Fun to read; powerful storytelling

Motor Girl Vols. 1 and 2 (Real Life and No Man Left Behind, respectively)
Abstract Studio
Creator: Terry Moore
Release Date: 2017

I am no longer a stranger to Terry Moore. I'd read and heard a lot about his epic "Strangers in Paradise" comic before I ever actually gave it a try. I hemmed and hawed with indecision, but picked up the digest-sized collections a time or two when I'd see them at shops. But they never seemed to have the first volume. One day I decided to take the plunge and just try the series. I tracked down all of the trades on either eBay or Amazon.

What I found was an incredible story about two women, their lives, their friends, their loves, etc. This was very much character-drive writing, and Moore was an excellent artist to boot. There was very little not to love!

To top it all off, not long after I finished reading the then-last trade of "Strangers," it was announced that Moore would be working on another story line titled "Echo." This title, oddly enough, also focused on strong female leads. It also had more of a sci-fi slant to it, while still being firmly grounded in the real world. In fact, late in the title's 30-issue run, it was revealed that "Echo" was set in the same universe as "Strangers" thanks to a common character. I collected that title as singles as they came out and enjoyed every issue.

Not long after "Echo" ended, Moore announced his next title, "Rachel Rising," would have a supernatural slant. I purchased that series in singles, as well, sticking with it well into the upper 20s. I still enjoyed Moore's strong writing, his beautiful artwork and his powerful female leads, even the undead ones, but it began to feel to me like the narrative of "Rachel" was beginning to meander a bit. Look back at some of my past posts and you can read more of my thoughts on Moore's previous titles.

But after I gave up on "Rachel Rising," I didn't heard about any more Terry Moore projects for a while. In fact, I failed to notice when "Motor Girl" was announced or solicited or released. I was happily surprised one day doing my comics order to see a new Terry Moore trade, and decided to give it a try.

I was glad I did. "Motor Girl" is "Sam"antha Locklear, a Marine Corps veteran fresh out of Iraq, where she was captured and tortured by the enemy. Back stateside, she now works in a Nevada desert junk yard where she prefers to be alone — except for the imaginary gorilla she calls Mike, her best friend; her boss, Libby, a grumpy but sweet old lady; and some comical little green men who land in her back yard with "engine trouble." Unfortunately, the arrival of the aliens brings some shadowy industrial/government types nosing around, too. And Sam is suffering from headaches and post-traumatic stress disorder from her ordeal in Iraq.

That first trade was everything I expected it to be. It was funny. It had a sense of drama and mystery. And there was also a sense of heavy foreboding regarding Sam's health. This book was definitely a keeper, and I kept watch for the second trade.

I was surprised to learn the month after I ordered that second trade that a "Motor Girl" omnibus would soon be solicited. That makes this the shortest Moore story I am aware of to date with only 10 issues to wrap up Sam's story. And I can confirm after now having re-read the first trade and reading the second trade that this is an incredible story about yet another strong female lead character.

Both volumes are great reads, and I am happy to recommend that anyone give them a chance. If you've read and enjoyed other Terry Moore Abstract Studio comics, you'll love this one, too. And If you've never tried his comics, this is a great one to start with. His work is deserving of your attention!

It's All Becoming A Little Clearer

Rachel Rising 19
Abstract Studios
Terry Moore, writer and artist

Things are starting to come together in this series. We have the current events which involve both Rachel and her friend, Jet, walking around and talking and interacting with other folks despite the fact that they are dead. We also have an ancient witch that only some people can see walking around and speaking in riddles to some while enticing others to commit horrible acts. There's also a demon who possessed a little girl and later Jet, at least for a little while.

Then there's also a Colonoial-era story line we've been getting glimpses of from time to time, providing some background for the town in which this all takes places. Apparently there was a large massacre of young girls, all accused of being witches. Their leader, Lilith, is the witch roaming around in modern times, and we know from her that she cursed the town for the deaths of all those young girls in Colonial times. We also know that she is set on destroying the modern inhabitants of the town in retribution for the massacre. But so far, aside from Lilith, there hasn't been a great deal of overlap in the two stories or an explanation of how Rachel and Jet are still ambulatory and seemingly normal, at least at first glance, while being quite dead. At least, nothing obvious.

That begins to change with this issue. A quiet dinner for Rachel, Jet, Rachel's Aunt Johnny and Johnny's friend Carol takes an unexpected turn. Rachel and the readers are given another flashback to the Colonial-era events, and this time, Rachel has less trouble making sense of those past events and how they relate to her today. This doesn't necessarily mean the end of the series is drawing near, but I do hope the answers keep coming.

More Creepy Goodness

Rachel Rising 17
Abstract Studios
Terry Moore, writer and artist

It's been a while since I talked about this book, but I'm still enjoying Moore's trip through the dark history of this little town and the impact that history has on its current residents.

The title character is not the only one to have risen from the dead at this point. Rachel's friend, Jet, is also now walking around and talking with people despite having a broken neck and no pulse or much of a sense of touch anymore. We also know a little of the town's history and why these strange events are happening, although I don't want to reveal too much for anyone wanting to try the series for themselves.

In fact, my only complaint with this title is that each issue feels very short at just 18 pages of actual story, and many leave me feeling like there wasn't much story progression, although that is often deceptive. I might have enjoyed this story more in trade format for a more satisfying chunk at a time, much like I did when I read Moore's Strangers In Paradise series. But I started picking this one up in single issues like I did with his previous series, Echo, and hate to switch now.

Bottom line, this is a chilling story involving witchcraft, possession, demons and re-animated corpses that is visually stunning to look at and a well-written narrative to boot. You can't go too far wrong with those ingredients.

Revelations And More Questions

Rachel Rising 7-10
Abstract Studio
Terry Moore, writer and artist

When last we saw Rachel, she along with her aunt, Johnny, and her friend, Jet, were in a car accident. Of course, being already dead, Rachel seems to have escaped the accident unscathed. Johnny is in the hospital with some pretty severe, extensive injuries. And Jet was killed.

Her neck was snapped.

Except that, like Rachel, Jet isn't exactly dead, either.

Also in the car at the time of the accident was a little girl named Zoe. Rachel and the rest were trying to help Zoe despite not really knowing her. Zoe, I'm guessing somewhere around 10 or so, lost her entire family recently. We're not sure if she watched them die at the hands of a blonde woman or if the blonde woman caused Zoe to kill them herself, but they are all dead. Zoe ended up in the foster care system where she was threatened by an abusive would-be foster parent. Once again, the blonde woman showed up, and this time there was little doubt that the blonde woman eliminated the threat.

Zoe also escaped the car accident unharmed and has run away, but death seems to be continuing to follow her.

While Rachel tries to help Jet come to terms with what has happened to her, Zoe ends up in a farm house. The elderly couple who lived there are dead and Zoe is making herself a peanut butter sandwich when the blonde woman shows up again. We finally learn the name of the blonde woman, Lilith, Adam's first wife and often depicted as a demon or the first witch. Lilith explains to Zoe that she in fact is NOT a little girl but a demon named Malus and that death has followed in her wake for more than 400 years.

Along the way, we learn some very unpleasant things about the past of the town of Manson. And we also get quite a few more unanswered questions to replace the few that are answered by these issues.

Not at all sure where Moore is going with all of this, but I'm enjoying being a little creeped out by the journey.

Curiouser And Curiouser

Rachel Rising 5
Abstract Studio
Terry Moore, writer and artist

There's not a great deal of advancement in Rachel's story in this issue. She speaks with her best friend, and we find out more details of what little Rachel remembers about being buried alive and escaping from the shallow grave. Beyond that, there is just a rather shocking announcement about Rachel from a new character, and since this character is a new one, we the readers have no real basis for knowing how valid this person's declaration might ultimately prove to be.

However, we do get some more insight into the little girl whose entire family just met tragic ends, either at the hands of the mysteriously silent woman who witnessed Rachel's "resurrection," or at the hands of the little girl taking cues from the silent woman. First off, we get a name for the little girl -- Zoe Mann. Zoe is in the hands of child protective services following her family's deaths in a house fire. A genuinely well-meaning social worker arranges to have a couple of "old reliable" foster parents take charge of Zoe until something more permanent can be arranged. The silent woman apparently reveals to Zoe that this couple, the Boyles, are not quite on the up and up, especially the husband who has a history of child abuse. When Mr. Boyle threatens Zoe, the silent woman intervenes, quite effectively protecting Zoe. And we have more evidence that the silent woman is not visible to everyone.

One more tidbit on this silent woman: I've read some online reviews that refer to her as also being Rachel or another aspect of Rachel. I don't think we have been given enough information at this point to rule anything definitively as fact or nonsense. But I will say that Rachel and the silent woman are drawn so that they certainly don't look like the same person. I did not get the impression that they are one and the same on my own. Hopefully, time will tell.

What Is Up With That Chick's Eyes?

Rachel Rising 1-4
Abstract Studio
Terry Moore, writer and artist

The publicized premise of this black-and-white comic is that the title character mysteriously cannot die. The series opens with Rachel discovering that fact along with the readers as she has to dig herself out of a shallow grave. Upon doing so and making her way home from the woods where she was left, Rachel learns that she has been missing for three days. The young woman shows physical signs of having been strangled but doesn't recall that happening or who might have been responsible.

As if that weren't bad enough, some of her friends don't even seem to recognize Rachel. And those who do aren't much help trying to help her remember the circumstances from her missing three days.

But Rachel's problems aren't the only odd occurrences readers of this series are privy to. A mysterious blonde woman stood watching from a hillside as Rachel freed herself from the shallow grave in which she'd been buried. This same woman has just as mysteriously appeared to other residents of the town in which Rachel lives (lived?) and has compelled or goaded them into doing horrible things, sometimes without uttering a single word.

Moore is a wonderful writer, and I have enjoyed his previous series, Strangers in Paradise and Echo. I gave this series a try based on his talent displayed in those previous works. It can sometimes be hard to scare a reader with a book which can simply be put down and walked away from. But Moore has crafted a genuinely intriguing and downright creepy first few issues of this series, and I look forward to more of the same.

As a side note: I'm going to add another post on Friday and see how things go twice a week. Not saying the change will be permanent at this point, but definitely for a few weeks, I'm going to give it a try and see how it goes. So come back next Tuesday, as usual, but also look for an extra review on Friday, Kiddie Cops!

Update: Just realized you really can't see Rachel's eyes in the image above, so anyone unfamiliar with the series might not get the post header. Take my word for it that Moore draws Rachel's eyes in this series in a downright creepy way.