Why do I enjoy the Tomb Raider franchise so much? After this weekend’s Women’s March for Equality—the largest protest in the history of these United States—I am reminded that now, more than ever, we need strong female role models in our lives. Whether these female inspirations come from our own families, popular and honest celebrities (cough, Meryl Streep, cough!), or even the characters we see in films and on TV, there are already many women we can choose to follow. For me, Lara Croft is one of them.
As one of the strongest female characters I’ve ever had the honor of reading about, particularly in Dark Horse Comics’ ongoing Tomb Raider series, Ms. Croft cares about nothing more than her friends and those she loves. Even after her best friend, Sam, still possessed by the soul of the evil Queen Himiko, devises a plan to blow up the cottage where Lara and her partner-in-crime, Jonah, are staying, Lara still refuses to give up on their friendship.
This month, in Tomb Raider #12, Trinity and Himiko’s armies face each other over weapons and the right to rule, which gives Ms. Croft the perfect opportunity to finally save her friend Sam. Can Lara free Sam once and for all from the spirit of the evil Queen Himiko? And even if she does, will their friendship be able to go back to what it once was?
As always, script writer,Mariko Tamaki brings us another exciting issue; this issue I believe to be one of the best since this ongoing series began early last year. I found Tomb Raider #12 to be simple to follow, yet made huge strides in regards to the overall storyline. And thanks to Tamaki, this is one of the few comic book series I read where I actually feel something for all of her characters. Throw in some stunning, yet also dark, artwork by Phillip Sevy and colors by Michael Atiyeh, and they truly know how to make a comic book come to life.
As I continue to look at Lara Croft as a role model for my own life, I can only look forward to each of her adventures in the coming months.
Until next month,
#LaraCroftIsMyHero
