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Religion, Spirituality, and Comics – A Sampler (Part 3 of 3)

In the final part of this three–part sampler of religion and spirituality in comics and graphic novels, we look first at The Magdalena, the most active example of the warrior nun genre in comics, dip into Matt Murdock’s Catholicism in Daredevil: Guardian Devil, and finish up with atheist J. Michael Straczynski’s spiritual road trip exploring faith, hope, theodicy, and sacrifice. After that, a brief list of other comics that might be of interest is provided.

8. The Magdalena

Warrior nuns. Not the first thing you think of when you think of comics. But they are a thing, and an explicit connection between religion and comics. The most well-known and developed are Warrior Nun Areala and The Magdalena, as well as others such as Chrono Crusade, The Sisterhood and, obliquely, Sisters of Sorrow. Of all of these, The Magdalena is currently the most active, with the Reformation story line, published in 2017,  setting up the series for further adventures with a further generations of the supernatural protector.

The Magdalena first appeared in 1998 in the comic series, The Darkness, set in Top Cow’s universe that includes Witchblade, the Angelus, the Aphrodite characters, and the Artifacts series. Over time, she appeared in various crossovers as well as her own eponymous title. The Magdalena character is cast as the supernatural and superheroic protector of the Catholic church and wider world. Armed with the Spear of Destiny, the Magdalena is the Church’s trouble shooter – a kind of special operations figure – handling things the regular church apparatus can’t handle. The Magdalena conforms to the warrior nun genre in a variety of ways: attractive, energetic women, serving in a Catholic-oriented religious order, with martial arts skills, often with a connection to Mary Magdalene, and who engage in both spiritual activities and physical violence in the pursuit of opposing evil in accordance with the Catholic Church’s will. Continue reading Religion, Spirituality, and Comics – A Sampler (Part 3 of 3) →