A comiXologist Recommends

Divinity II #2

Written by Matt Kindt

Pencils by Trevor Hairsine

Inks by Ryan Winn

Color by David Baron

Mother Russia rain down, down, down

Divinity II is my first Valiant book, and it’s hooked me into the universe with only its second issue. For those of you like me who are new to things, the short version is that during the Cold War, Soviet Russia sent three cosmonauts into deep space, where they encountered a presence.  One of the explorers, Abram Adams, returned to Earth imbued with god-like powers.  Heroes of the Valiant universe came together to make contact with the deity-like Abram, who intended no harm but wished to reunite with his family.  

Where Abram’s motivations in Divinity seem largely centered around his personal relationships, Myshka, another of the cosmonaut trio and the protagonist of Divinity II, doesn’t have any personal relationships.  She, too, touched the Unknown in deep space.  She, too, returns to Earth with near unlimited power.  But she’s focused on only one thing: the glory of communist Russia.  And no sacrifice is too great for that greater good.

I’m fascinated by the implication of casting a woman as the dogmatic Russian communist instead of the one desperate for her family.  Women are too often depicted as disempowered by their relationships as wives and mothers. The ideal of womanhood those roles impose is one of self-sacrifice through gentle nurturing.  Since Russia is often personified as the “Motherland,” what it means for an extraordinarily powerful woman with no intentions of using that power for nurturing is an interesting play on gender role ideals. This is especially brought into focus when she clashes with Abram.

You don’t necessarily need to read Divinity before you start Divinity II, because the creators do a pretty good job of making sure you know what everyone’s deal is in the story that’s in front of you.  But you should probably just read Divinity because it’s awesome.  

Tia Vasiliou is a Digital Editor at comiXology. She often dresses like Andrew Eldritch.