Writer: Rick Remender
Illustrator: Paul Azaceta
Colors: Matheus Lopes
Letters: Rus Wooton
Cover A: Paul Azaceta
Cover B: Ramón K Pérez
Publisher: Image Comics
Summary
In the opening scene, Autumn Seasons finds herself in a mysterious and magical place. She has a journal full of notes from her parents on how to navigate this strange land, but ultimately, she gets tricked into looking into a hand mirror and gets trapped inside of it. This is the second major incident in the Seasons universe involving dangerous hand mirrors.
When we see Spring in the next scene, the story resumes from the end of issue one. Spring finally arrives home after receiving her letter from Autumn and heads upstairs to Winter’s room. Winter does not take Autumn’s letter seriously and scorns Spring for suggesting they have to run from the circus.
Then we meet Summer Seasons as she’s busy working in another town. A carnival worker arrives dressed in disguise as a reporter and manipulates Summer into wanting to attend the Grand Premiere of the carnival back in New Gualia.
The next morning, as a lonely Spring prepares herself breakfast, someone breaks into her house and leaves an invitation to the carnival.
With Autumn trapped in a hand mirror and unable to help, it seems as though Winter, Spring, and Summer are all being pulled toward the carnival.
Thoughts
Similar to issue one, issue two is relatively text-light. Much of the story is told through the artwork, and on top of that, there’s artwork within the artwork that tells a story. For example, as Spring runs through hallways and up staircases to get to Winter’s bedroom, she passes many framed photos and newspaper clippings. Through these, we learn that her parents were philanthropists who supposedly died in a plane crash, that Autumn is a famed archaeologist, that Winter is an important artist, and that Summer is a fashion icon.
Her entire family has had famous public accomplishments, and Spring is still in school and trying to make ends meet with a letter courier job. As the youngest in the family, she has yet to make her mark on the world or the family walls.
With her parents missing and her sisters largely busy and uninterested, Spring is left to her own devices most of the time. Most of her interactions are with her pet fish, Gilbert. Gilbert is there for Springs’ meals -which she cooks, goes to work with her, and even sleeps by her bedside.
The interactions she has, or doesn’t have, with her sisters tell us about their relationships. Autumn might not even be in the same realm, and Spring mentions to Gilbert that Summer is self-absorbed and doesn’t visit. When Spring tries to warn Winter that they need to leave town, Winter is dramatic and cold to Spring – even blaming her for a ruined painting.
The interactions between Winter and Spring are a standout for acting in this issue. Winter wears her contempt for her younger sister on her face and in her body language. Winter’s ire sizzles off the page.
The coordination between the artist, colorist, and letterer is on point. Azaceta, Lopes, and Wooton are tightly coordinated. Just as in issue one, the pacing is quick, the story is delightful, and the artwork and colors make me want to linger.
Overall: 10/10
K.L.Murphy has BA in English, writes and reviews comics, and habitually pets cats. Comics are all unique and each one represents an enormous amount of thought and effort. Murphy reviews comics based on a variety of factors, but focuses on the artwork, storytelling, and pacing.
