Marvel Universe, and she really didn't add much as part of the Guardians of the Galaxy. But in her own series, with Sera, she became her own, unique thing. The last two issues are, comparatively, a bit weak. The pop culture references, fun at first, became too frequent, too intrusive. But I could also see that Bennett, knowing the book was about to come to an end, was just going for broke and having a great time writing the book.
May 1, 2016
A little... Orpheus and Eurydices.
With a sick NORDIC DEATH METAL SOUNDTRACK!!!
Read as individual issues.
Far better than expected.
This series went just better after losing Gillen as co-writer, a real shame it was canceled by Marvel because of the low sales.
With a sick NORDIC DEATH METAL SOUNDTRACK!!!
Read as individual issues.
Far better than expected.
This series went just better after losing Gillen as co-writer, a real shame it was canceled by Marvel because of the low sales.
November 18, 2022
So Angela’s mate, Sera, has died and gone to Hel. Angela is going to go get her. But people from Hel can’t leave. Unless of course, Angela defeats Hela and takes over Hel. Then she can make her own rules. Interesting concept that was bogged way down by the writing style. Needless to say, Maruerite Bennett is not for me.
June 25, 2016
[Read as single issues]
Angela as a character was kind of mishandled when she first arrived in the Marvel Universe at the end of Age of Ultron. She floated around with the Guardians of the Galaxy for a bit, was brought into the Thor mythos during Original Sin, but then was left to her own devices until Kieron Gillen and Marguerite Bennett got hold of her and worked their magic through a six issue ongoing series, a Secret Wars tie-in, and now (with Bennet taking the reins alone), her final series that brings her story to a close for now.
Dealing with all the unsolved plotlines from the past two series, this one sees Angela heading into Hel to rescue Sera, her lost love from Heven. Of course, it wasn't going to be easy, and she must fight the hordes of Hel, take its throne for herself, and even battle a twisted alternate reality version of herself along the way.
This is a great action comic. That'd be enough to get it a good four star rating. What really pushes it over the top is the humour, the love, the diversity, the characterization, and the top notch dialogue that Bennett infuses the pages with. She brings back characters and plots long forgotten, and weaves a narrative that has a proper beginning, middle, and end. She's a great advocate for LGBTQ characters, and this book is packed with them, and they're all written wonderfully well.
The artwork is split between Kim Jacinto, who draws the battles through Hel in the present with visceral glee, and Stephanie Hans who paints beautiful sub-stories in each issue that give us some insight into Angela's life and her and Sera's evolving relationship. The pair each take an issue at the end of the run to themselves too, which really showcase their individual talents.
Angela's story may be over for now, but this ending means it will last for a long time in my memory.
Angela as a character was kind of mishandled when she first arrived in the Marvel Universe at the end of Age of Ultron. She floated around with the Guardians of the Galaxy for a bit, was brought into the Thor mythos during Original Sin, but then was left to her own devices until Kieron Gillen and Marguerite Bennett got hold of her and worked their magic through a six issue ongoing series, a Secret Wars tie-in, and now (with Bennet taking the reins alone), her final series that brings her story to a close for now.
Dealing with all the unsolved plotlines from the past two series, this one sees Angela heading into Hel to rescue Sera, her lost love from Heven. Of course, it wasn't going to be easy, and she must fight the hordes of Hel, take its throne for herself, and even battle a twisted alternate reality version of herself along the way.
This is a great action comic. That'd be enough to get it a good four star rating. What really pushes it over the top is the humour, the love, the diversity, the characterization, and the top notch dialogue that Bennett infuses the pages with. She brings back characters and plots long forgotten, and weaves a narrative that has a proper beginning, middle, and end. She's a great advocate for LGBTQ characters, and this book is packed with them, and they're all written wonderfully well.
The artwork is split between Kim Jacinto, who draws the battles through Hel in the present with visceral glee, and Stephanie Hans who paints beautiful sub-stories in each issue that give us some insight into Angela's life and her and Sera's evolving relationship. The pair each take an issue at the end of the run to themselves too, which really showcase their individual talents.
Angela's story may be over for now, but this ending means it will last for a long time in my memory.
August 16, 2016
Witty banter + hilarious pop-culture references + really good art...
Kinda makes me feel like...
Kinda makes me feel like...
September 22, 2020
*update* I’ve interviewed artist Stephanie Hans! The interview can be viewed here: https://youtu.be/h7hj1n6Er8Y
Weird, beautiful, fun and exciting... did I mention weird?
The first five issues are an epic Eurydice type tale. The respect for mythology and greek tragedy is palpable... which results in a really gorgeous dark odyssey into Hel.
The last two issues... it just goes off the rails into a maelstrom of fourth wall breaches, meta jokes and pop cultural references. The surprising thing? It’s not bad. At least not at first (it does get a little overwhelming and could be responsible for the 4 stars vs 5) For a while though, it’s actually kind of funny and cool. I could sort of tell that Marguerite Bennet was like “oh, this is ending? Fine. Fuck it. I’m gonna do whatever I want then.” It was irreverent and fun to experience.
The art and coloring kicks ass. Jacinto, Silva and Hans bring a lot of raw beauty and powerful imagery to these pages. I know it’s good art when I dwell... and dwell I did.
This beats the shit out of the messy and hard to read “Asgard’s Assassin.” I recommend this to people who want “different” and “unique.”
Enjoy!
Weird, beautiful, fun and exciting... did I mention weird?
The first five issues are an epic Eurydice type tale. The respect for mythology and greek tragedy is palpable... which results in a really gorgeous dark odyssey into Hel.
The last two issues... it just goes off the rails into a maelstrom of fourth wall breaches, meta jokes and pop cultural references. The surprising thing? It’s not bad. At least not at first (it does get a little overwhelming and could be responsible for the 4 stars vs 5) For a while though, it’s actually kind of funny and cool. I could sort of tell that Marguerite Bennet was like “oh, this is ending? Fine. Fuck it. I’m gonna do whatever I want then.” It was irreverent and fun to experience.
The art and coloring kicks ass. Jacinto, Silva and Hans bring a lot of raw beauty and powerful imagery to these pages. I know it’s good art when I dwell... and dwell I did.
This beats the shit out of the messy and hard to read “Asgard’s Assassin.” I recommend this to people who want “different” and “unique.”
Enjoy!
February 26, 2017
Hella good.
August 25, 2020
I chanced upon this series in the most basic of spaces - a listicle. I went onto read Angela’s origin story and (admittedly badass) battles very grumpily, because none of them gave me the amazing queer content the listicle promised. But this one did. And how. In addition to the trademark art, the hilarious direct addresses to the reader and the amazing lead pair chemistry, it had multiple interesting plot lines, a cool dog (esque creature?) and so much cheesy romance. This is a sexualisation of marvel women that I can actually get behind!
March 12, 2021
Once again: the best comics are gay Orpheus and Eurydice retellings with happy endings and that's the TRUTH.
November 14, 2023
I enjoyed this, even though I didn't 100% understand what was going on most of the time.
April 10, 2017
I knew this would be too awesome to live because a deal's a deal, and nothing's for nothing. Hopefully, Angela, Sera, and Leah (and Thori) will continue their Nordic Shakespearean punk rock meta adventures in the future. I'd even be willing to strike a deal.
February 27, 2022
Pretty good, with the fantastic art and the awesome jokes (sometimes meta) making me give it an extra half star. 4.5/5
February 19, 2017
SOOOOOO, I heard a lot about this comic and how wonderful it is and I outright bought it because of the whole "give me space lesbians or give me death" tweet will not leave me and lemme tell you...
IT WAS FREAKING EPIC I LOVED EVERY PAGE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE SOMEONE STOP ME FROM BUYING EVERYTHING BENNETT HAS EVER WRITTEN ABOUT THESE TWO oooooooHHHHHH MMMMyyyy gOOOOOOOODDDDDDD
*ahem*
Angela: Queen of Hel is blatantly out of order in Angela and Sera's story together, so I had some catching up to do. Luckily, Sera & Angela's penchant for cuddling mid-battle gave me some space to breathe and unboggle the massive amount of world-building I missed. The diverse cast was indeed a #squadgoals moment all around, and, while Sera is a bit damselled by the whole premise, she kicks enough butt and is in enough control later to forgive it. Plus, the happy ending. How can I say no to that?
The art was action packed with gorgeous (kissing) shots interspersed. While it's a similar style of more testosterone-fueled stories, instead the high action was focused on how it helped Sera & Angela's relationship and personal goals. There's no random rocket gorillas here, and I'm grateful. The motif of queens and kingdom is much better than that.
Overall, beautiful art and beautiful story of revenge, redemption, freedom, forgiveness, and love. Space lesbian murderfloof, guys. It's space lesbian murderfloof.
IT WAS FREAKING EPIC I LOVED EVERY PAGE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE SOMEONE STOP ME FROM BUYING EVERYTHING BENNETT HAS EVER WRITTEN ABOUT THESE TWO oooooooHHHHHH MMMMyyyy gOOOOOOOODDDDDDD
*ahem*
Angela: Queen of Hel is blatantly out of order in Angela and Sera's story together, so I had some catching up to do. Luckily, Sera & Angela's penchant for cuddling mid-battle gave me some space to breathe and unboggle the massive amount of world-building I missed. The diverse cast was indeed a #squadgoals moment all around, and, while Sera is a bit damselled by the whole premise, she kicks enough butt and is in enough control later to forgive it. Plus, the happy ending. How can I say no to that?
The art was action packed with gorgeous (kissing) shots interspersed. While it's a similar style of more testosterone-fueled stories, instead the high action was focused on how it helped Sera & Angela's relationship and personal goals. There's no random rocket gorillas here, and I'm grateful. The motif of queens and kingdom is much better than that.
Overall, beautiful art and beautiful story of revenge, redemption, freedom, forgiveness, and love. Space lesbian murderfloof, guys. It's space lesbian murderfloof.
April 5, 2020
Queen of Hel was a decent, if not scattered read. The story picks up where Angela: Asgard’s Assassin left off; with Angela headed to Hel to free Sera. The story chronicles Angela’s ascent to the crown and the trials and tribulations that brings. The story is solid enough but does sort of loose some muster as it heads to the end. The art again is excellent with Stephanie Hans providing some truly beautiful cover art and interior pages. However I found that tonally the way certain characters were written, notably Sera was off. Initially the story is quite serious tonally with Angela being desperate to fulfil her quest. But as the story went on there was random fourth wall breaking that was quite jarring, moreso since this hadn’t been done this overt before now. I found it distracting and sort of broke the story for me. Overall it’s a good read, an excellent outing for LGBT+ characters that didn’t devolve in to unnecessary tragedy.
August 21, 2016
Angela and Sera are wonderful characters, well-depicted here, and they're just strengthened when they're joined by Leah — though the question of which Leah is quite confusing since there's all kinds of foolishness about Secret Wars: Siege.
Sadly, the plot doesn't hold up to the characters that Bennett inherited. Even with wacky storytelling, it feels like Bennett is punching above her weight class. Certainly, there are lots of nice references to all kinds of recent Angela, Loki, and Thor titles, but the result is just a bit dull. Too much eternal fighting and eternal questing sadly makes Angela a dull girl.
(The fact that the finale of the series then depends on yet another Secret Wars crossover, 1602, doesn't help; way to not tell your own story!)
Sadly, the plot doesn't hold up to the characters that Bennett inherited. Even with wacky storytelling, it feels like Bennett is punching above her weight class. Certainly, there are lots of nice references to all kinds of recent Angela, Loki, and Thor titles, but the result is just a bit dull. Too much eternal fighting and eternal questing sadly makes Angela a dull girl.
(The fact that the finale of the series then depends on yet another Secret Wars crossover, 1602, doesn't help; way to not tell your own story!)
September 22, 2016
Simply loved this story, which is so simple yet affective. The characters are fun and polarise each other well, and Bennett shows that writing on her own allows her to fully express herself far better than when she works as part of a team.
May 17, 2017
My joy in reading about Angela's battle through Hel to save her love is tempered by my frustration with Sera breaking the fourth wall. She is not Deadpool! A fun read. I'll be ready for more Angela when they decide to break her out of storage again in the future.
June 11, 2017
Intellectual witty but scattered. I do enjoy the characters and the constant nods to pop and literary culture, but sometimes the jokes felt forced and the breaking of the 4th wall should be left to the deadpools of the world.
February 12, 2016
I DON'T EVEN CARE THIS IS AMAZING
March 26, 2021
I LOVE SERA AND ANGELA
February 19, 2022
...
...
Well...
...
I barely know what the Hel happened. And why.
But whether you know all about Marvel comics and its frustrating tie-ins, and Angela and her story, or not, or not very well, 'Angela: Queen of Hel: Journey to the Funderworld' is fucking epic.
The first comic I read to feature Angela of Asgard is 'Angela: Asgard's Assassin, Volume 1: Priceless'. I didn't like it. It certainly didn't entice me to read any other titles starring Angela, who I thought was so wooden, careless, and soulless a character that I couldn't see any romance for her, with another woman or otherwise. To me she seemed like a generic, scantily-clad warrior woman archetype, an edgelord product from the nineties, like the comic book medium doesn't have enough of those. (I was also quite surprised, in doing a little research, to find out that she was originally created by Neil Gaiman, and was an antagonist in the 'Spawn' comics).
But upon reading about the received praise of 'Angela: Queen of Hel: Journey to the Funderworld', the latest and currently final title in Angela's storyline, it sounded interesting to me. Interesting enough that I would be willing to give her another chance. Maybe the writing will be better, the characters more relatable and charismatic, and it would overall make sense.
The "sense" in this context is subjective, mind you. But what a roller coaster ride from Hel!
The action and set-pieces in this book keep going, keep changing, and the character interactions are consistent while remaining fresh and unpredictable. The artwork is fantastic. The Hel-ish monster designs are amazing, like Lovecraftian terror. There thankfully isn't too much dialogue and exposition-dumping littering the pages, in this fantasy action comic with an angels-vs-Norse mythology backdrop that pays homage to Orpheus and Eurydice. With a lesbian twist.
Really, that setup alone should entice you to read 'Angela: Queen of Hel', with not much worry for background information and collector's issues.
Just enjoy the ride. That's what I learned to do whilst reading.
There are many storytelling themes in 'Angela: Queen of Hel'. It's a treasure, a furnace even, for pop culture, literary and mythology nerds. As well as Orpheus, there is Shakespeare, references to heavy metal bands, 'Game of Thrones', 'Scarborough Fair', and 'Final Fantasy' (they make sense in context...kinda, it's a weird comic), and Faust; where our main heroine, Angela, in an alternate reality is twisted into a demonic dragon lady and Faerie Queen named Faustia who also appears in a Shakespearean play, as magically penned by an alternate shadow version of her lover Sera (told you it was a weird comic, and that's not even scratching the surface).
I've never been a fan of Marguerite Bennett before, but her writing here is immensely clever and covers and ties together a lot of intricate, subtle threads, in what should have been a pretentious, convoluted mess of a story.
The whole comic book is like a heavy metal album on speed, or a ballad on ecstasy, with a bloody, beating lesbian heart, as shown through the two leads, Angela and Sera.
Angela is an Asgardian and Odinson's sister, stolen from birth and raised by angels in Heven. She is a god and a princess, but speaking for herself she is an angel through and through. She is also known as the Hunter Queen, and Angela of Nowhere. Angela the dark warrior woman with the ribbons lives and dies by one rule: A deal is a deal, nothing is for nothing, everything has a price, and every debt must be paid. She is so fierce and fiery she would be intimidating if not for Sera to balance things out, in more ways than one. Angela is searching for the angel handmaiden who raised her, Loriel, who may not be dead and in Hel after all. But first, she is searching for her lost love, Sera, in Hel.
Separated for so long, and with Sera trapped in a literal hell, how will things turn out once the lovers reunite?
Sera is a dark-skinned trans angel (how's that for representation!), and a prisoner throughout her life who desperately wants to be free, once and for all, and with Angela for all eternity (I'm guessing they are both immortal, or are half-dead, or Sera was dead but is brought back to life in Hel...moving on). She wants the freedom to be herself, and not suffer in darkness and despair any longer. Her magic is as awesome as her snark, and innuendo. Refreshingly self-aware in a comic that needs it, Sera is bubbling with pop culture references; she throws them out there, without being annoying, miraculously. She also breaks the fourth wall. Sera is like a POC femme queer trans Deadpool, and Loki. A comic relief (with so much depth) who is a cauldron of knowledge and party tricks. Plus she loves books! Overall, what a brilliant, surprising, if secretive, character.
While I may not know everything about the history between these two women and why and how they met and fell so deeply in love, the comic gets across well how much they mean to each other. Sera seems like the only person that the aloof and hardhearted Angela genuinely cares about, along with her missing foster mother, Loriel. Angela and Sera are like the Xena and Gabrielle of Marvel comics. Not my favourite characters in the world, but I'm glad they exist; mostly for diversity and positive representation.
Other characters include Leah: a handmaiden, a sort-of-slave like Sera, and a spirit from Hela's mutilated hand (this comic is super weird, yo), who seems superfluous at first, but she grew on me. She is the third wheel of the supernatural women's group to overthrow Hel. She wears East Asian attire, and acquires Loki's pet hellhound, Thori, on the journey. Leah, Angela and Sera become good friends to the end.
Hela, the current queen of Hel, most known for 'Thor: Ragnarok', is here, and a badass as expected. Meresyn, Angela's angel rival, first kill, dark past and trial, is another fierce warrior woman, who grows to become her trusted ally. The last few issues are a story where the women team up with Thor - female Thor! A bit disappointing that she doesn't end up doing anything, however.
After I finished 'Angela: Queen of Hel: Journey to the Funderworld' (the 'fun' play on 'underworld' is Sera's doing), I was exhausted. To say I was confused would be an understatement. Baffled, almost frustrated. But the more I thought about it (or tried not to, for my brain needed a rest), the more I loved the Hel out of it.
What I love most about it is that it is a weird, action-packed, passionate, over-the-top, totally out-there comic, like a lot of famous comics are, and it is entirely female-fronted, and female-centered. It is all about powerful women being badass and fighting for their freedom, defying gravity and the cosmos in their wake, and not giving a single fuck what any man thinks of them. They love each other. They would sacrifice so much for one another. They literally rule. They are not to be messed with, even in a mundane civilian setting. All in a genuinely well-written, well-planned and cultured story, written and drawn by women.
It is feminist. It is modern feminism, in such a fantastical context.
A line in the blurb says it best:
'To rescue her beloved, Angela must conquer this domain and rewrite laws as old as death!'
EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Final Score: 4/5
...
Well...
...
I barely know what the Hel happened. And why.
But whether you know all about Marvel comics and its frustrating tie-ins, and Angela and her story, or not, or not very well, 'Angela: Queen of Hel: Journey to the Funderworld' is fucking epic.
The first comic I read to feature Angela of Asgard is 'Angela: Asgard's Assassin, Volume 1: Priceless'. I didn't like it. It certainly didn't entice me to read any other titles starring Angela, who I thought was so wooden, careless, and soulless a character that I couldn't see any romance for her, with another woman or otherwise. To me she seemed like a generic, scantily-clad warrior woman archetype, an edgelord product from the nineties, like the comic book medium doesn't have enough of those. (I was also quite surprised, in doing a little research, to find out that she was originally created by Neil Gaiman, and was an antagonist in the 'Spawn' comics).
But upon reading about the received praise of 'Angela: Queen of Hel: Journey to the Funderworld', the latest and currently final title in Angela's storyline, it sounded interesting to me. Interesting enough that I would be willing to give her another chance. Maybe the writing will be better, the characters more relatable and charismatic, and it would overall make sense.
The "sense" in this context is subjective, mind you. But what a roller coaster ride from Hel!
The action and set-pieces in this book keep going, keep changing, and the character interactions are consistent while remaining fresh and unpredictable. The artwork is fantastic. The Hel-ish monster designs are amazing, like Lovecraftian terror. There thankfully isn't too much dialogue and exposition-dumping littering the pages, in this fantasy action comic with an angels-vs-Norse mythology backdrop that pays homage to Orpheus and Eurydice. With a lesbian twist.
Really, that setup alone should entice you to read 'Angela: Queen of Hel', with not much worry for background information and collector's issues.
Just enjoy the ride. That's what I learned to do whilst reading.
There are many storytelling themes in 'Angela: Queen of Hel'. It's a treasure, a furnace even, for pop culture, literary and mythology nerds. As well as Orpheus, there is Shakespeare, references to heavy metal bands, 'Game of Thrones', 'Scarborough Fair', and 'Final Fantasy' (they make sense in context...kinda, it's a weird comic), and Faust; where our main heroine, Angela, in an alternate reality is twisted into a demonic dragon lady and Faerie Queen named Faustia who also appears in a Shakespearean play, as magically penned by an alternate shadow version of her lover Sera (told you it was a weird comic, and that's not even scratching the surface).
I've never been a fan of Marguerite Bennett before, but her writing here is immensely clever and covers and ties together a lot of intricate, subtle threads, in what should have been a pretentious, convoluted mess of a story.
The whole comic book is like a heavy metal album on speed, or a ballad on ecstasy, with a bloody, beating lesbian heart, as shown through the two leads, Angela and Sera.
Angela is an Asgardian and Odinson's sister, stolen from birth and raised by angels in Heven. She is a god and a princess, but speaking for herself she is an angel through and through. She is also known as the Hunter Queen, and Angela of Nowhere. Angela the dark warrior woman with the ribbons lives and dies by one rule: A deal is a deal, nothing is for nothing, everything has a price, and every debt must be paid. She is so fierce and fiery she would be intimidating if not for Sera to balance things out, in more ways than one. Angela is searching for the angel handmaiden who raised her, Loriel, who may not be dead and in Hel after all. But first, she is searching for her lost love, Sera, in Hel.
Separated for so long, and with Sera trapped in a literal hell, how will things turn out once the lovers reunite?
Sera is a dark-skinned trans angel (how's that for representation!), and a prisoner throughout her life who desperately wants to be free, once and for all, and with Angela for all eternity (I'm guessing they are both immortal, or are half-dead, or Sera was dead but is brought back to life in Hel...moving on). She wants the freedom to be herself, and not suffer in darkness and despair any longer. Her magic is as awesome as her snark, and innuendo. Refreshingly self-aware in a comic that needs it, Sera is bubbling with pop culture references; she throws them out there, without being annoying, miraculously. She also breaks the fourth wall. Sera is like a POC femme queer trans Deadpool, and Loki. A comic relief (with so much depth) who is a cauldron of knowledge and party tricks. Plus she loves books! Overall, what a brilliant, surprising, if secretive, character.
While I may not know everything about the history between these two women and why and how they met and fell so deeply in love, the comic gets across well how much they mean to each other. Sera seems like the only person that the aloof and hardhearted Angela genuinely cares about, along with her missing foster mother, Loriel. Angela and Sera are like the Xena and Gabrielle of Marvel comics. Not my favourite characters in the world, but I'm glad they exist; mostly for diversity and positive representation.
Other characters include Leah: a handmaiden, a sort-of-slave like Sera, and a spirit from Hela's mutilated hand (this comic is super weird, yo), who seems superfluous at first, but she grew on me. She is the third wheel of the supernatural women's group to overthrow Hel. She wears East Asian attire, and acquires Loki's pet hellhound, Thori, on the journey. Leah, Angela and Sera become good friends to the end.
Hela, the current queen of Hel, most known for 'Thor: Ragnarok', is here, and a badass as expected. Meresyn, Angela's angel rival, first kill, dark past and trial, is another fierce warrior woman, who grows to become her trusted ally. The last few issues are a story where the women team up with Thor - female Thor! A bit disappointing that she doesn't end up doing anything, however.
After I finished 'Angela: Queen of Hel: Journey to the Funderworld' (the 'fun' play on 'underworld' is Sera's doing), I was exhausted. To say I was confused would be an understatement. Baffled, almost frustrated. But the more I thought about it (or tried not to, for my brain needed a rest), the more I loved the Hel out of it.
What I love most about it is that it is a weird, action-packed, passionate, over-the-top, totally out-there comic, like a lot of famous comics are, and it is entirely female-fronted, and female-centered. It is all about powerful women being badass and fighting for their freedom, defying gravity and the cosmos in their wake, and not giving a single fuck what any man thinks of them. They love each other. They would sacrifice so much for one another. They literally rule. They are not to be messed with, even in a mundane civilian setting. All in a genuinely well-written, well-planned and cultured story, written and drawn by women.
It is feminist. It is modern feminism, in such a fantastical context.
A line in the blurb says it best:
'To rescue her beloved, Angela must conquer this domain and rewrite laws as old as death!'
EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Final Score: 4/5
August 15, 2021
Sera died, and is trapped as a slave to Hela alongside the rest of Heven's passed on souls. Angela wants her back, but the only way to do that is to dethrone Hela as the Queen of Hel... simple enough. But to do so Angela and Sera (and a new friend made along the way) will have to go through various trials. Challenging Hela for the throne of Hel is less about being strong enough- she is the goddess of death, and more of an entity or idea than an abstract level of power. But completing the trials will bring Angela closer to that idea. And such does the journey begin!
Before the series gets cancelled and it quickly turns into trying to resolve other plots leftover from Secret Wars tie-ins and the like. In which Marguerite Bennet gets to have fun and start throwing memes and pop culture references all over the place. Which is still fun! But dates the series and interrupts the flow a bit. Some odd dialogue choices through the series aside, it's a loving and touching series full of affection (and kissing) that puts the question of identity and commitment at the forefront.
And Kim Jacinto and Stephanie Hans are perfect artists for this type of series. Jacinto handles a lot of the dialogue and action scenes, while Hans does the magical trials and spells. It's a perfect way to distinguish between reality and the idea-like dream aspects the series plays with. Jacinto's flow of action is incredible and a sight to behold, while Hans' ability to evoke a sort of gothic supernatural tragedy is heart-breaking.
I wish the series got more time, or that Bennett's dialogue was reigned in a bit more, but I'm surprised how much this series was able to do. I wish Sera showed up more past this series, this trilogy of Angela books has been great to have a trans character in the spotlight. She's quick-witted, magical and confident, and you'd think that would be the type of character who could show up more and get more of a following. Unfortunately not, but this series has her at her best and it's a must-read for that reason alone.
Before the series gets cancelled and it quickly turns into trying to resolve other plots leftover from Secret Wars tie-ins and the like. In which Marguerite Bennet gets to have fun and start throwing memes and pop culture references all over the place. Which is still fun! But dates the series and interrupts the flow a bit. Some odd dialogue choices through the series aside, it's a loving and touching series full of affection (and kissing) that puts the question of identity and commitment at the forefront.
And Kim Jacinto and Stephanie Hans are perfect artists for this type of series. Jacinto handles a lot of the dialogue and action scenes, while Hans does the magical trials and spells. It's a perfect way to distinguish between reality and the idea-like dream aspects the series plays with. Jacinto's flow of action is incredible and a sight to behold, while Hans' ability to evoke a sort of gothic supernatural tragedy is heart-breaking.
I wish the series got more time, or that Bennett's dialogue was reigned in a bit more, but I'm surprised how much this series was able to do. I wish Sera showed up more past this series, this trilogy of Angela books has been great to have a trans character in the spotlight. She's quick-witted, magical and confident, and you'd think that would be the type of character who could show up more and get more of a following. Unfortunately not, but this series has her at her best and it's a must-read for that reason alone.
January 8, 2020
Angela is one of those characters that, ever since she has been introduced into the Marvel Universe, she has struggled to really find her place. And while this volume had cool moments, it further cements the separation between her and the rest of MCU.
The main story is composed of a quest story, where Angela has to gather 3 items before confronting the boss, Hela. After reuniting with her main squeeze Sera, they go about and do exactly that. I did like this story but I did feel it dragged a bit. The pacing feels a bit off because of this, and I think that if they would've condensed the story into fewer issues, the plot would've moved a bit better and made for a more succinct read.
The rest of the volume has to do with Anglea's legacy and what not, which was ok... but I did feel that Marguerite Bennett was a bit heavy handed with her "quirkiness" in terms of writing. Especially when Sera breaks the 4th wall and talks about issues and the title of the book and stuff. It approaches Matt Fraction levels of "look how clever I am!" type writing. Personally I feel this type of forceful wittiness detracts from the story all together. I cant help but wonder how the book would've turned out if the story was just allowed to play out naturally.
The art was pretty great. Kim Jacinto does a great job handling the pencils. However the art really shines in the flashback sequences illustrated by Stephanie Hans. Fan-fuckin-tastic art in these. I really would love to see a book in her style, as it is both epic and beautiful all at once.
Overall, the book is an entertaining read, but a bit uneven in regards to plot, writing style, and pacing. Recommended for fans of Angela only.
The main story is composed of a quest story, where Angela has to gather 3 items before confronting the boss, Hela. After reuniting with her main squeeze Sera, they go about and do exactly that. I did like this story but I did feel it dragged a bit. The pacing feels a bit off because of this, and I think that if they would've condensed the story into fewer issues, the plot would've moved a bit better and made for a more succinct read.
The rest of the volume has to do with Anglea's legacy and what not, which was ok... but I did feel that Marguerite Bennett was a bit heavy handed with her "quirkiness" in terms of writing. Especially when Sera breaks the 4th wall and talks about issues and the title of the book and stuff. It approaches Matt Fraction levels of "look how clever I am!" type writing. Personally I feel this type of forceful wittiness detracts from the story all together. I cant help but wonder how the book would've turned out if the story was just allowed to play out naturally.
The art was pretty great. Kim Jacinto does a great job handling the pencils. However the art really shines in the flashback sequences illustrated by Stephanie Hans. Fan-fuckin-tastic art in these. I really would love to see a book in her style, as it is both epic and beautiful all at once.
Overall, the book is an entertaining read, but a bit uneven in regards to plot, writing style, and pacing. Recommended for fans of Angela only.
January 28, 2025
And here ends my Angela & Sera run. I know she appears in future issues and even on a Pride edition, but this is the last story truly centred on them, and I am satisfied. Checking Angela's Marvel Wiki, it seems like they also separated her and Sera? Well, I have no interest in *that*, either.
But back on track: Queen of Hel was an exciting journey, both in its action and the relationship between Angela and Sera, which is the true heart of this saga. As Sera says one time, this isn't Angela's story. It's not her story, either. It's their story, and their love for one another really shines through!
I do have one significant issue, though: their personalities. Now that I finished their run, I look back at Asgard's Assassin and miss that more solemn, even more focused Angela. The infamous Marvel humour bit her after that, and while I'm definitely not against Angela loosening up a bit, I do feel like the frequency of it went against her personality. Sera is another example. The writing leaned waaay too heavily into the fourth-wall breaking and references, so much so that Sera comes across as shallow and irritating at times, particularly in the last two issues. It's a huge shame because I feel like Sera could've been more interesting as this bard who can summon a spectral guitar as easily as she can summon deadly swords.
This complaint aside, Angela has become one of my favourite Marvel characters, and it's clear that Marguerite Bennett in the writing and Stephanie Hans in the art (as well as the other artists who came and went during these runs) developed these characters' journey with love!
But back on track: Queen of Hel was an exciting journey, both in its action and the relationship between Angela and Sera, which is the true heart of this saga. As Sera says one time, this isn't Angela's story. It's not her story, either. It's their story, and their love for one another really shines through!
I do have one significant issue, though: their personalities. Now that I finished their run, I look back at Asgard's Assassin and miss that more solemn, even more focused Angela. The infamous Marvel humour bit her after that, and while I'm definitely not against Angela loosening up a bit, I do feel like the frequency of it went against her personality. Sera is another example. The writing leaned waaay too heavily into the fourth-wall breaking and references, so much so that Sera comes across as shallow and irritating at times, particularly in the last two issues. It's a huge shame because I feel like Sera could've been more interesting as this bard who can summon a spectral guitar as easily as she can summon deadly swords.
This complaint aside, Angela has become one of my favourite Marvel characters, and it's clear that Marguerite Bennett in the writing and Stephanie Hans in the art (as well as the other artists who came and went during these runs) developed these characters' journey with love!
September 30, 2020
Blah.
I can see how some people might get all excited by in some kind of milestone hitting way. To be honest though, I think this seemed more like lip service than anything ground-breaking. Gender issues run through the story very clearly, but I am not really sure how relevant they were to the actual story. Maybe it is enough that they are out there, and hey how much are we supposed to expect from a Marvel comic anyway?
Oh well, if it did not really challenge me in an ideological way, at least it was a fun story. Oh wait... no it was not. Yes, the battling to become Queen of Hel shtick is great to show the depth of love Angela has for Sera - not entirely sure why, as I find her an annoying character who is essentially a running fourth wall breaking commentary box. However, Angela is desperately in love with her and would do anything for her, even challenge Hel itself... Sounds pretty monumentally epic and hard, right? No... don't worry. It isn't. It's reduced down to a few fights and a large amount of exposition in the form of being beset by one's own memories.
Oh well, at least it all wraps up nicely at the end and I feel like there is closure. Which is lovely, because apparently an issue or two later in some Guardians of the Galaxy story this all gets totally undone and made meaningless and entirely undermined...
I can see how some people might get all excited by in some kind of milestone hitting way. To be honest though, I think this seemed more like lip service than anything ground-breaking. Gender issues run through the story very clearly, but I am not really sure how relevant they were to the actual story. Maybe it is enough that they are out there, and hey how much are we supposed to expect from a Marvel comic anyway?
Oh well, if it did not really challenge me in an ideological way, at least it was a fun story. Oh wait... no it was not. Yes, the battling to become Queen of Hel shtick is great to show the depth of love Angela has for Sera - not entirely sure why, as I find her an annoying character who is essentially a running fourth wall breaking commentary box. However, Angela is desperately in love with her and would do anything for her, even challenge Hel itself... Sounds pretty monumentally epic and hard, right? No... don't worry. It isn't. It's reduced down to a few fights and a large amount of exposition in the form of being beset by one's own memories.
Oh well, at least it all wraps up nicely at the end and I feel like there is closure. Which is lovely, because apparently an issue or two later in some Guardians of the Galaxy story this all gets totally undone and made meaningless and entirely undermined...
February 8, 2025
Wow, those are some butt-ugly characters. Oh, I see, they're lesbians. Kissing lesbians, so it's ok. It's almost as ok as the millenial-style vocabulary used by some of the characters. You're not cool if you don't have stupid one-liners, annoying breaking of the 4th wall or perfectly unbearable trivialization of important stuff. Is this what humor looks like nowadays? So this is why I'm still enjoying comics from the 90's. Even they're less puerile and less snarky.
I seem to remember comics being defined as sequential art. This comic tries its hardest to throw sequential under the bus, making the logic of the story be anyone's guess. Pretty pictures and a wall of text does not make a good comic.
I seem to remember comics being defined as sequential art. This comic tries its hardest to throw sequential under the bus, making the logic of the story be anyone's guess. Pretty pictures and a wall of text does not make a good comic.
September 25, 2018
Boy, I couldn't have had a better time reading this. The plot is quite more thrilling than the one from Angela: Asgard's Assassin. I loved the unaplogetic references to Xena: The Warrior Princess and other pieces of pop culture. The five issues involving Hel are simply perfect. I read them in one night, I couldn't stop. The two final ones, with The Mighty Thor running around, are a little bit more disperse. But it doesn't matter: the ending brings perfet closure and a wonderful feeling of having been part of an amazing story. I love Angela and Sera as independent characters and I love their love story. They are so necessary. I'm aware that all the trans issue should have been better addressed and I know that that's a problem. But I can't help enjoying every single page in spite of that. I simply recommend this comic book to anyone who seeks adventure and joy. The artwork is amazing, I would hang so many pages on my walls that you feel like you're in the middle of Hel. Simply, wonderful. Read this and have a good time
September 17, 2025
Really big step up from “Asgard’s Assassin” actually. The story is still kind of messy but the personality carries the whole miniseries.
Angela and sera make for a compelling couple though I do think it’s kind of lame that the title character is the less interesting character btw the pair. I also think making sera 4th wall break was odd and the pop culture references from her felt out of step with an isolated character from Heven. I think sera is interesting and the characterization is strong I just think it goes a bit too far.
The “” and a few other random bits did make me laugh out loud even if it felt out of place lol. Bennett is definitely really funny it just feels like a weird series for that brand of humor. Idk if she’s written she hulk before but she clearly has a good voice for it.
Still the art was nice and the story was more compelling and less confusing this time
Angela and sera make for a compelling couple though I do think it’s kind of lame that the title character is the less interesting character btw the pair. I also think making sera 4th wall break was odd and the pop culture references from her felt out of step with an isolated character from Heven. I think sera is interesting and the characterization is strong I just think it goes a bit too far.
The “” and a few other random bits did make me laugh out loud even if it felt out of place lol. Bennett is definitely really funny it just feels like a weird series for that brand of humor. Idk if she’s written she hulk before but she clearly has a good voice for it.
Still the art was nice and the story was more compelling and less confusing this time
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