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KISSING CHAOS #6
Recommended (8/10)
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Oni Press
Writer/Artist: Arthur Dela Cruz
Editor: Jamie S. Rich
Price: $2.25 US |
Dela Cruz's examination of the tumultuous lives of three teenagers continues, and it makes for challenging reading. There's an almost surreal quality to the story and art that's strangely attractive. The creator is in the midst of doing something that no one else in comics is doing at the moment, and more people should sit up and take notice.
Hiding out in a motel in the middle of nowhere, Raevyn and Damien begin to get on each other's nerves, so the former heads out to get a drink. Angela makes her move on Damien, not because she wants to be with him right away, but to test him. Meanwhile, Raevyn finds herself face-to-face yet again with Everett, the guy she ripped off after a one-night stand.
As I've noted in previous Kissing Chaos reviews, as the series progresses, a greater degree of clarity is emerging. I'm not saying Dela Cruz's art is improving; it's been solid from the start. It's just that as we learn more about the story and characters, the visual side of the book gains more and more focus. There's also a shift in the depiction of Angela. As she becomes more active in the story, she changes from a passive child into an alluring woman.
It's been six issues, and I remain impressed with the strength of character Dela Cruz has imbued within Raevyn. She's wonderfully clever, and one can't help but be taken with her. She's confident, intelligent and more than a little wild; what's not to like? Of course, another reason for my fascination with the character may be that I've always had a thing for women with glasses...
Though Raevyn has all the best dialogue and Damien's actions serve as the primary catalyst for the trio's road trip, Kissing Chaos is really Angela's story. Raevyn's role is primarily to give Angela an enemy (or a perceived enemy, anyway), and Damien is Angela's prize. Despite the insanity of the other two characters' lives, it is the chaos in Angela's mind from which the book really derives its name.
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