Backstories for the characters and objects in the movie.

The plots have an "I have seen this before" feeling and nothing surprising is revealed. Still, it is an entertaining read and it gives some credit to the writers for providing more depth to the characters than just what the plot required. ( )

"Nux and Immortan Joe" - 3.5/5 stars

"Furiosa" - 1/5 stars

"Max Part I" - 3.5/5 stars

"Max Part II" - 4/5 stars

"War Rig" - 3/5 stars

Unsurprisingly, Furiosa's storyline mostly soured my view of this collection of Max Mad: Fury Road prequel comic books. (The rest are readable enough, though largely underwhelming.) Feminist critics have already picked "Furiosa" apart, panel by panel, so instead of rehashing what's already been said, I'll just redirect you here, here, and here. For starters.

I especially loathed the artists' portrayal of Furiosa, who they transform into a) a pro-lifer who compares Angharad's attempt to abort her rape baby to Immortan Joe's reign of terror and b) a rape apologist who berates the "wives" for not showing the proper amount of respect and gratitude toward their abuser. Granted, Furiosa's behavior might be due in part to past trauma; for instance, her tirade against the wives could be Furiosa's way of minimizing her own abuse. (It's revealed that she too was once one of Joe's breeders; because no woman can be a hero without first being victimized in the most brutal and inhumane ways.)

If this is the case, the whole storyline could have been handled better, with more nuance and compassion. That's a pretty big if, though, especially given the creators' odious responses to criticism and their general lack of awareness overall.

At the time the "Furiosa" comic came out, there was much speculation as to the extent of George Miller's involvement. At the very least, he signed off on a storyline that runs counter to the film's arguably feminist principles. I found myself hoping that the comic books were just a crass attempt to cash in on the film's popularity, with Miller lending his name only. But in the TP's intro, Mark Sexton - who worked on the original storyboards way back in the '90s - reports that the stories originated with Miller:

"These are not just mere ephemera - not just cynically produced stories that have been hacked out to tie into a summer movie. These are legitimately authentic tales that were dreamed up by George during the production of the film and were told to the actors themselves - tales that gave the characters they played depth and history."

So....yeah. I kind of wish I'd heeded the warnings and skipped this one entirely. It's all I can do to contain my disgust to the written page, and not let it creep out and color my feelings about the film - which was easily my favorite flick of 2015. In light of this dreck, Fury Road feels a little less intentionally feminist and more accidentally feminist. Like Oreos to vegans.

The other comics range from "meh" to "I liked it well enough." "Nux and Immortan Joe" focuses mainly on Joe, which is a bit of a letdown; why should the villain get more ink than the hero? I expected more from "War Rig," though I must admit to loving the backstory for the doll heads. Others have complained that the artwork is stark and dreary - which it is - but I found it true to the story's tone and aesthetic.

Bottom line: borrow it, if you must.

http://www.easyvegan.info/2015/12/14/mad-max-fury-road-by-george-miller/ ( )