Monstress is an epic fantasy comics series written by Marjorie Liu and drawn by Sana Takeda, published since 2015 by Image Comics.
The series is set in a matriarchal “alternate Asia” riven by war between the Arcanics, magical creatures who sometimes can pass for human, and the Cumea, an order of sorceresses who consume Arcanics to fuel their power. The main character, Maika, is an Arcanic who is set on learning more about, and avenging, her dead mother. 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.
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”.
EHT Comics 
I picked up this series a few years ago with book one (with issues 1-6) and I’ve been hooked since. The main thing that got me was the steam punk-esque artwork. When I saw it at Barns and Noble, I couldn’t get enough. I read through it in the store, next time I had to buy it. A month ago I just picked up book 6 and so far the story is unbelievable. I hate waiting until fall to pick it up, but I don’t want the story spoiled by picking up individual issues (lol). But yes, I also highly recommend this series for so many reasons: the world, the characters, the stories. I’d also love to see this as a series or film if done right
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