Yesterday, IDW dropped Issue #1 of their new “revamped” Jem & The Holograms. Click below to hear the verdict.

Full disclosure, I AM the target market for this title. I grew up watching the Jem & The Holograms tv show, I had a Jem doll, with her ridiculously big feet, and to this day not so secretly wish to make a dinner reservation under the name: Jerrica Benton. Was it the greatest show ever? Of course not, even as a child I recognized it had flaws, like the fact that Jerrica never seemed to that Rio, that purple haired snake, was cheating on her with Jem. Yes, I realize they were the same person, but HE didn’t know that. Anyway, that tangent only proves my point. I am who they created this comic for. Throw in the fact that it was written by Kelly Thompson, a writer who I absolutely adore, seriously I’ve said it a 100 times, if you haven’t read her novel Story Killer yet, do yourself a favor and go pick it up here, and I was over the moon.

Needless to say I was practically skipping to the comic book shop yesterday to pick it up. I was not disappointed.

The premiere issue focused not only on Jerrica’s receiving of Synergy, who no longer looks like she should be leading an ’80’s aerobics class, but why Jerrica needs to become Jem in the first place. She may be the best singer in The Holograms, but she suffers from crippling stage fright. Now by projecting the Jem image, she will finally be able to preform for their video for the “Misfits vs.” contest.  Hurray! Especially since 1985 Jerrica Benton always seemed just too confident to need an alter ego.

We are also treated to Ross/Sophia Campbell’s amazing artwork. It’s so amazing to see a variety of body types on female characters in a comic. Though a friend of mine did point out they were a little disappointed that the larger characters were both minorities, and while I get where he’s coming from, I say baby steps. All around the artwork is simply STUNNING!

Final verdict? Truly Outrageous! [Sorry I had to do it.] In all honesty, I am just as giddy at the thought of picking up Issue #2 as I was Issue #1. After all in the next issue we are promised The Misfits! Now the real question is, when will Rio pop up and how will they handle his cheating ways? Seriously this PLAGUED me as a child.

Issue #2 of Jem and the Holograms drops April 22nd.

-EM