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swingdingaling's review against another edition
4.0
I read volume 1 forever ago and don't remember the specifics- this might be worth 5 stars if I re-learn the backgrounds on some characters. As a standalone, it's a pretty good western story with absolutely BREATHTAKING art style.
bengriffin's review against another edition
4.0
I seem to be the opposite of most people on this volume as I found it more confusing than the first. Maybe it's because the storytelling is much more visual or maybe I just need a second read through but I did miss the greater influence of the western setting and the lyrical narrative of the first volume. Don't get me wrong, it's still here, and it still feels very much like Pretty Deadly, it just didn't grab me as much this time. Whilst the artwork might be slightly more confusing than the first volume it's still jaw-dropping with some amazing layouts and exceptional colouring once again. There's also a really useful and informative breakdown of certain scenes in the extras section at the back of the volume that shows how much thought has gone into each moment. It still has all the grand scope, philosophical musings, and powerful characters of the first volume, and it's still one of the most unique comics out there at the moment, so it's only really my expectations and personal preferences that let me down this time around. I'm not going anywhere though, it's still one of my favourite things out there and I'll be glad to get my hands on volume 3 whenever that appears.
heggs's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
ruminations_reverie's review against another edition
4.0
I was a little surprised how much more I liked this vs. the first volume. The beauty of the art is absolutely stunning and the storyline structure is really amped up in this book making it more engrossing and easier to follow without losing its complexity.
withthebanned's review against another edition
3.0
The artwork is stunning, but I found the story lacking.
bkwrm1317's review against another edition
dark
medium-paced
3.0
Liked this volume a bit less. Not entirely sure why, just wasn’t my jam as much.
lilith_knight's review against another edition
5.0
“We are all shaped by what we do.”
The premise is more staightforward this time: Sarah is dying and her children plead with Death to let her live until next full moon, so that her son might come back from the war to say his goodbyes. In the meantime in the battlefield Ginny and Big Alice (my fave!) are trying to find a way to stop all this madness.
The art was even more beautiful in this one (I didn't know that was a possibility) and the story far less confusing and more heartbreaking, as it deals with war and loss. We come to revisit some old characters and meet some new ones, while some character backstories and/or purposes were sort of explained (gasp!). The ending was beautiful and bittersweet and I can't wait for the next installment.
Highly recommended.
The premise is more staightforward this time: Sarah is dying and her children plead with Death to let her live until next full moon, so that her son might come back from the war to say his goodbyes. In the meantime in the battlefield Ginny and Big Alice (my fave!) are trying to find a way to stop all this madness.
The art was even more beautiful in this one (I didn't know that was a possibility) and the story far less confusing and more heartbreaking, as it deals with war and loss. We come to revisit some old characters and meet some new ones, while some character backstories and/or purposes were sort of explained (gasp!). The ending was beautiful and bittersweet and I can't wait for the next installment.
Highly recommended.
flapjacks's review against another edition
4.0
Beautiful illustrations to go along with an epic western story. This volume was a lot easier to digest than the first one, which I had to read three times to fully understand.
mnsperkins's review against another edition
5.0
Like I said in the review of Volume 1, this is not something I would normally pick up, but I decided to anyway. I love this comic. The art is beautiful, the writing is lyrical and brilliant.
moirwyn's review against another edition
4.0
This review originally appeared on my blog, Books Without Any Pictures:
http://bookswithoutanypictures.com/2017/09/06/pretty-deadly-vol-2-the-bear-by-kelly-sue-deconnick-and-emma-rios/
When I read the first trade paperback volume of Pretty Deadly, I was impressed. Pretty Deadly is a Western-style comic that incorporates American mythology amidst gorgeous artwork and lyrical storytelling. I couldn’t put it down, and it was unlike anything I’d read before. Impressive, but also super artsy, and there were points in the story that were a little bit hard to follow.
Pretty Deadly Vol. 2 takes a bit of a darker tone, but is also quite lovely. The story begins as Sarah Fields is on her deathbed. Her family makes a deal with the gods of death–that they will wait to claim her for one month, until her son is able to return and see her one last time. There’s only one problem–her son is off fighting in World War I, and the war is not going well.
Pretty Deadly Vol. 1 focused largely on the American West. Volume 2 focuses most of its action on the battlefields of Europe, and on the interactions between different forces like war, fear, and vengeance. The stories of mortals and immortals are juxtaposed together, and even if they have different motivations, their fates are linked together.
As in Volume 1, there were points in this book where the experimental style of storytelling made the action hard to follow. I also had to jog my memory a bit from the first book, because it had been a while since I read it and I had to remind myself who some of the characters were. But the experience was entirely worth it. This isn’t just a book about characters, it’s a book about emotions and ideas, and those are reflected through the hard work of a team of extremely talented artists. There are points where you’ll find yourself saying, “I don’t quite know what just happened but this is beautiful and I want more.”
Verdict: Worth the read, and I hope Volume 3 comes out soon.
http://bookswithoutanypictures.com/2017/09/06/pretty-deadly-vol-2-the-bear-by-kelly-sue-deconnick-and-emma-rios/
When I read the first trade paperback volume of Pretty Deadly, I was impressed. Pretty Deadly is a Western-style comic that incorporates American mythology amidst gorgeous artwork and lyrical storytelling. I couldn’t put it down, and it was unlike anything I’d read before. Impressive, but also super artsy, and there were points in the story that were a little bit hard to follow.
Pretty Deadly Vol. 2 takes a bit of a darker tone, but is also quite lovely. The story begins as Sarah Fields is on her deathbed. Her family makes a deal with the gods of death–that they will wait to claim her for one month, until her son is able to return and see her one last time. There’s only one problem–her son is off fighting in World War I, and the war is not going well.
Pretty Deadly Vol. 1 focused largely on the American West. Volume 2 focuses most of its action on the battlefields of Europe, and on the interactions between different forces like war, fear, and vengeance. The stories of mortals and immortals are juxtaposed together, and even if they have different motivations, their fates are linked together.
As in Volume 1, there were points in this book where the experimental style of storytelling made the action hard to follow. I also had to jog my memory a bit from the first book, because it had been a while since I read it and I had to remind myself who some of the characters were. But the experience was entirely worth it. This isn’t just a book about characters, it’s a book about emotions and ideas, and those are reflected through the hard work of a team of extremely talented artists. There are points where you’ll find yourself saying, “I don’t quite know what just happened but this is beautiful and I want more.”
Verdict: Worth the read, and I hope Volume 3 comes out soon.