“I’m no wizard, I’m a scientist”: A Feminist Review of Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur

Do you love Shuri, genius of Wakanda and sharp-witted younger sister of Black Panther? Of course you do and Marvel knows it. That’s why they’re making an animated TV series for another tech-savvy Marvel heroine: Lunella Lafayette, aka Moon Girl. There’s no release date yet, but no worries, we have the comics to tide us over. Read our review of issues I through VI* below:

Not offensive to women = 1/1 pt

Features a woman as the main protagonist and/or supporting character = 2/2 pts

Passes the Bechdel-Wallace test = 3/3 pts

Nine-year-old Lunella is our fearless guide into an Inhuman-infested New York City. She is already an inventor of multiple tools and weapons when she meets Devil Dinosaur, who has crossed into our world while fighting the Killer-Folk, a group of cave-people from Devil Dinosaur’s land.

Lunella and Devil Dinosaur save each other and become friends. From then on, they must protect the Kree Omni-Wave Projector from falling into the hands of the Killer-Folk. The Killer-Folk bring a Clockwork Orange-malevolence to Lunella’s life. But she knows she can’t give in to fear, and begins to use her inventions to protect herself, her parents, her classmates, and her city.

Recommended: The Hypnotic Sci-Fantasy of “Saga”

Artistic and/or Entertaining = 4/4 pts / Above and Beyond General Media = 5/5 pts

Lunella has no powers of her own, and her inventions must save the day most of the time. Like Shuri, she’s a great role model for young girls, and especially young black girls. Too many young girls drop out of STEM, and seeing Shuri and Lunella kick ass is the answer to that problem: girls need to see themselves.

Get your superhero fix with Jenn Gott’s The Private Life of Jane Maxwell. Read our review here.

My other favorite message from Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur is Lunella’s sense of body autonomy. Lunella has the inhuman gene, so she is susceptible to mutation by the Terrigen Mist. This means there’s always a threat of her body changing without her permission. Lunella is afraid of this, but she meets the threat with my favorite quote of the series: “I’m the boss of my own body.” Whatever happens to Lunella, you know she’ll be able to overcome it.

*I decided to only review the series up to Issue VI to avoid spoilers, but Lunella’s adventures continue and show no sign of slowing down. In later issues, she deals with the consequences of carrying the Inhuman gene and crosses paths with some Marvel favorites.

Overall: 15/15 on the Scale

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