“A cautionary tale for all evil-doers!”
Once again, let me start out with FULL DISCLOSURE: I did help by working as an editor on this book, making sure that all the commas were in the right places and such. And the creator of this comic is a close friend of mine. Again, the following review will focus on the parts that I did NOT work on, including the plot, the art and the coloring.
STABBITY BUNNY #2
Writer: Richard Rivera
Illustrator: Dwayne Biddix
Color Artist: Liezl Buenaventura
Letterer: Jaymes Reed
Publisher: Forge Enterprises
Cover Price: $3.99
Previously in STABBITY BUNNY: “Grace and her family struggle to regain a sense of normalcy. Glyph corrupts someone at Grace’s school. More is revealed about the night of the abduction with terrifying, unexpected consequences.”
A CHANGE OF PACE ISSUE
Readers who checked out the first issue of Stabbity Bunny may remember that the focus of that book was the abduction of Grace by a local businessman. Before her mom could save her, her abductor Larry was stopped, and Grace was able to return home … with Larry appearing to be inside the plush rabbit’s eye!
Since this issue continues on from the first, dramatic one, it’s time to slow down the pace and get to know many of the characters involved, and this second book fulfills that need very well. After all, if it was just like last time, we wouldn’t meet Amanda, Grace’s mother, Lena, Grace’s grandmother, Mrs. Piazza, and her classmates, including Ronnie, who has an accident on the school’s playground.
Supernatural happenings continue, this time taking place with Stabbity and Ronnie. Baddie Glyph continues to put his plan into place, and we see just how strong his influence can be when he walks by a bus stop in town. However, not everyone feels his dark magic, and this brings hope for us as readers in spite of the workings of evil in town.
Things move more slowly this time, giving us the breather we need after the intense first issue. I really liked how many of the people in Holiday, Vermont, are introduced, with some being fleshed out. However, there are several shocks and surprises along the way, and not everything is exactly as it seems.
I love a good mystery, and that’s what we’re exploring here – mysterious happenings in a town completely unaware of the dark forces threatening it. That’s why it’s important to have good people like Rondo and Harmony around who might have to save the day sometime soon!
As with good horror, we learn a lot, but more questions are raised as well!
ARTWORK THAT CONTINUES TO TELL THE STORY WELL
It seems to me that with every issue, the art just continues to blossom! Dwayne helps us get into the characters by his excellent talent to display facial expressions, and I particularly like the way he handles Mrs. Piazza (“Mrs. Pizza,” as the students call her). I really felt for her as she encounters Glyph. Of course, Dwayne also does a superb job on Grace and her family, making them people we know, doing a great job of adding to Richard’s script.
Again, Liezl’s coloring also adds a layer of power to the storytelling, using her skills to make Dwayne’s artwork more vibrant and more realistic. They continue to make a great team in this comic, and I can say that they only continue to get better and better since I’ve seen some of the pages for the third issue! Wow!
BOTTOM LINE: Horror The Way It Should Be Told
As the issue unfolded from page to page, I had no idea what was going to happen next. Each panel kept me moving along quickly, and I was more than anxious to know what’s next! I love suspense like this! Even with the issue’s slower pace, I found myself lost in the story, feeling emotions from scared at the right times to smiling when Grace misquotes the lyrics from a famous Beatles song.
To get your copy of Stabbity Bunny #2 as well as the first issue and a variety of merchandise (including t-shirts, stickers and posters), go to the book’s website at this link. If you attend this weekend’s New York Comic Con, be sure to stop by booth #1160 and talk with Richard while you’re picking up your copies!
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