Shade the Changing Woman #2
"Time's Arrow"
Written By: Cecil Castellucci
Illustrated By: Marley Zarcone
Additional Inks By: Ande Parks
Colored By: Kelly Fitzpatrick
Letters By: Saida Temofonte
Back-Up Art By: Jamie Coe
Cover By: Becky Cloonan
Cover Price: $3.99
On Sale Date: April 4, 2018
After a less-than-stellar... and perhaps a touch "too cute" initial outing, we're tucking in for the long-haul on Shade the Changing Woman.
She's about to learn that Madness Time and Earth Time don't quite jive... all of her new Terran friends have matured and moved on... while she's busy beboppin' and scattin' around the psychedelic whereverthehell.
Let's see what she gets outta sitting at Rac Shade's Learning Tree.
In the time Shade's been away, it would appear as though her friends have moved on with their lives. River sees her as a nuisance while Teacup is seems to be afraid of being pulled back in. Lucky for her, she's still got her Mad Poet idol to hang out with...
... Unluckily for us, that makes this issue more a collection of psychedelic collages than a linear story. Symbolism is all well and good, however, when it all seems to be "saying" the same thing... it just feels redundant and a bit on the indulgent side.
River's story is expanded on, and we get a better understanding of just what kinda clubs and classes he's attending at college. Turns out the dime-store NASA (DHCE) is using co-eds as a sort of inter-dimensional minuteman force. I'm hopeful this can remain at least somewhat subtle without making too much in the way of "torn from the headlines" commentary.
Teacup gets a bit less "screen time" and more or less lets Shade know that she wasn't the friend that she needed to be. Meanwhile back at home, Megan's parents are visited by, well... maybe Megan... but in the form of a young man.
All of these are worthwhile threads, and I'm excited to see where they're headed... unfortunately, they were quite brief... incessantly interrupted by 31-Flavors of Rac Shade telling out Changing Woman that she needs to forfeit her heart. It was just too much...
Art is just as great as ever, and if you were a fan of the original series, you should like this. I can't help but feel it's become a hair too indulgent, and kind of "insists upon" its psychedelic-ness.
Bits and Pieces:
More a collection of psychedelic collages rather than a comic book... and while that isn't a bad thing, it is rather grating, a hair too cute, and wears out its welcome before we hit the staples.
6.5/10
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