• Marvel 70th Anniversary
• Comics

by Arcee on 04.22.10

Angelica Jones, aka Firestar, is the star of this one shot, appropriately titled "My New Life." Part of the Women of Marvel celebration, this issue takes a more personal look at the new life of Firestar after she has dealt with breast cancer. Still reeling from the effects of chemotherapy, she must deal with her father's new relationship with the mother of a woman who used to pick on Angelica as a teen in school. She is also questioning the strength of her resolve to again take up the Firestar role as she wonders what to do with her life after surviving such a devastating health crisis — one brought on by her mutant abilities.

Don't expect a lot of action or fighting in this story, which is actually a good thing. This is a personal story through and through. From the doubts Firestar has to the way she deals with her current situation, the story takes her life and places it under a microscope for her to examine. The plot by Sean McKeever actually pulls on me a lot because my mother survived breast cancer a few years back, and I watched her deal with her own doubts and insecurities. It was a refreshing change of pace from the usual superhero tale and one that manages to humanize the character a bit more than usual. 

Let's talk about the cover for a bit. When I saw the image — done beautifully by Stephanie Hans — I was immediately drawn to it. Firestar featured prominently, and up close, drew my attention as did the use of reds, a natural attention-grabbing color. However, it was the look of confidence in the character's eyes that called to me the most. As for the interior art, Emma Rios delivers on the goods. Amazingly clean and beautifully done pages help tell the story visually. Every time I pick up something new by Rios, I notice her work just seems to be getting better and better, and it certainly does so again in this book.