POBB April 4, 2018

Pick of the Brown Bag

April 4, 2018

by

Ray Tate

Welcome to the Pick of the Brown Bag, a comic book review blog that looks at the most enjoyable and the most disappointing titles of the week.  For this posting I examine Analog the newest work from Guardians of the Galaxy writer Gerry Duggan, All-New Wolverine, Batman, The Green Hornet, The New Mutants, Red Sonja and Runaways.  If you haven’t time for the in-depth reviews, check me out on Twitter: #PickoftheBrownBag.

Tom King’s Batman run will go down in history as one of the most literate and entertaining.  In his latest, King reweaves archival moments from the seventy-eight year relationship of Batman and Catwoman.  

What makes this restoration so fascinating is that King chooses classic Golden Age and Silver Age vignettes as his reconstitutes.  

The Batman scribe practically uses the same dialogue.  He shifts the order of speech and the timing of the delivery to execute a different feeling and generate friction between Batman and Catwoman.  

Frequently King elicits genuine drama and humor out of innocuous material.

At the same time, he makes a joke out of reboots, soft and hard, often designated by the costumes of the characters.  For King, these are superficial changes.  The characters remain who they are despite any writer that may attempt to create an upheaval in persona or artist that tries to go completely off model.

Batman now generally speaking relies on two impressive illustrators and you may be torn over who visualizes the best Batman adventures.  The Pick of the Brown Bag recognizes that every artist has her own style, and neither artist should be compared.  This issue of Batman however makes it easy for you.  Both Joelle Jones and Mikel Janin provide the fantastic exploration of Batman and Catwoman.

Jones embellishes the present day where Selina searches for the purrfect dress for a most important turning point.

Janin takes care of the memoirs.  

The entire team create a remarkable experience for Batman fans of every generation.

Green Hornet will surprise the hell out of mystery buffs while amusing faithful Hornet buzz-seekers.  The story opens with new Green Hornet Mulan Kato and her father the classic Kato reestablishing that the city belongs to the Green Hornet.  

The Hornet is unique among heroes.  He is the only champion known to operate as a villain.  Whereas the Shadow allowed people to believe his motives were nebulous and the police hunted the Spider as if he were a crook, only the Green Hornet directly fostered the ruse that he was a gang boss that involved himself in criminal affairs for a taste of the honey.

Writer Amy Chu next segues to new Hornet cast member Clutch.  In a few strokes Chu defines the character and simultaneously reinforces Green Hornet continuity.

The reason for Mulan’s unexpected inheritance is due to the mysterious disappearance of Britt Reid.  Under Kato’s leadership the reporters of the Daily Sentinel seek information about their publisher’s whereabouts and seek to deter a hostile takeover.  

The bullpen includes Hornet staple Michael Axford and updates the roster with new investigators Tai and of course Mulan.  The ladies quickly take their lead to Turkey.

This is where mystery fans will feel that they’ve seen the story before, but an attack and a superb cliffhanger reveal throws the jaded sleuth completely off kilter.  Chu’s study in green is as entertaining and authentic as her run of Red Sonja.

For those who came in late, Red Sonja fought her arch-enemy Khulan Gath in the village of Meru.  His spell sent he and she forward in time along with a few of the Meruvians caught in the backdraft.  One of those Meruvians was a dabbler in sorcery who renamed himself Wallace.  In combat against Gath’s forces the combination of science and magic either sent Wallace and Sonja back through time or their supernaturally crafted doppelgängers.  

In other words, Sonja could still be in the present riding a motorcycle and carving up drug-dealing biker gangs.  A lovely sentiment.  In any case, for all intent and purpose, Sonja and Wallace found themselves in Hades.  After a helluva battle, Sonja and Wallace now seek passage to face Gath, hopefully for the last time.

Amy Chu and Erik Burnham take Sonja back to the basics of sword and sorcery.  The three bs.  Boobs, blood and beheadings.  Except it’s really not that quite simple.  Charon’s weird sense of humor foreshadows that perhaps Sonja’s tales are about to take a thematic twist despite still being set in the Hyborean Age, or thereabouts.  

Most of Red Sonja’s stories are fairly stoic in terms of comedy.  Humor underlies the latest foray.  Sonja’s exposure to the modern world shows in her dialogue.  It's a flavor.  There's a nuance between the unexposed Sonja to the seasoned time traveling Sonja.

As to the boobs and the blood.  They’re there, thank the cosmos.  Carlos Gomez has become one of the best Sonja artists.  I’d rank him up there with Thorne, Buscema and John Byrne.  This is due to Gomez’s insistence on muscular proportion.  The more balanced a figure, the more attractive.  His Sonja doesn’t just look pulchritudinous.  She looks powerful.  You look at Sonja’s beauty from afar because any closer, and you’re going to lose a hand.

Series writer Tom Taylor takes All-New Wolverine into the future where Latverian terrorists meet more than their match.

That is not Laura Kinney.  Instead, Gabby, Laura’s clone sister, dons the costume.  In an outrageous moment, Gabby demonstrates her healing powers and her hilarious personality before unsheathing her spruced up claws.  So whatever happened to Laura Kinney?

Madripoor.  Marvel’s cross between Tortuga and the Pacific Islands circa World War II.  Laura Kinney’s association with Madripoor lies in her legacy.  

Logan the original Wolverine for some reason recreated himself on Madripoor as Patch, apparently a bizarre take on Rick Blaine from Casablanca.

Laura recently saved Tyger, Tyger, ruler of Madripoor, when she was once again brainwashed by arch-nemesis Kimura.  This act and no doubt heretofore future excursions put Laura in good standing with the citizenry.  So, Laura is Queen.  She’s not the only Marvel hero who rises.

Taylor elects a person that would make Donald Trump’s skin crawl, but given the way this character is written in the present day, the progression to the White House makes perfect sense.  Laura as you can see below still takes the costume out of the closet on occasion.  This occasion serves as the premise.  Laura intends to save another clone sister and kill a Marvel staple that triggers a war.

Taylor appears to be the only writer that believes the contextual Mariah Hill is worth something.  I’m not convinced.  However, she and Wolverine’s bad cop and insane cop routine to elicit information is quite entertaining.  

I don't know why Marvel decided to put a Frost Giant on the cover of The New Mutants.  Writer Matthew Rosenberg clearly wanted that to be the solution to a mystery that starts off in classic Doctor Who fashion.

See? He's clearly building up to the revelation of a Frost Giant.  That would have been surprising given The New Mutants' newfound penchant for horror.  Frost Giants are more fantasy figures in Thor mythology.  So having one in a horror story is an outlier.

Though Marvel spoils the discovery, there's still much in Rosenberg's story that entertains.  Before the New Mutants find the Frost Giant, they have a confab about their away team leader Ilyana that goes horribly wrong.

Illyana is Peter Rasputin's little sister.  I remember when she was this sweet kid that befriended Kitty Pryde.  I'm not exactly certain what happened to Illyana because I dropped out from X-Men College at an early stage.  From what I gleaned from the classes I audited here and there, some being from hell tortured Illyana.  Her personality afterward fluctuated.  Other writers straightened Illyana out or ignored the psychological torment all together, but Rosenberg straddles the middle ground.  Illyana is whole, but her experiences left her with some scars that express in an off-kilter persona.

Illyana's behavior is such a boon to this title.  She's a marvelously strange character.  Although she's not being a deadpan wit on purpose, nevertheless, that's how she comes off.  Whether suddenly conjuring uniforms or defeating the Frost Giant in a certain way that's laugh out loud funny.  Rosenberg furthermore adds an element of conspiracy to the supernatural occurrences that some may find tantalizing.  For me, it's enough to delve into the ribald way our super-powered paranormal investigators deal with the occult.

I know less about The Runaways and Power Pack than I do the X-Men.  I've always heard good things about both.   I furthermore encountered several of the characters in Avengers Academy.

Although the cover promises lesbian romance, that's not the reason why I bought the issue.  On the flip-through at the Phantom of the Attic, free plug, guys, I discovered Runaways features a special guest star that always makes a book better.  No, it's not Tigra.  I wish it were Tigra, but no.  So, his presence catalyzed the extra purchase, but is the book good enough without it?

Runaways is well-written, humorous with a strong cast.  The art is clean lifework benefitting from a gamut of color.  The characters that interested me in Avengers Academy interest me in the new title.  Although, I would have liked to seen Nico be more participatory.  The single-spell witch impressed me in the far too short run of the all-female hero A-Force.  Unfortunately, something happened to her to voluntarily negate her magic-use.

Julie Power acts more than just a girlfriend.  Her guest appearance serves to help the Runaways become a more cohesive force for good, and youngest Runaway Molly Hayes is a hoot.  Her interaction with Julie is some of the best, and I like that Julie doesn't act like a hypocrite.  She and her brothers were a super-team, facing dangerous situations.  She shouldn't curtail Molly's want for action, and she does not.

This issue of Monstro Mechanica is quite substantial.  If you haven't followed the story.  Leonardo da Vinci hired an apprentice named Isabella, and together they craft a primitive android.  This machination isn't entirely fictional.  Leonardo drew plans for an autonomous knight that modern scientists engineered.  

Leonardo's support of a female apprentice is purely the idea of writer Paul Allor.  Women were not held in such station despite the scandalous adoption of pants, which begins our chapter.

We take pants for granted, but in this day in age outside the golden site of civilization called Pittsburgh, idiots continue to force women to wear what they want.  Not what she wants.  The cretins of the world punish women for "inciting" male hormones.  Since most of these wardens of purity are men, heaven forbid they punish the males for bad behavior and lack of control.  No, that's just boys being boys.  The problem lies in women, their comeliness and slutty fashion sense.  A sincere fuck you all.

The pants are mere preamble however to the events of previous issue.  Leonardo sent Isabella and his creation to rescue a vital Vatican supporter.  Their energetic assault on the city also secured their favor in the Court of the Medicis.  This results however in Alessandro's curfew and more.

The writing filled with dark humor matches the streamlined narrative of Chris Evenhuis.  The war between the Medicis and the Vatican adds historical spice to the fiction.

Everybody wants Leonardo da Vinci to work for them, but he just wants out.  In a beautifully bittersweet scene, Leonardo voices his desires plainly.  

Isabella shows an interest in bettering herself and using her mind and body for something other than seeking out a husband and spitting out babies from her nether region.  No, there's nothing wrong with that, but that's not the be all, end all to womanhood.  Nor should it be.  Monstro Mechanica is thus a feminist story, which should come as no surprise.  Mary Shelley was a feminist.

Isabella respects Leonardo, but she also as previous issues detail prepares to thwart him if necessary.  This created an antagonistic underpinning, but it seems that the cards are all on the table for this issue.  The transparency in Isabella's hope for honest dealings instills more comedy to the affair, which is much needed since Leonardo's soldier is a blunt weapon.  It's attacks brutal and jarring in this tableau of Renaissance beauty so ably rendered.  

Analog seems a lot like That Man Bolt.  Fred Williamson portrayed a fully-bonded courier named Jefferson Bolt.  That's what ordinarily named Jack McGuinness is in Analog.  The difference lies in the setting.  

Whereas Jefferson Bolt operated in the seventies, Jack works in a future where everybody's internet secrets have been exposed.  So you get scenes with two people screwing in a car in broad daylight.  However, the setting doesn't really differentiate Bolt and Jack.  Thanks to Fred Williamson's performance as well as the more exciting execution, That Man Bolt is still better than Analog.  I may be willing to try another issue, but unless it's spectacular, I'd rather re-watch That Man Bolt.

POBB March 28, 2018

Pick of the Brown Bag

March 28, 2018

by

Ray Tate

Greetings, it’s time to mellow out with the latest Pick of the Brown Bag.  My name is Ray Tate, and I review the best and worst of the comic book yield for the week.  Remember, if you haven't time for the meatier reviews, you can always check me out on Twitter: #PickoftheBrownBag.  For this installment, I’ll look at Batgirl, The Doomsday Clock, Mera Queen of Atlantis, Peter Parker the Spectacular Spider-Man, Rough Riders and Sheena. First the new book Infinity 8 from Lion Forge.

Infinity 8 is the opening act of an action-packed presentation from Lewis Trondheim and Zep.  The remarkable purified illustration of Dominque Bertail educes a classic Commando Cody look nested in a diverse alien setting.

Infinity 8 nods at gung-ho adventurous science fiction.  The story delivers a decidedly adult approach.

Agent Yoko Keren’s quest for a suitable human mate is an inversion of several science fiction chestnuts.  How many times have extraterrestrials invaded for the sake of procreating with nubile earth women?  How often has an interplanetary despot noted the comeliness of his female captives?

Yoko's unsentimental reasoning for bearing a child gives her a unique, entertaining attitude that smoothly integrates with her matter-of-fact badassery.  She also goes about her foray in a clinical manner.  No sampling.  Just analyzing with technology to determine a perspective candidate's genetic makeup.

The fascinating Yoko operates on the space cruiser Infinity 8 piloted by a gargantuan vermiform Captain.  The Captain's powers bestow the christening of the ship and the rationale behind the book’s name.

This reel-back of time has yet to occur, but I can't imagine Trondheim and Zep introducing such a device without using it at some point.  In the present, the Captain assigns Yoko to investigate a debris field that’s drifting along the cruiser’s flight path.

Yoko engages a deeper study when noticing a particularly interesting looking derelict.  

I applaud the uniqueness of Bertail's visions.  The ship maintains organic sections, yet it's a frequently wondrous creation as opposed to grotesque.  As Yoko conducts her probe, the debris field triggers an unusual alien uprising aboard the Infinity 8.

The revolt at first seems absurd and mostly harmless but with a cliffhanger promises to be more nettlesome.  Infinity 8 is an ideal addition to the collection of mature science fiction fans.

Created in 1912 by Edgar Rice Burroughs, the first jungle man in literature was of course Tarzan.  Although, one can argue that Rudyard Kipling beat him to the punch about twenty years earlier with his fable The Jungle Book.  Tomato, Tomato.

Over the years, various critics peeled back the layers of Tarzan to find a symbol of male white supremacy, accusing Burroughs of racism in the process.  It doesn't quite add up.  Tarzan murdered black cannibal natives described in freakish detail.  He also slew white proto-Nazis equally vilified.  Burroughs created men and women from different nationalities that stood out from the prominent stereotypes.  Indeed, Tarzan considered the Waziri tribe his brothers and sisters despite their black skin.  Burroughs despised slavery, and Tarzan is only too happy to kill slavers.  The even-handed contrast continues throughout the Tarzan novels.  Furthermore, Burroughs was really only interested in making a buck from his imagination.  He never set out to be a social crusader or maligner.

That said.  Our culture evolved to the point where many writers are uncomfortable with the idea of a white man or woman becoming lord of the black and brown jungles.  However, the concept of skin color being a factor in reigning over the jungle is in fact a simplification.  

The jungle murdered Tarzan’s human father and mother.  Both were whites.  That white skin didn't save them.  Kala the great She-Ape lost her own ape-child.  So she begged her tribe to spare Tarzan and raised him as her own.  Tarzan’s ape teachings forged him into a jungle lord.  Not his skin color.  A native wise man raised Sheena.  It’s native knowledge that allowed Sheena to become Queen of the Jungle, not her white skin.

Nevertheless, the sensitivity isn’t wrong, and I welcome Marguerite Bennett’s and Christina Trujillo’s reworking of Sheena’s origin to expose white privilege in fact and fiction.  This will be such a spoiler that I’ve posted the “incriminating” graphics below the actual reviews.

Though Queen of the Jungle in Dynamite’s new series, Sheena isn’t the chief of the tribe that adopted her.  She follows a female leader who last issue ordered Sheena to confront a stranger to Mother Forest.  That stranger may be responsible for the Rot that appears to be poisoning the environment.  Lirio, Sheena’s friend who may wish to be more, accompanies her on the trek.  Lirio is also

the botanist of the tribe.  So, she’s not just some pretty charm on Sheena’s bracelet.  

After encountering a legendary monster from folklore, Sheena and Lirio meet the outsider who caused the consternation.  Sheena surprisingly discovers an even match.

The outsider is certainly not typical Cowadi, and the intruder does not seek to harm Sheena or Lirio.  Rather, she’s on a quest that will affect Sheena’s future.  Meanwhile, trouble brews at Caldwell Industries where the Cowadi that invaded Sheena’s jungle in the first six issues attempts to meddle with things they do not understand.

The strong artwork by Maria Sanapo and Ceci De La Cruz expresses the ferocity and beauty of Sheena’s world and her person.  It’s narratively sound and attractive.  

The illustration conveys the emotions at play as well as the subtlety in Lirio’s feelings for Sheena and Sheena’s confusion over Lirio’s heart.

During “The Throne of Atlantis,” readers learned that Aquaman staple villain and half-brother Ocean Master was King of Atlantis, with Aquaman’s blessing.  Under the presumption of surface world attack, Ocean Master or Orm drowned numerous cities in the DC Universe.  As time progressed, Orm found himself locked up in Belle Reve only to be set free during “Forever Evil.”  Rather than join the bad guys as expected, Orm instinctively saved two land dwellers.  He intended to marry this woman, and still may.

Mera’s ascension to the throne however distracts Orm from his goal.  Once again Dan Abnett thinks through the ramifications that should naturally occur because of the setup.  Although Mera’s claim to the throne, promoted by the crazy matriarchy the Widowhood, and Aquaman is legitimate.  So is Orm’s.

If Mera is a Queen in Exile, then surely Orm, who is a native of Atlantis and royal born, is a King in Exile.  The conflict between them seems perfectly reasonable rather than contrived.

Abnett juxtaposes their lives elegantly as artist Lan Medina knocks ‘em dead with her kickass depictions of Mera’s and Orm’s visceral attacks upon each other.  

It’s daughter/daddy day in a perfect stand-alone Batgirl by Hope Larson and artist Scott Godlewski.  Larson outlays a mystery that inveigles Batgirl and also creates goodwill with the Burnside police department.

The particulars of the case draw the Commissioner into the investigation and brings him straight into the path of his daughter.

In the New 52, the Commissioner does not know his daughter and Batgirl are one in the same.  That was the original circumstance.  However, Babs Gordon looked very different from her alter-ego.  

Babs intended Batgirl to show off her hard won karate honed muscle and a more vivacious side that she hid from the rest of the world.  Gordon like most men in the era were mighty sexist and could not possibly make the connection between energy and curves to a quiet profession and sensible clothing.  It’s a symbolic example of the whole good girl/bad girl dilemma that faced women for ages.

In the Bronze Age, as Babs became more like Batgirl, Commissioner Gordon naturally figured out his daughter’s dual identity.  So, now, to pull the wool over her Dad's eyes, Batgirl probably pulls the same numerous Batman tricks that dissuade anybody from linking him to Bruce Wayne.  

Her costume is a full body outfit, and her mask hides most of her face.  She probably modulates her voice, adopts different body language, stages alibis and basically becomes a really good actor playing a role.  

Babs Gordon being crippled furthermore argues for Batgirl being a different person, despite her reappearing at a time when Babs regains her mobility.

The story in which Batgirl and Commissioner Gordon become partners offers a lot to the faithful Batgirl reader as well as the newcomer.  The tale is a solid mystery even without Batgirl and Commissioner Gordon as detectives.  It’s surprisingly non-violent in the traditional sense, but does not preclude drama or conflict ably rendered by Godlewski. 

Larson tailors the story to Batgirl and Commissioner Gordon.  So, you never ask why are they actually participating.  Batgirl utilizes her photographic memory several times and displays her wants as a scientist.  Commissioner Gordon emphasizes the difference between police officials and caped crusaders.  He also exhibits the kind of temperament needed to survive in this modern world of superheroes.

Back in the sixties, DC Comics produced genuine, good natured humor books.  These included but not just Jerry Lewis, Bob Hope, Maniaks, The Inferior Five and Angel and the Ape.  Sholly Fisch’s wonderful Scooby-Doo Team-Up returns to these laughs.

Though Angel and the Ape earn the cover spotlight, they’re not the only comedians to take the stage.

The story begins with a Jerry Lewis analogue spotting a monster during his famous telethon.  Those versed in DC’s comic history will quickly identify the apparition,

Even if you figure out what’s what and who’s who, Fisch packs numerous surprises, humor and twists in this done-in-one multitude detective story.

Because the comedic stars display far more animated antics than the above average crime fighter, regular artist Dario Brizuella gets a real work out here.  Furthermore, each funny man and straight man bears a design as distinctive as Scooby-Doo and the Gang that Brizuella effortlessly replicates..

Spider-Man, J.Jonah Jameson and Teresa Durand slipped sidewise through time and space in order to pilfer the secrets of an alternate Tinkerer.  This they do to save their timeline from the destruction wrought by alien invaders.  

Spidey teamed up with his younger self, and while he’s searching for the Tinkerer’s answers, he’s also using his knowledge to help his younger incarnation avoid the traps that he fell into.

Spidey’s decking of Mysterio negates a seriously bad time for Spider-Man that occurred way, way back in the Lee/Ditko years.  He’s not the only one taking advantage of the situation.

Teresa may be Spider-Man’s sister, but due to a constant barrage of villainous psychological warfare, she no longer knows for sure.  She appeared on Spider-Man’s doorstep for different reasons, but now that she has the opportunity, she can earnestly determine the truth.  The answer is surprising and unprecedented.

Unfortunately, the time travelers forgot the rules of Heisenberg, and their observation and interaction with this time stream changes the outcomes outside of their control.

Writer Chip Zdarsky has a flair for humor, and he also demonstrates an understanding of drama.  He and artist Joe Quinones imbue palpable depth and raw emotion to Teresa’s quest.  Both talents furthermore excel when displaying Norman Osborn’s utter madness.  Not the suave kind either.  Norman is a gibbering psychopath with delusions of grandeur.  

How you respond to the Doomsday Clock will depend upon how invested you are in the Watchmen and the new Rorschach.  I found Rorschach to be interesting in the first two issues, but the more he's fleshed out, the less I care.  

Batman tricked Rorschach into Arkham Asylum.  There’s not much difference between Arkham and the nuthouse that inform’s Rorschach’s origin.  

The reader learns how the new Rorschach connects to the old one killed by Dr. Manhattan and the Watchmen in general.  One of the Watchmen that was not part of the original story helps Waylon Jones survive in the sanitarium and facilitates Jones’ rebirth as Rorschach.  It’s a clinically well told story.  I just can’t get that worked up about Rorschach’s origin or the Watchmen in general without a contrast to the DC heroes.  The best scene occurs when one of those heroes seen in Rebirth finally makes her move.

For new readers, having President Roosevelt starring as a comic book action hero may be a hard pill to swallow.  Roosevelt was the historical commander of the Spanish-American War cavalry unit nicknamed the Rough Riders.  In the comic book, he forms the group conceived by writer Adam Glass: Monk Eastman, Thomas Edison, Jack Johnson and Annie Oakley.

Glass builds on the friction that split the Rough Riders in the last two volumes.  They work together as a necessity not because they like each other, barring the core trio of Houdini, Annie and Jack.  Monk though a crook and introduced as a racist evolved to tolerate Jack.  Annie and Houdini basically the honest folk of the bunch recognize Edison and Roosevelt as untrustworthy manipulators of the truth.

Roosevelt as in history ascends to the White House gradually.  In the first volume, he’s an Assemblyman by day and crusader from the Dime Store Novels by night.  In the second volume, Roosevelt gains the Presidency when an assassin fells McKinley.  So in this volume, he’s President through a natural progression to investigate and unnatural incursion.

The real life Harry Houdini was not only a magician and the world’s greatest escape artist.  He also traveled the world busting charlatans who claimed to possess supernatural powers.  In the Rough Riders, that factual side-gig leads Harry to discover true to life occult.  Harry calls upon his old team to save the world, and he needs Roosevelt to convince a reluctant guest-star to join the team.

The guest-star will come to no shock to the well-read horror aficionado, and the Rough Riders through his ken quickly identify the nature of their foe.  Not that it necessarily helps them.

The comedy contrasts the horrific as Glass smoothly contrasts the occult against the laws of physics, which frequently end any further danger through spectacular means.  

Pat Oliffe’s artwork in this volume just may be his best work for the series, and Gabe Eltaeb’s colors are notable for the special effects. 

As it turns out Sheena appears to be the sire of an interracial marriage.  Originally, Sheena had white parents, but there’s no reason why you cannot maintain the classic look of Sheena while investing in an ethnic diversity in her past.  Travel down humanity’s genetic past, and we all end up in Africa.

The interloper is in fact Sheena’s grandmother who never gave up searching for her daughter.  When she discovers the truth, it’s a missionary nightmare.

Missionaries are infamous for arrogantly indoctrinating natives into their religion, but they as well taught native populations science and mathematics.  It’s a double-edged sword.  The abductions depicted in Sheena are clearly wrong, but the teachers appear not to be interested in right or wrong and merely seek to educate.

It's also clear that Sheena’s grandmother isn’t some primitive.  When confronting her daughter’s teacher, she wears civilized clothing, and she’s likely a civilized woman as well as a native.  The tribes probably teach their children extremely well, and while it’s unlikely they know who Amelia Earhardt is or calculus, they probably do understand other scientific principles.  Regardless, Bennett’s and Trujilo’s additions bring a native integrity to Sheena that’s hard not to admire.