Desperation is the cause of fear … and the core of hopelessness.
Creative Staff:
Writer: Meredith Finch
Artwork: Ig Guara
Colors: Triona Farrell
Letters: Cardinal Rae
What They Say:
Rose is shaken when she discovers the depth of Drucilla’s depravity. While she loses faith in herself, her allies have a chance encounter that raises questions of exactly who and what Rose is. Can Rose gain back their trust, or will they all be undone by a darkness that threatens to consume everything in its path?
Content (please note that portions of review may contain spoilers):
Her mother is dead, village destroyed and now the Queen’s men are closing in on the rebels’ camp. The leader of the cause Ila will not help, but instead wishes not to confront the powerful foes. Rose cannot but help to feel frustration in any lack of action, so if they will not aid her vengeance, then she will pursue it alone. But then the red headed heroine comes to a horrible realization that this might all be her fault; she remembers her mother’s story about the Cleansing, extermination of entire hamlets to purify the land of people using magic, and it causes ever more harm. The flame of her anger burns brighter and so too does any sense of restraint become consumed within that raging pyre. Luckily the thief Will finds the poor girl before she makes a foolish mistake, but feral rage still threatens to consume this innocent. It is only his verbal tongue lashing which snaps her attitude back into line, ashamed of the hatred which she alone thought belonged to her exclusively.
However as they make the way back to camp, a wounded fawn is found being strangled within creeper vines. The rogue is willing to concede to the infant’s imminent death, but the ignorant girl will not surrender to the hand of death. Unfortunately the venom has done its work, and after they untangle the poor animal, it lies limp upon Rose’s lap; as she weeps for the passing of the child, a single tear falls upon the cold corpse, bringing life back what was once departed. As mother and child swiftly depart, this event causes Will to erupt in fury, his ire fueled by the notion this child he once thought guiltless, is now an agent of Drucilla. But before he can follow through on his threat, a ghostly figure appears behind them, bow in hand, arrow nocked and ready to fire. Danger unifies the two who were once enemies and now oblivion follows them on fleet feet, determined to end the one he now calls Guardian.
In Summary:
Just when I thought the previous issue was intense, writer Meredith Finch gives us more surprises which surpass the last. While this might be a transitional story, it does not mean she leaves out elements which cause Rose to develop as both a young woman and a burgeoning heroine. I love seeing her naiveté creep into every scene, paranoia of guilt for being the probable cause for the destruction around her, innocence of inexperience and the uncertainty by which cause her to blossom into someone stronger. It is stories like this which make reading Finch’s narratives such a pleasure: the gradual breakdown of a persona, exposing flaws, indecision, sowing seeds of doubt and then comes what means the most of this pruning and cultivation – the budding into a better person. You empathize with Rose on this grand scale, see her exposed to the harshness of the truth and a spark of what everyone is after, the cause of her misery. And then to show in contrast of what she might become, we see Drucilla, someone corrupted by her own wants and needs and insatiable hunger. This merciless mistress of cruelty stirs our passion to see Rose succeed, making us detest her with every exposure to this choking influence and wanting to see someone challenge her. Finch balances these two forces so wonderfully and with such panache, that you could almost see the Queen as perhaps once being someone like her future nemesis. But of course, then we have to remember: Light cannot exist without the Dark. It is this realization which makes this title so fulfilling and a pleasure to read.
And yet none of these complex diversities would be viable without the phenomenal artistry of Ig Guara, who gives this issue a harsh disparity between innocence and violence. I admire how he opens the story with the severity of Will, his stern face projecting his fervor for caution, Ila being the calm voice of reason and then we get to the head strong nature of Rose, who you cannot but shake your head at her acknowledged frustration; our heroine has the impetuous nature of a teenager, linked with the anger of loss and thrill for being able to seek revenge, and still is barely contained within a sexy package which projects tainted purity and allure. A brief flash of tender skin beautifully blends with the cruelty which surrounds Rose, barren ruins of forest and scorched earth flash by as she races toward the husk of the village, and then the image of that deer trapped within the tangle of vines, it all tugs at different emotional states. It is amazing how Guara is able to synergize each element, building on the essence of what was presented before, amplifying the tension so that every following panel feeds off it. This continuity draws the audience into the action, the melodrama, easing us forward until the climax bursts forth, with all the subtly of a raging torrent, which crashes down upon the craggy rocks below. If you want a reader to enjoy your tale, this is how you present it, not stuttering along, but with smooth transitions of all within encompassing satisfaction.
But none of this monumental zeal would be possible without someone who can communicate her intentions by dressing the scenic atmosphere within an organic softness of tangible colors, namely the very talented Triona Farrell. Unlike the harshness of some colorists, she is able to surround us within a state of calming pastels, languid tones and vivid auras of tranquility. Each example of her skill shows us that she understands the need for an understated palette, one in which shading is just as important as the illustrations themselves; in cases where others would use an obnoxious clash of dazzling hues, Farrell allows the art to speak for itself and then amplifies the emotional state of the situation, bringing forth something which would not be possible with pictures alone. Her use of subdued colors helps to arouse the underlying emotional state of Rose and her compatriots, and when it is needed, it feels like she is giving them a comforting hug during this crisis. However, when a shock of color is needed such as Rose’s magnificent mane of hair, the crackling energy of a campfire or the strength of our heroine’s convictions, she allows for those exceptions. However, Farrell still remembers that this is a cooperative effort, there is no player who is more important than any other with the characters being the focus, not some background actor which is only shown for one panel. Although now that we have dove into Rose’s story, she still gives special attention to the conflicted girl’s wardrobe: the stunning crimson of flowing hair brilliantly frames that gentle face, a faint nod to the temptation of lusciousness concealed within a once ivory dress, now as stained as her conscious, not knowing how to proceed any further. It almost feels like we have been encased within a rock slide, rolling down the dusty mountainside until we gently arrive within the canyon below. You can almost feel her innocence has been eroded away, exposed to the viciousness of Guara’s world, all combined within that panel of Ila facing Rose: the past against the present, somehow making this adventure well worth it.
If you do not think Rose is worth reading, then you must be empty inside. The journey of our heroine, a girl who was once pure to the world has now been thrust into the cruelty of persecution for being who she, and forced to live within a realm which wishes to crush that innocence. It is amazing how much Rose has changed since the last issue, her inexperience now exposing a strength which she never knew existed and which she desperately needs. Who is to say how she will survive, but I cannot wait to find out how Drucilla’s actions will shape her into a force which the Queen wishes she never released.
Grade: A+
Rating: T (Teen)
Released By: Image Comics
Release Date: May 17, 2017
MSRP: $3.99