Rachel Rising #17
Story and Art by Terry Moore
Review by Mara Wood
Moore’s latest issue of Rachel Rising illuminates Zoë’s history, provides a cameo of a much-beloved Strangers in Paradise character, and reveals a major plot point in the development of the witch storyline.
The young girl Zoë is, frankly, scary. Death follows her everywhere, and she is not the innocent bystander others believe her to be. Rather, her affinity for morbid elements has been ingrained in her since her rebirth. Zoë, Rachel reports, was once a normal girl. That is, until she died and came back to life 45 minutes later. Since then, her life has been anything but conventional.
Sound familiar?
There is a connection between Zoë, Rachel, and Lilith. While Moore has shown readers certain pieces, there is an assumption that he has a major surprise hidden away. In the meantime, readers will continue to debate the nature of Rachel’s resurrection, the tie to Zoë, and what Lilith is up to in the woods.
The seamless blend between the words and art conveys Moore’s Rachel Rising in such clean, imaginative ways. Readers can spend a great deal of time on each panel reading the symbols in the art and appreciating the facial expressions on the women. Further, Moore has established in the previous 16 issues that readers will not get comfortable during the story. Once readers start to feel a sense of ease, the plot thickens and twists in ways that make every situation strange and wonderful.
THE VERDICT
Rachel Rising is always a buy. From a personal standpoint, I have yet to meet someone who’s read the first issue and didn’t come back for more. With 17 issues already published and trades available, Rachel Rising is a great gift for the serious reader you know, perfect for the poolside, and an excellent summer escape.
