Bigger Than Capes

Story by: Joe Hill
Adapted by: David M. Booher
Art by: Zoe Thorogood
Colours by: Chris O’Halloran
Letters by: Shawn Lee

After the horrific events in the first issue of Rain, we see the Colorado residents glean a little information on what’s happened, with theories about fulgurite and terrorists being thrown around. It also seems that phone reception isn’t really a thing following the rain, so Honeysuckle decides to begin the long walk to Denver to check in Yolanda’s father Dr. Rusted, and to inform him of the death of both his daughter and wife.

We’re treated to some adorable moments with Templeton Blake (y’know little Dracula), in particular him offering Honeysuckle an umbrella to keep her safe if it rains again. Not just adorable, this plays well against his mother Ursula offering Honeysuckle a machete. There’s such a clear contrast in the two family members, clearly showing the mothers awareness of how devastating events can bring out the worst in people while her son is still innocent to the horrors of the world.

We also see the Comet Cult, or the Church Of The Seventh Dimensional Christ, and an interaction they have with Honeysuckle in the street; showing another contrast to how people react in this kind of disaster. The groups leader, Elder Bent, preaches how this event has been foretold to him. It’s a good element to introduce at the start of Honeysuckle’s journey, and her interactions with her neighbours show a lot of her character.

I don’t want to be one of those reviewers that tells you the entire summary of the issue, so I’ll leave the rest for you to discover on your own and simply say that the first few pages establish a lot of what’s to come in this issue, and perhaps the series going forward. Establishing Honeysuckle further as a character with each page, showing the damage that’s been done across Colorado and introducing another interesting character.

If you’ve read Joe Hill’s novella, a lot of Rain is going to play out as you might expect, although there’s definitely some subtle changes made. Events play out faster and in a simpler manner at times, though some aspects are translated into art rather than explicitly told to you as they are in the story’s original form. Now, two issues in, I feel like this story might be better suited to comic form in some ways. Although some of the dialogue is directly lifted from Hill’s version, I do feel David M. Booher’s abridged version of the narrative feels like an improvement on the source material. 

Zoe Thorogood’s art remains a real highlight for me in this issue, it feels like the nicer elements begin to fall away here as she’s presented the opportunity to illustrate a world irrevocably changed from what had come before. However the horror does still come as a shock contrasted with the softness of Thorogood’s character designs, never letting the massacre that’s taken place feel desensitised.

Joe Hill’s Rain #2 expands well on the first issue, developing both the characters we’ve already been introduced to and the terrifying world they’re now living in. It’s also successful at introducing new characters and maintaining the mystery of the world. I’m looking forward to seeing what the next three issues of this series will hold.