Rascal Randy #4 // Review
Lilly’s dad is picking her up. Aliza is being taken away by the police. Lilly knows that Eliza is not involved in the murders at all. Nevertheless, they're reading her Miranda rights. Things have gone ever so slightly off the rails. Lilly and company are going to be able to get Eliza off the hook, they’re going to have to catch a rabbit. The murderer in the bunny suit is still at large in Rascal Randy #4. Writer Tyler Boss continues a murder mystery suspense serial with artist Dylan Burnett and colorist Jordie Bellaire.
Some time ago, there was a struggling artist named Margot. She it was struggling. She happened to have this friend. A guy named Julie Friedman. He was the grandson of somebody who created a character with a lot of potential. Friedman isn't doing anything with the character so he offers the character (a cartoon rabbit) to Margot. he pitches it to producers. They love the rabbit so much that they make her a producer too. Now she’s in a position to give Julie work as the voice of the rabbit. Years later, someone is killing people in a costume made in the likeness of that character.
Boss weaves a story of commercial success in Hollywood with a story of murder and revenge. It’s somthing that’s been attempted quite often in the past in other formats. Boss embraces the visual potential of murder and mystery in a story that also engages the visual world of a big, famous corporate mascot bing bent in a dark direction. The full visual potential of something like this isn't really explored on a very deep level, though. This is perfectly OK I'm nothing to be ashamed of. Boss has a lot of moving parts to explore in and within the story.
There is an overwhelming darkness about the visual of the scenes set in the current era. Lots of heavy ink. Lots of morose faces. There are, however, some really interesting angles being presented. Lots of interesting decisions being made as far as how the visuals meet the page. I think is considerably less intense in the flashback scenes. Above all,Bellaire’s coloring work brilliantly dominates the look and feel of the issue. Dark and moody shadows and blues and greens of the current era our contrast against the cheery oranges and purples of the flashbacks. As cool as Burnett’s rending can feel in places, it’s rally Bellaire’s colors that give the issue its greatest visual impact.
Everything fits together quite well on the page. One can't help but get the feeling that a deeper analysis of the nature of business, murder, and ambition in Hollywood could be explored just a little bit better in this particular series if Boss and company were to line the story up a bit more with a deeper look at Randy himself...the character...the rabbit...the figure that is now being used for a string of murders. There's real fanatic potential in there.
