Jem and the Holograms, Vol. 3: Dark Jem

I didn't know there was a Jem and the Holograms comic book, so obviously I missed Volume 1 and 2.

This is not your mum's Jem and the Holograms!

As a huge fan of the cartoon, I had a small meltdown reading this modern incarnation, and I mean it in a good way. For one, I barely recognised anyone. I could only tell them apart from their hair colour (and by Kimber's rebellious response to everything!) but the girls have been given very different body types and I love it! This makes you think about how the 80's cartoon versions were boxy-shouldered carbon copies of each other cept for the different hair and skin colour. Synergy is sleek and sexy, yet still quite sci-fi.

So Synergy somehow acquired a virus called Silica who takes over and creates evil personalities for everyone. Aim? To take over the world. What else right? Not too surprisingly the cure was for Jem and the Holograms to combine forces with the Misfits, leading to several gorgeous musical montage spreads which tragically is silent on an ebook page.

Other stuff that I found different, new or outstanding compared to the cartoon include a couple of gay/lesbian relationships, one transgender woman, and some very lovely examples of female friendships. Truly outrageous and utterly timely!

Honestly speaking, the sexual orientation and dating life of anyone who is not Jem/Jerrica falls in the background when you're 10 years old. The only thing I remember is the insipid Jem-Jerrica-Rio love triangle.

Recommended for both past fans and new ones!

This copy digital was courtesy of NetGalley.