No matter what may happen … Tamara will never give up.
Creative Staff:
Writer: Kevin Grevioux
Artwork: Elmo Bondoc
Colors: Jorge Cortes
Letters: Taylor Esposito
What They Say:
After Tamara makes a miraculous recovery after being caught in a massive explosion, the mysterious Shedim tells her how she survived. And the stunning revelation shakes her to the core of her very being … and BEYOND!
Content (please note that portions of review may contain spoilers):
After Tamara finds herself in need of rescue from some supposed muggers, a mysterious man valiantly assists when they turn out to be rogue beings, quickly dispatching the pair when this newly reborn detective fails to defend herself with the strange powers she now finds she has no control. But after they retreat to her savior’s home, the man introduces himself as Shedim, a curator who works at the Smithsonian and collects antiquities, however in reality he is a hinn, one from four different tribes of djinn who have been hunting her, finally confessing this confused woman is one of their kind. And yet as Brazile attempts to understand these new circumstances and finally makes the determination that her new friend has been describing genies, like the one from a popular television show, though with plenty of Hollywood creative licensing, this once depressed policewoman cannot but hysterically laugh after thinking of herself to be like Barbara Eden. After her much welcomed fit has subsided, this stern man cannot but bring up the last time she faced a magical enemy and burned him with questionable powers, or how she has also been able to see these unusual creatures, nor can she explain how she was suddenly cured of stage four cancer, even as Tamara attempts to understand the truth in his words.
But even as Brazile tried to deny this new information, it is then when Shedim reveals that the war between factions of djinn has been going on for a very long time, with its continuing consequences being that the existence of their very race was in jeopardy, however as it dragged on, all knew it would destroy them eventually. However it is then when this solemn narrator spoke of secret which she did not know about her own family, a prophecy about a human/djinn hybrid or a marid whose unique powers could be their race’s salvation or lead to the destruction of rival clans, depending on who got to her first, with that person being Tamara herself. It is only after this initial shock settles does Shedim tell about her mother, a half djinn hinn who fell in love with her father, and wanted to escape from the war to raise this special child without anyone knowing of their abilities until they properly manifested, and yet there were those which recognized her manifesting gifts and took drastic action, like Massey. And yet as her new ally questioned how many people around her could also be closing in and taking notice, with all wanting to persuade the detective to join various ranks to bolster their strength, it is then when this cornered woman asks if she could use her own abilities to seek out the man who murdered Andre, and while Shedim hinted she always had an affinity for their world but never knew how to look, this causes a now determined widow to ask for instruction in the ways her powers.
In Summary:
With all of the tragic melodrama which we experienced within the prior issue, it would not been unexpected to have more of Brazile’s emotional turmoil unravel throughout the following narrative, making this series an evocative experience to motivate the audience to become more invested with our heroine’s journey to some satisfying conclusion, and yet as the story opens for the second issue, writer Kevin Grevioux’s need to expound upon necessary exposition is clearly evident from the start, immediately either provoking or infuriating an obligatory reaction from the reader. To witness more djinn battling without some explanatory premise makes such violence seem superfluous, especially since there has been no justification as to what seems to be an aggressive power struggle, made all the more confusing with the addition of new foreign phrases which serve to needlessly hinder a once exciting story, making these tiresome conflicts nothing more than meaningless contests. But even as Shedim finally sits Tamara down and engages within a prolonged conversation for herself and the audience as to what had been happening to our bewildered protagonist, this appeasing clarification contradictorily prompts a hindering reason to look back onto what has happened before, all as a means to finally understand the hidden details which we missing, and thus burdening readers with more uncertainty as to their overall perception of events which unfolded beforehand.
As this sympathetic djinn attempts to remedy prior doubts as to Tamara’s place within this mysterious dispute between factions of powerful beings, it is the aforementioned skepticism against people who she thought of as friends and mistrust against those who are supposedly allies which brings into question a true comprehension of has happened before, even as she attempts to make sense of abilities which she never knew or realized were a part of her mother’s legacy. And while a tangible temptation to use them to bring back someone who gave her life meaning, the viciously murdered and much beloved husband Andre, is truly appealing for anyone who has suffered an equal loss, the plight of realizing such selfish reasons are unfulfilling for the public as a whole is understandably implausible for the grieving, even if such rationale is reasonable with much needed hindsight, allowing for the audience to resolutely grasp a widow’s hostility and purposefully lash out against those who foolishly try to halt her resulting rage. However it is this convenient magical plot device which creatively leads to the predictable resolution of the chase against the one who caused all of the suffering within our heroic detective’s life, the serial killer Massey, who coincidently is also involved within the foul maneuvering occurring behind the scenes and yet still took great pleasure in killing normal human beings. But even with all of the unresolved anguish which Tamara brings into this supposedly final battle, the briefness of this climatic conflict is ultimately unsatisfying, with her unrestrained anger providing ample fuel for his disappointing conflagration, which leads into a formulaic closing which Shedim alluded to with his haunting warning, and thus leading into what we expect for the final battle.
Due to the mildly motivating conclusion from which we given through the last issue, one would expect the exciting tale to proceed with our confused heroine being given a resolute choice to accept from her rescuer, and yet it is the radical mood shift of this issue’s opening which motivates a much more forceful tone for the continuation. Illustrator Elmo Bondoc immediately displays an ominous connotation through his heavy but crisp linework, made all the more grimly foreboding due to the smothering darkness of Jorge Cortes’ restrictive palette; with the initial page cloaked within a cold blackness which forces the reader to almost succumb to the savagery of the combatants, we are also briefly allowed us to smell the stench of death which these images thrillingly convey, made all the more chilling due to the sole illumination a starless sky lit by the full moon. With everyone eclipsed in shadow and the dim moonlight projecting a sense of serenity, you can almost feel the tangible tension building with all in profile before it is too late as noticed by a forced grin, allowing for shock from a focused view of zealous eyes and glint of glistening fangs, making the foul menace of the attacker visibly fanatical. However it is when the page is turned do we encounter a confusing lighting issue, for while it was established this was a night lit by the full moon, the brightness of the scene is bizarrely questionable, almost as if each being is emitting their own source of visible energy, allowing for the audience to stare in awe at Bondoc’s amazing depiction of textured and muscular bodies of these combatants, the explosive nature of the fight adding to the sensation of not wanting to look away. And yet once the excitement wanes, so too does the strange lighting dim, reverting back to the haunting mood which leads to the first appearance of our captivating heroine with appealing eyes, and while this heavy usage of shadows may suit the growing tension of the moment, it quickly becomes tiresome due to its dependence to set the tone of the narrative, thus lessening its effectiveness when sincerely needed. While seeing half of Shedim or Tamara’s face swallowed by blackness may help to create a somber tone, with each application, the reader begins to wonder what type of mood is being communicated within each scene, since the more we see this same coloring trick, each page seems to merge with the prior until we cannot escape the all consuming depression which is quickly swallowing up the story.
While Rise of the Djinn may have begun as a stirring narrative, as we broach the true meaning behind Tamara’s series of painful tragedies, the underlying foundation of human dependency being the true drive for the story quickly becomes replaced by a petty struggle for power by mystical beings who see the mortals they live among as mere annoyances. And though powerful illustrations and gloomy colors may initially help to establish the enveloping somberness of our confused heroine, its smothering overuse quickly loses its effectiveness and sadly allows for the story to become merged into a bizarre canvas of emotional uniformity. As such, as we are monotonously lead into the final issue, what was once a heartfelt plea for understanding and accepting the unbearable grief of loss is now replaced by a driving conclusion which seems all too predictable, allowing readers a sincere hope that there may be a light at the end of this formulaic tunnel.
Grade: A
Rating: T (Teen)
Released By: Zenescope/Darkstorm Comics
Release Date: January 05, 2022
MSRP: $5.99
