By: Terry Moore (writer/artist/letters)
The Story: Rachel becomes more aware of her past life.
Review (with SPOILERS): This was another slightly ho-hum issue of Rachel Rising. I have a feeling this story will read dramatically better in trade because while this issue accomplished some important work in terms of progressing the overall plot, it isn’t that enticing as a single-issue read.
This middle portion of the Rachel Rising series has been all about the pieces clicking into place. Issue-by-issue we are growing to understand a little more about who/what/when/where/why/how. It’s an exciting development because once this housekeeping is complete, we can get on with the main climax of the story – and that is something that all Rachel Rising fans have been looking forward to for awhile.
The tricky part is that this housekeeping is taking quite a long time. I keep thinking we are finished and are ready to move on, but each month Terry Moore is showing some other element of the plot or another character-story that needs to be advanced before we can move on. I’m of two minds about the pacing of the story right now. On one hand, it does seem a little tedious. This is the point where all the short-attention-span people decide to switch to trade or that they’ll read the whole thing when it is over. On the other hand, this methodical storytelling does make me confident that the final resolution of the story will be coherent and make sense. I strongly doubt that Rachel Rising will finish and I’ll think, “What a minute……what about that thing back in issue #__? That makes NO sense. Terry Moore never provided any resolution to _______.” Dude is being methodical, and that is probably what matters in the long run. He’ll make a lot more money off this series in collected editions than he will from the people buying the monthly issues, so it does make sense to cater to them a little bit.
So, with all that hullaballoo out of the way, what ARE these slow-paced plot developments that vex me so slightly? Well……in this issue we basically see Rachel remember who she used to be as Bryn Erin. Prior to this issue, we (i.e. the readers) were made to understand that Rachel WAS this young woman who was murdered for being a “witch” hundreds of years ago, but I’m not really sure the Rachel could access those memories. Now, whatever mental block that previously existed is removed. Rachel knows who she is. Jet knows that she/he is really James. Lillith knows that she is Lillith. It all clicks together.
The only problem with this Rachel realization is that a lot of it felt like rehash of previous issues. From a storytelling standpoint, it IS different. Before we (the reader) were shown who Rachel is. Now Rachel is realizing it for herself and that has a different impact on the story. But seeing the same basic conversations from the past felt tedious. It even looked like the same panels. I’m sure they aren’t actually the same panels. Knowing Terry More, he probably redrew the story, but it still felt a little like a rip-off.
There are other elements to the issue and it was fun watching Rachel have to suggest to Jet/James how to pee now that he is in a girl’s body. I guess that would be a little weird. And the stuff with Aunt Johnnie is interesting, but I’m not really sure where it is going and therefore I’m not sure how much I really care.
The art is wonderful. Terry Moore is just so darn gifted at drawing women and making them feel/act/look like the real deal. There is nothing idealized about Rachel and Jet. They look like normal women who are attractive, but would also have bad breath and BO if they didn’t practice proper hygiene. They look like the kind of girls who might wear a favorite bra two days in a row. Basically, I consider them real people in a way that I’ve never considered Ms. Marvel, She-Hulk or Batwoman to be real people and it is all due to the realistic way that they are depicted.
Conclusion: Still a strong series, but I can see why people prefer to read Terry Moore in trade sometimes.
Grade: B-
– Dean Stell
Grade
Conclusion