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= Monstress (Comics) = Monstress is an epic fantasy comics series written by Marjorie Liu and drawn by Sana Takeda, published since 2015 by the American publisher Image Comics.

The comic has been praised as "ambitious as George R. R. Martin or J. R. R. Tolkien" for its high fantasy concepts and heavy world-building. It has even earned approval from notable fantasy writers such as Neil Gaiman. The series has also earned a myriad of awards, including five Eisner Awards and three Hugo Awards.

Summary
The series is set in a matriarchal world inspired by early 20th century Asia, and tells the story of Maika Halfwolf, a teenage girl who shares a mysterious psychic link with a powerful monster. The background to the story is a war between the Arcanics, magical creatures who sometimes can pass for human, and the Cumaea, an order of sorceresses who consume Arcanics to fuel their power. Maika is an Arcanic who looks human, and who is set on learning about and avenging her dead mother. Maika's left arm has been severed and a demon (one of the Old Ones of lore), occasionally emerges from its stub. The demon taking over her body and mind is both source of great power, but also great challenge to understand and control.

Liu first introduced the story to Takeda in 2013. The two started working together a year later, and the first issue was published in November 2015; the trade paperback first volume in July 2016, the second in July 2017 and the third in September 2018.

Publication history
Liu has said that she struggled with depression before writing Monstress. She had taken a hiatus from writing before returning to the industry with Image Comics.

She has described the comic as "a huge epic fantasy." As such, the story required world-building. The first issue was triple-sized (70 pages) in order to properly introduce the various characters and factions.

Liu and Takeda first worked together on Liu's run of X-23 for Marvel. Liu would later describe her work with Takeda as "a wonderful process; it felt like she was reading my mind." A native of Japan, Takeda's art takes inspiration from manga.

Themes
According to Liu, among the series's themes are the inner strength required to withstand constant dehumanization, as well as the power of friendship among women. Race also plays a large role in the series. In the graphic novel the Arcanics, a race of magical creatures, have been at war with humans for decades, and they are now at a stalemate; however the humans are taking Arcanics and selling them as slaves to other humans.

Characters
Maika Halfwolf

The lead of the series, Maika is both a descendent of the legendary Shaman Empress and the granddaughter of the Queen of Wolves, an Ancient. She is brash, impulsive, and hesitant to work with others. She is also often foul-mouthed and aggressive, both in combat and in social situations. In terms of appearance, Maika bares no immediately apparent arcanic features (animal characteristics; fur, claws, a tail etc.) and has been judged by other Arcanics because of this.

Kippa

Maika's young traveling companion, Kippa's arcanic features are much more pronounced than Maika's. She has fox ears and a tail, and can use her heightened sense of smell to her advantage. Maika often refers to her as "Little Fox."

Master Ren

A cat and necomancer, Ren also accompanies Maika and Kippa on their journey, much to Maika's dismay. Ren has two tails and can temporarily revive the diseased for information. His allegiances are unclear and often waver. He tends to quote "the poets" quite often.

The Monster

One of the Old Gods, the monster lives inside Maika and reveals itself through stub where Maika's arm once was. It requires regular feeding, posessing Maika and forcing her to attack and eat animals and people alike. It takes on the form of a shadow-like creature; its only discernible features being its eyes.

Corvin D'Oro

Another arcanic and member of the Dusk Court, Corvin has wings and wields a large scythe. Though he is pledged to the Dusk Court, he has disobeyed orders in the past in order to assist Maika.

Reception
The first, triple-sized issue of Monstress received critical praise. Writing for Kotaku, Evan Narcisse called it "a gorgeous comic book about racism, war and slavery", noting the intricate detail of Takeda's manga-inspired art. In the A.V. Club, Caitlin Rosberg described the leading characters, all women, as "deeply flawed and showing layers of nuanced characterization that you don’t often see in comic books", and appreciated the series's "sense of in-between-ness—(...) neither traditionally Western nor manga, paced like a novel but drawn like a comic".