I first read Marvel’s 2016 Mockingbird series in 2017 and immediately fell in love with it. The pandemic has had me down and with the 100 degree days keeping me trapped at home, I needed a pick-me-up. Mockingbird, the smart-ass, smart as hell, feminist superhero, came to my rescue.
Mockingbird Volume 1: I Can Explain start with S.H.I.E.L.D agent #19 Barbara “Bobbi” Morse, aka Mockingbird, being called in for a medical check. Bobbi was previously exposed to a combination of Super Soldier Serum and Infinity Formula, and the good doctors of S.H.I.E.L.D want to make sure she hasn’t had any strange side effects, such as telekinesis or seeing zombies. The volume’s storylines include strange animal die-offs, the Hellfire Club, helping a teen with developing super powers, and the Queen of England. There are also special appearances by her sometimes boyfriend Lance Hunter, Spiderman (Miles Morales), and Howard the Duck.
Mockingbird Volume 2: My Feminist Agenda has Bobbi as an invited guest on a cruise. Her ex-husband, Hawkeye, is on trial for killing the Hulk, so she’s anxious to get away. Unfortunately, it turns out to be a comic book cruise and there are a lot of Hawkeye fans who dislike her. Plus there’s a murder, her sometimes boyfriend Lance Hunter, and a lot of corgis.
Both volumes are excellent, but I preferred My Feminist Agenda, and not just for its name. It has a more cohesive storyline than I Can Explain. I Can Explain starts and ends with how the Super Soldier Serum and Infinity Formula have affected Bobbi, but the other three stories are mostly unrelated. While I loved the Hellfire Club story, I found the other two lackluster. My Feminist Agenda in one big story spread across multiple comic books. I don’t know how I feel about one part near the end, but the rest of the volume was fun and fascinating. Plus corgies!
My favorite panel from I Can Explain. I forgot to screenshot my favorite from My Feminist Agenda.