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Well folks, it looks like I don't actually have a rant this
month. Who would have thought that could happen? While I
may not have a rant I do have a few words to say about a
limited series that has just recently finished. Now, after hearing
all the horrible stories of the Icon' limited series involving X-
Men characters I was really uncertain about checking out any of
the others that would be coming out, regardless of the character
that might be spotlighted. So, when the Tigra limited series hit
the shelves I immediately cringed. However, I decided that it
had been way too long since I had a real limited series in my
hands and that I would check it out. I can now say that I am
happy I made the decision I did.
First of all I am not a Tigra fan in any way. For those of you
who don't know who she is all you really need to know is that
she's fuzzy, orange, has a tail and likes to run around in a bikini
when on the job. No, that's not ALL there is to the character,
but it's the basics that I had in mind when I picked up the first
issue of the new series. If you choose not to look into who
Tigra is any more than what I've just said, then at least you have
those basics.
I was originally exposed to the character in the pages of
West Coast Avengers. At that time Tigra, real name Greer
Grant Nelson, was apparently going through a bit of turmoil
between her feline and human states of mind with the feline side
being a bit more dominant. The result? An orange fuzzy woman
running around with a raging libido that would make a frat-boy
blush. The more humorous part of the whole ordeal was that to
feed that libido it took both Henry Pym and Wonderman. Am I
the only one who chuckles when you really think about the
names and powers of the guys Tigra chose to "help" her out with
her little problem? Anyway, the character got very annoying
very quickly. Yes, she had a problem and that is unfortunate.
However, I think the setup of it, and dealing with it, took too
much time and did a huge amount of damage to how the
character was viewed overall.
Since that time I've seen her involved with various
things, but nothing that really centered on her. Of course I didn't
care for the character that much so I could have easily passed
over something. Recently though someone had the idea to bring
the character forward and actually give her more purpose, and
her own limited series. The idea behind the recent story was
that Tigra's dead husband, Bill Nelson, was somehow
connected to a small rogue group within the New York Police
Department. This group was called the Brethren of the Blue Fist
and they dealt with criminals in their own permanent manner.
Now while this concept of a group of rogue officers is nothing
new, and perhaps even cliché, it works for this book because
this story isn't about Tigra finding out things about her husband,
it's about her finding herself.
After entering the police academy, with a false identity,
Tigra is confronted with numerous cliché revelations that you'd
have to be have asleep to not see coming. The guy she's falling
for is involved with the Brethren, her dead husband started it all
with a noble' idea, the guy she suspected was behind her
husband's death is on her side, blah, blah, blah... So, if the story
was such a cliché and predictable then what's the point of
reading it? Well, that comes down to how the creative team of
the series handled the story.
Tigra was written by Christina Z, and she did an
excellent job of making Tigra a solid character. None of her
more questionable' actions of the past were mentioned, which
is good because it would have just served to tear down the
character from where she is now. Also, Mike Deodato Jr. did a
great job of drawing a very shadowy book without detracting
from the action and environment. Planned or not, taking that
approach to the book really helped because at no time was
Tigra more bikini' than character,' which is always a problem
when you have someone who wears minimal clothing as part of
their costume. So, Tigra was able to keep her set look while not
looking like a fuzzy flipping bikini model.
Now just in case you still couldn't get your mind off the
bikini fast enough, the character of Tigra was given solid
intelligence, for the most part. Yes, she had no clue about the
stuff that is obvious to the reader, but she made intelligent
decisions in dealing with the Brethren. She knew she had to
have backup in her human form and made arrangements with the
NYPD so she wouldn't be taking any unnecessary risks with her
life or anyone else's. People did die at times, but I honestly
believe that she handled the situations well for the limited time
and resources she had.
Then, when she was actually in her altered form Tigra
was very predatory and self-assured. Now, while some may
see this as another split personality' type of thing I didn't. Tigra
was very aware of the advantages she had in her altered form,
and she utilized them. Acrobatics, speed, claws, and physical
intimidation were all used well by Tigra in the hands of Christina
Z. Plus, Christina Z also let us into Tigra's mind when she was
just plain old Greer. This allowed us to gain more understanding
of how Tigra understands the limitations of her human form, and
the line that exists between her two forms.
In the end Christina Z gives us a woman who has chosen to be
more Greer than Tigra, and makes it believable. Tigra has never
really been fully comfortable with the Avengers. I remembered
this from my previous exposure to the character, and Christina Z
brings it back to the front of Tigra's mind. The end result?
After trying to find out things about her deceased husband Tigra
finds out more about herself. She knows she wants to help
people, but she doesn't want to be a superhero, so she decides
to finish out her time at the police academy and become a
member of the NYPD. Having Captain America, as Steve
Rogers, show up for her graduation from the academy was a
good idea on Christina Z's part. It allowed Tigra to have her
decision supported by someone who she looks up to in the
superhero world that she has chosen to set more in the back of
her life. Now don't think Tigra is gone folks. She's still around,
but by listening to her heart she has become the hero she wants
to be, and not just the hero the world expects her to be.
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