The Unstoppable Wasp #1 Review
Writer: Jeremy Whitley
Artist: Elsa Charretier
Color Artist: Megan Wilson
Letterer: VC’s Joe Caramagna
“My name is Nadia. I am The Wasp. I am unstoppable.”
Think you know The Wasp? Think again! Marvel unleashes Nadia Pym — teenage daughter of Hank Pym — as The Wasp for a 
new generation of Marvel readers. She’s bubbly, naive and optimistic. Almost immediately, you can’t help but to root for Nadia.
Writer Jeremy Whitley (Princess, My Little Pony) crafts a charming first issue for Nadia. An immigrant from central Europe, we journey with Nadia and alongside Miss Marvel to a Pakistani bakery, an immigration office and into her first battle of this story arc. Whitley’s experience writing for youthful audiences really shines; it’s difficult to overstate how charming she is throughout the issue. This comic serves as an ideal starting point for young readers who are interested in the wide world of comics.
Whitley lays a heavy pro-feminism message onto the issue that does different things for various audience segments — particularly (but not solely) for female readership. For younger readers, Nadia, Ms. Marvel and Mockingbird are the voices of equal representation. Their message is empowering and setting feminism as a baseline in super-hero comics. For more seasoned readers, the trio is challenging — perhaps even shattering — the already crumbling status quo. Nadia is going to be a character that joins the ranks of Lunella Lafayette and Riri Williams as young girls who can mentally challenge the likes of Tony Stark and Reed Richards.
Elsa Charretier (DC Bombshells, Starfire) makes the joy that Whitley brings to Nadia possible. Her expressive pencilling truly brings The Unstoppable Wasp #1 to life. Nadia is smiling in almost every frame that she occupies. The highlight of the issue is a full page where Nadia is telling the immigration official her life story and the panels form into the shape of The Wasp’s helmet. Charretier’s pencils and Megan Wilson’s (Patsy Walker, AKA Hellcat!) colors fully realize this simple yet brilliant storytelling device. The art is playful throughout, the colors are bright and vibrant, and Nadia’s costume design is superb.
Verdict: BUY. There was little doubt that this would be a stellar issue based on the previous works of the creative team. The issue is playful and whimsical, yet makes no apologies for its strong feminist message. If the story arc continues as strongly as it’s begun, The Unstoppable Wasp will be in the running for one of the best comics series of the year.
