Science fiction can often hold a mirror up to society delving into socio-political issues delivering an allegory by which we can learn. These stories are often layered and deep where a deep analysis can be made to understand what the story is a reflection about. Then there’s comics like Big Girls #1 that wears its thoughts on its sleeve and bashes you over the head with them.

Men are the problem and only women can stop them.

In the future a weird mutation turns men into giant monsters and the only thing standing in their way from destroying civilization are giant women who battle them like organic mecha. The concept is interesting if it didn’t feel familiar an despite it’s less than subtle leaning and thoughts, there’s something potentially there.

Written by and with art by Jason Howard, Big Girls #1 is an entertaining debut. It also might have a bit more to say than what’s on the surface. Howard gives us a world of what we need to know. There’s monsters and giant women to battle them. The women protect a walled off city that’s a safe zone compared to the utter destruction on the outside. The women are also managed by a no-nonsense man which is where the comic finds its most interesting aspect.

As the comic repeats over and over, men are the problem and women are the solution. It rings of Pacific Rim’s voice overs concerning kaiju and jaegers without the veiled layers. But, if men are the problem and the women answer to men, isn’t their boss part of the problem? And what about the monsters? They seem to be controlled by a woman? There’s clearly more here to what Howard lays out bluntly, enough to make future issues intriguing. If there’s something there, all the better. If that’s not addresses, it kind of undercuts the message a bit.

The art by Howard is interesting and fun. There’s a very clear vision to it all and a reliance on the art to build the world we’re being introduced to. Backgrounds, buildings, damage scenery, it all helps tell the story and informs us as to what might have happened to get to this point. It’s very much a show and not tell storytelling. The action from Howard is solid and at times shocking. Moments of victory are then compounded with a snap that catches the reader off guard. Battles with giant monsters deliver a blunt battle lacking you’d expect with creatures this size foregoing the finesse of smaller statures. It’s the battle between giants you’re expecting and we’ve seen many times before.

Big Girls #1 is an interesting debut. It’s either much smarter than initially sold or might undercut itself. It’s hard to say with one issue but it’s something that’s worthy to explore further. It might be a bit blunt in its messaging but it features a lot more than its giant battling women might have you believe.

Story: Jason Howard Art: Jason Howard Letterer: Fonografiks
Story: 7.5 Art: 7.5 Overall: 7.5 Recommendation: Read

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Purchase: comiXology – Zeus Comics