MONSTRESS VOL. 2 Review: Secrets On the High Seas – ComicsVerse

What do you get when you combine GAME OF THRONES with PIRATES OF THE CARRIBEAN? Probably something tone deaf and incredibly unfocused. Or you might get something along the lines of MONSTRESS VOL. 2. The story, brought to readers from the minds of Marjorie Liu and Sana Takeda, continues where the previous volume left off. It expands this unique fantasy realm while including themes of past anxiety and trauma as it explores this rich, lore-filled realm.

MONSTRESS VOL. 2 continues Maika Halfwolfs story in discovering her familys history and the power that lies within her. To complete this mission, Maika must travel across the harrowing sea to theIsle of Bone. Years ago, her mother completed this very same journey. Thus, she hopes to discover why an ancient monstrum dwells within her, and her mothers secrets.

The monstrum, of course, is this ancient, other-worldly force that practically acts as a god of the realm. The monstrum and the Shaman Empress, an ancient arcanic female who wielded immense power that both humans and arcanics covet, appear as key elements in Maikas quest in discovering more about her mother. The authors unveil bits of the deeper narrative, as the relationship of thismonstrumand the elusive Shaman Empress starts revealing itself. It appears nothing is quite as simple as it first seemed, and Maika and her companions still have much to learn about the world they inhabit.

The most striking feature of this graphic novel pertains to the lore. These authors managed to create a dense, immersive world. It doesnt even really resemble anything else in existence. At times, this appears as a disadvantage for the creators. Races and habits of the world are frequently introduced, making it difficult to keep track of the various nuances of the realm. It gets to the point where the authors explain aspects of the worlds history through a one-page exposition dump. These sudden piles of exposition appear in the form of an older cat teaching a bunch of kittens the history of their world. While the page appears visually charming, the sheer amount of text quickly becomes overwhelming.

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The art is simply breathtaking. I dont think Ive ever realized how much an artist can affect your reading experience until flipping through the pages of this volume. Sana Takeda makes each panel feel like a carefully crafted masterpiece. It all fits together in such a nice package that its really hard to find flaws with the comic. I like how it resembles Japanese manga in terms of character design, yet feels very much like its own thing. The details of the armor, scenery, and even stuff like the trees are just breathtaking. At times, its almost a shame when you see text blurbs blocking the view of the scene.

The depth of the main cast, particularly Maika and the monstrum, remains exquisite. These are deeply flawed individuals, no question about it. Maika fluctuatesfor me from being too unlikable to extraordinarily sympathetic. Meanwhile, the monstrums revealed history with the Shaman Empress creates an interesting dynamic for why he resides within Maika.

Its also nice to see more of Maikas backstory. As its later revealed, her relationship with her mother wasnt exactly pleasant. Her mother treated her more like a soldier, someone who needed training, as opposed to a child. Its clear that she never receivedtrue love or compassion from her mother, and thus it makes sense why Maika has trouble identifying when those around her care for her. She knows shes different and is fearful for that. She relies too heavily on her own skill instead of accepting the help from her fellow travelers.

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For these reasons, I grew to love her. I feel like a big part of Maikas character development will come from her not necessarily changing, but understanding she has friends and allies. Shes strong, thats undeniable, but she doesnt always need to be the strongest. Its okay to rely on others, though given how much shes hunted, its understandable why she doesnt.

While the authors have told the readers a bit more about this mysterious realm, they still keep most of it under lock and key. We know very little about Maikas mother, and what exactly the Shaman Empress did, yet at the same time finding out little by little makes each volume feel worthwhile. The entire narrative feels like its building to something grand, something as epic as LORD OF THE RINGS. Relatable characters in such a lore-heavy tale elevate MONSTRESS VOL. 2 to the stuff of legends.

Summary

86 %

Earth-shattering in every way

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MONSTRESS VOL. 2 Review: Secrets On the High Seas - ComicsVerse