Back in June, Mohale Mashigo kicked off a three-issue series of Moon Girl team-ups. It’s a fun way to bring Moon Girl back into the mix while giving readers plenty of excitement with other superheroes. We’re talking Miles Morales, Captain Marvel and even the X-Men. It’s been a minute since Moon Girl got the attention she deserves, but why isn’t Devil Dinosaur in the picture? Find out, as Devil Dinosaur plays a big part in the new story.
Moon Girl: Endangered Species is more like three one-shots loosely connected rather than a regular three-issue story arc. Moon Girl has been untethered from Devil Dinosaur, and through each adventure, she gets a little closer to connecting with him again. Mashigo not only captures Moon Girl’s voice well–she’s always confident and talking to adults in a way that reminds respect–but the gust characters as well.
This trade paperback opens with Moon Girl aka Lunella Lafayette chasing down a criminal and expecting Devil Dinosaur to back her up. Alas, he doesn’t show up, and the criminal escapes. For the rest of the issue, Lunella is trying to figure out where Devil Dinosaur went, and checking out a school with her parents won’t get in the way.
Mashigo writes a good Moon Girl who is tenacious, confident, and speaks in an age-appropriate way. She nails the characterization and you’ll be rooting for her to find her dino friend. It’s also fun to see how she interacts with Miles Morales, who’s a bit older and maybe underestimates Lunella. Mashigo also writes two villains who pop up well and it’s nice to see this duo back in the Marvel Comics.
In your face!
Credit: Marvel
There’s a different artist on each issue, starting with Ig Guara. Guara’s art suits the character as it’s fun and in your face. There’s a baller full-page splash of Miles and Moon Girl running at the reader in epic fashion, for instance. Backgrounds tend to be blank, but with a splash of color to really lift the action and heroes off the page. The clothes and costumes look spot on, too. There really aren’t any complaints when it comes to the art, especially for what younger readers are looking for. Dio Neves, David Cutler, and Marika Cresta follow suit with an all-ages cartoony look and feel.
Rachelle Rosenberg colors the issue with tons of bright blues and pinks. She really makes this book look right for all ages. The letters by Travis Lanham keep things clean and easy to read.
In general, kids are going to love these adventures as they put Moon Girl front and center amongst heroes who have faced it all. She can hold her own and that’s awesome. Mashigo clearly understands this character and fundamentally nails her personality.
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