Wonderland - Down the Rabbit Hole #2 - Review

Wonderland - Down the Rabbit Hole #2

Publication Date:
June 2013

Writer:
Raven Gregory and Pat Shand

Art:
Gregbo Watson and Yusuf Idris

The story so far according so Zenescope...(Contains spoilers unless you have read previous issues)

After experiencing progressively intense and gruesome visions, Alice Liddle visits a psychiatrist to increase her dosage of medication. While Alice struggles to hold onto her sanity, she doesn't see her family ripping apart the seams around her. To make matters worse, Alice finds herself being manipulated by a ghastly childlike version of herself that no one else can see. Unable to quiet the voices in her head, Alice attempts suicide...just as her daughter walks into the room.

What can you expect from this issue?

In the spirit of Zenescope's Wonderland, you can expect a thrilling story as you enter Alice's world of torment. The pace of the story is ideal. A great combination of dialogue and narrative means you can't escape what Alice is going through. Gregory and Shand keep the reader on their toes with a lot of writing in this issue, but that said, I have found this series easier to read than some of the other Wonderland mini-series. Even though we are given a great story about Alice, we are taken on the beginnings of the journey that Calie and Johnny will eventually endure. Gregory and Shand have set this up well giving the reader great context to the Return to Wonderland series which is a must read for all Zenescope fans...after all, that is where it all started.

Illustration and colour have made this series a visual feast. Importantly, the art keeps you constantly connected to the story as a whole as well as to the individual members of Alice's family. Watson and Idris achieve this by providing the reader with drawings of the characters from multiple perspectives. The real success in the art work is how emotion is communicated to the reader. Some of the panel art display on this review demonstrate this.

I tend to be critical of art work where the facial expressions of the characters are not consistent with the story being told. I did feel that while the art for the most-part was brilliant, some facial expressions seem rushed and can tarnish the page. There are a few examples where this happens in this issue.




What did others think of this issue?

I think Unleash the Fanboy made a fair assessment of this issue...

Unleash the Fanboy Review


So what do I give it?

Easily 8 out of 10. I think the art at certain points lets this issue down. That said, it is a great read and a must-own for Zenescope fans.

C.