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Rachel Rising #7
Rachel Rising, Volume 7: Dust to Dust
Rachel saves Zoe's life and finds the elusive demon Malus by looking through the eyes of his last victim. In an earth-shattering showdown, Lilith confronts Malus and fights for the future of humanity. Dust To Dust is the final book in the Rachel Rising story, collecting issues #37-42.
N.B. Cover not final.
N.B. Cover not final.
128 pages, Paperback
First published June 29, 2016
7 people are currently reading
178 people want to read
About the author
Terry Moore
824 books649 followersFollowing the examples of independent comic creators such as Dave Sim and Jeff Smith, he decided to publish Strangers in Paradise himself through his own Houston-based "Abstract Studios" imprint, and has frequently mentioned a desire to do a syndicated cartoon strip in the authors notes at the back of the Strangers in Paradise collection books. He has also mentioned his greatest career influence is Peanuts' Charles Schulz.[1] Some of Moore's strip work can additionally be found in his Paradise, Too! publications.
His work has won him recognition in the comics industry, including receiving the Eisner Award for Best Serialized Story in 1996 for Strangers in Paradise #1-8, which was collected in the trade paperback "I Dream of You".
It was announced on June 15th, 2007 that Moore would be taking over for Sean McKeever as writer of Marvel Comics's Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane series starting with a new issue #1. On July 27th, Marvel announced that Moore would also take over for Joss Whedon as writer of Marvel's Runaways.[2]
On November 19th, 2007 Terry Moore announced in his blog that his new self-published series would be named Echo and its first issue would appear on March 5th, 2008.[3]
His work has won him recognition in the comics industry, including receiving the Eisner Award for Best Serialized Story in 1996 for Strangers in Paradise #1-8, which was collected in the trade paperback "I Dream of You".
It was announced on June 15th, 2007 that Moore would be taking over for Sean McKeever as writer of Marvel Comics's Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane series starting with a new issue #1. On July 27th, Marvel announced that Moore would also take over for Joss Whedon as writer of Marvel's Runaways.[2]
On November 19th, 2007 Terry Moore announced in his blog that his new self-published series would be named Echo and its first issue would appear on March 5th, 2008.[3]
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 77 reviews
January 2, 2020
What a barn burner of a series. I burned through it all in one day. Only 4 stars for this one though because each of the last 3 issues left me a bit unsatisfied. Zoe's story came to an odd end as did Malus's. Malus's especially felt rushed after all the build up about how he can't die, then he just does. Argh! Even Rachel's final story felt rushed. Although that final page is one of the best endings of a story.
I do wish we'd gotten answers about Dr. Siemen. For whatever reason, he was dropped from the book after fixing Uncle Johnny at the end of volume 4. He had his dead wife sitting on the couch and there were multiple references that made it sound like he may have been immortal as well. I guess Moore lost interest in the character.
This last volume unfortunately felt like the series wasn't financially viable any longer and Moore decided to draw it to a quick close. I'm not sure that is the case but I've seen a few allusions to it. Overall though, Moore is a master storyteller and you really can't go wrong with any of his series. I've adored them all.
I do wish we'd gotten answers about Dr. Siemen. For whatever reason, he was dropped from the book after fixing Uncle Johnny at the end of volume 4. He had his dead wife sitting on the couch and there were multiple references that made it sound like he may have been immortal as well. I guess Moore lost interest in the character.
This last volume unfortunately felt like the series wasn't financially viable any longer and Moore decided to draw it to a quick close. I'm not sure that is the case but I've seen a few allusions to it. Overall though, Moore is a master storyteller and you really can't go wrong with any of his series. I've adored them all.
January 5, 2017
Can Lilith save the world? Will Rachel rise again?
"Woman is the only creature in nature that hunts down its hunters and devours the prey alive." --Abraham Miller
"I can calculate the motion of heavenly bodies, but not the madness of people."--Isaac Newton
Well, I finally finished this women zombie comics series and will now take the opportunity to read Zedsdead's detailed analysis of all the holes in it. And I won't reveal anything important, but I have to say I 1)really liked the series a lot; 2) liked the finish pretty well, and 3) thought there were a lot of things unexplained and unsatisfactorily resolved. What did Zedsdead say a few weeks ago after which I stopped reading his review? Something like, seeing Moore on floor routine, doing his ultimate, routine-ending tumble: "He doesn't stick the finish."
I'd agree with that, but I like all the characters so much that I felt finally pretty forgiving. And you know, horror often ends with beauty, and this one does. I am sick of zombie stories, but I loved this series, overall, with its great black and white drawing, with its (largely) all-women cast (usually there is at least one gorgeous man in a series like this, but nope, sorry girls looking for male eye-candy, the main central character is an overweight guy named Earl who does all the autopsies--and there are a lot of autopsies he has to perform in (yes, serial-killing) Manson (ha). And Earl is dating Jet, whose autopsy he once did. . .
Malus, the anti-Christ, is here, inhabiting some of the newly dead corpses, randomly killed. But if this all sounds icky to you, the women and their great dialogue and senses of humor make it all worthwhile: Rachel, Zoe, Lilith, Jet, Aunt Johnny. The whole wrestling-with-the-demon-for-the soul-of-the-universe actually takes a back seat in most ways to all the relationships. 3.5 stars for the last volume, 4 stars for the series, though it is really memorable and I do highly recommend your checking it out. It may not be the most satisfying and accomplished of finishes, but there are plenty of memorable things about it.
"Woman is the only creature in nature that hunts down its hunters and devours the prey alive." --Abraham Miller
"I can calculate the motion of heavenly bodies, but not the madness of people."--Isaac Newton
Well, I finally finished this women zombie comics series and will now take the opportunity to read Zedsdead's detailed analysis of all the holes in it. And I won't reveal anything important, but I have to say I 1)really liked the series a lot; 2) liked the finish pretty well, and 3) thought there were a lot of things unexplained and unsatisfactorily resolved. What did Zedsdead say a few weeks ago after which I stopped reading his review? Something like, seeing Moore on floor routine, doing his ultimate, routine-ending tumble: "He doesn't stick the finish."
I'd agree with that, but I like all the characters so much that I felt finally pretty forgiving. And you know, horror often ends with beauty, and this one does. I am sick of zombie stories, but I loved this series, overall, with its great black and white drawing, with its (largely) all-women cast (usually there is at least one gorgeous man in a series like this, but nope, sorry girls looking for male eye-candy, the main central character is an overweight guy named Earl who does all the autopsies--and there are a lot of autopsies he has to perform in (yes, serial-killing) Manson (ha). And Earl is dating Jet, whose autopsy he once did. . .
Malus, the anti-Christ, is here, inhabiting some of the newly dead corpses, randomly killed. But if this all sounds icky to you, the women and their great dialogue and senses of humor make it all worthwhile: Rachel, Zoe, Lilith, Jet, Aunt Johnny. The whole wrestling-with-the-demon-for-the soul-of-the-universe actually takes a back seat in most ways to all the relationships. 3.5 stars for the last volume, 4 stars for the series, though it is really memorable and I do highly recommend your checking it out. It may not be the most satisfying and accomplished of finishes, but there are plenty of memorable things about it.
January 10, 2025
The final omnibus volume – darker as well as more cruel and brutal than ever. Another fantastic, highly imaginative feminist work.
Five stars.
Five stars.
May 8, 2018
The grand finale. But it's hard to stick the landing, and Terry Moore fails to stick it.
There are way too many loose ends.
-Who poisoned the good guys a couple volumes back? And forged the suicide notes?
-Why is Jet zombified when she's not immortal? Why did James possess her?
-Whatever happened to Natalie and Mary Scott?
-If Rachel has been zombifying for 100k years, why are her eyes only now hemorrhaging? (It's a GREAT visual but doesn't hold water.)
-What's the deal with the writer whose yard is full of unexplained bodies?
-Who is the little girl that only Rachel and a couple others can see?
And after spending six volumes instructing us in the certain unkillability of Malus, Moore concludes that plotline thusly:
As a story, Rachel Rising is flighty at best. Meandering and unfocused. BUT, as an excuse to take part in the beautiful, vastly entertaining chaos roiling through Terry Moore's mind, Rachel Rising is marvelous. It's frustrating but I can't help loving it all the same.
Plot points:
There are way too many loose ends.
-Who poisoned the good guys a couple volumes back? And forged the suicide notes?
-Why is Jet zombified when she's not immortal? Why did James possess her?
-Whatever happened to Natalie and Mary Scott?
-If Rachel has been zombifying for 100k years, why are her eyes only now hemorrhaging? (It's a GREAT visual but doesn't hold water.)
-What's the deal with the writer whose yard is full of unexplained bodies?
-Who is the little girl that only Rachel and a couple others can see?
And after spending six volumes instructing us in the certain unkillability of Malus, Moore concludes that plotline thusly:
As a story, Rachel Rising is flighty at best. Meandering and unfocused. BUT, as an excuse to take part in the beautiful, vastly entertaining chaos roiling through Terry Moore's mind, Rachel Rising is marvelous. It's frustrating but I can't help loving it all the same.
Plot points:
February 6, 2017
Both satisfying and annoying at the same time.
World: Art is fantastic. The world building this time is still strong but a bit rushed with it racing towards the end. A lot of pieces Moore created never get resolved and that's annoying me a bit, especially the Aunt Johnny implant, the other little girl at the gate of the mansion, the Cop, Zoe...just a whole heck of world building and plot building that just ends. Um a bit sad.
Story: Rushing towards the end is what we got. There was simply not enough pages to tell all the tales and finish all the threads, and that annoys. That aside, the end was good and interesting and does leave more for the future but I don't know if we are going to get more from this world. The journey was fantastic and yeah the ending was underwealming.
Characters: These characters are great and I would have wanted 3-4 more arcs to tell their tale but alas it's over and way too soon...
An abrupt end that the book did not deserve. It was satisfying and annoying equally.
Onward to the next book!
World: Art is fantastic. The world building this time is still strong but a bit rushed with it racing towards the end. A lot of pieces Moore created never get resolved and that's annoying me a bit, especially the Aunt Johnny implant, the other little girl at the gate of the mansion, the Cop, Zoe...just a whole heck of world building and plot building that just ends. Um a bit sad.
Story: Rushing towards the end is what we got. There was simply not enough pages to tell all the tales and finish all the threads, and that annoys. That aside, the end was good and interesting and does leave more for the future but I don't know if we are going to get more from this world. The journey was fantastic and yeah the ending was underwealming.
Characters: These characters are great and I would have wanted 3-4 more arcs to tell their tale but alas it's over and way too soon...
An abrupt end that the book did not deserve. It was satisfying and annoying equally.
Onward to the next book!
April 30, 2019
I mentioned in the Motor Girl review that I was going to binge read this series to get all caught up before Moore's Five Years series started. I didn't think I was going to make it, but I did.
And, I'm happy I did. Unlike Strangers in Paradise I think Moore has excelled in his shorter work (Rachel, Motor Girl, Echo, and the SIP follow-up). I feel his writing is better, and his pacing much tighter (because I thought that SIP dragged in the middle big time).
BTW-No Spoilers. Maybe small ones, but nope because if you want to read this I don't want to ruin some really big points for you.
As a reader you do get resolution as to Rachel's rising from the dead, and what is behind that with her. For those who are better biblical scholars than I am, I think you might enjoy want to ponder Moore's take on Lilith. For me, it was an interesting take and possibly a more accurate one than many writers use (because you know there was never any misogyny in Judaeo Christian writing in the Middle Ages etc.).
Bet that last paragraph upsets some people. Then again I'm surprised there isn't more conservative pubic outrage over the television show Supernatural's portrayal of God and angels.
With all of that said this is not an overly religious story. There are themes and discussion of religion, similar to Moore's work in Echo, but I think they are handled very well and are thought provoking.
This is also an examination, in part of how awful people can be to others, and some will try to rise above said acts. The fou, instead of five, star review is because I did have some issues with the ending.
And, I'm happy I did. Unlike Strangers in Paradise I think Moore has excelled in his shorter work (Rachel, Motor Girl, Echo, and the SIP follow-up). I feel his writing is better, and his pacing much tighter (because I thought that SIP dragged in the middle big time).
BTW-No Spoilers. Maybe small ones, but nope because if you want to read this I don't want to ruin some really big points for you.
As a reader you do get resolution as to Rachel's rising from the dead, and what is behind that with her. For those who are better biblical scholars than I am, I think you might enjoy want to ponder Moore's take on Lilith. For me, it was an interesting take and possibly a more accurate one than many writers use (because you know there was never any misogyny in Judaeo Christian writing in the Middle Ages etc.).
Bet that last paragraph upsets some people. Then again I'm surprised there isn't more conservative pubic outrage over the television show Supernatural's portrayal of God and angels.
With all of that said this is not an overly religious story. There are themes and discussion of religion, similar to Moore's work in Echo, but I think they are handled very well and are thought provoking.
This is also an examination, in part of how awful people can be to others, and some will try to rise above said acts. The fou, instead of five, star review is because I did have some issues with the ending.
July 21, 2017
Hrm. This was... I enjoyed the ride, but I feel like this series fell short of what the early issues promised.
I read the first dozen or so issues as they came out and loved them. But going back and reading the full run of trades from the start, I'm struck by the impression that Terry Moore was flying by the seat of his pants. He tells a compelling horror story, and of course his artwork is stunning, but the increasing number of dropped/forgotten plot threads and sharp right turns over the course of the series became very frustrating. From the moment Rachel wakes in a shallow grave in that first issue, it's clear that there's something bigger going on, but the more the story progressed the less confident I was that Moore knew what that something bigger was.
To be fair to Moore, I suspect he intended the series to continue longer than it did-- I know low sales were a recurring problem for the comic, and the abrupt ending (which left a lot of things unresolved) seems to suggest he bowed out earlier than he'd intended. But it only exacerbated problems that were already there -- by the time I cracked open this trade, I was already feeling frustrated by the aforementioned dropped storylines, contradictions and the general sense that there'd never been any master plan.
As I said, I still enjoyed the ride. But the story was never as cohesive or as focussed as it could have been and I think the comic is the weaker for it. The ultimate resolution is unsatisfying, overly rushed and leaves many questions unanswered.
I read the first dozen or so issues as they came out and loved them. But going back and reading the full run of trades from the start, I'm struck by the impression that Terry Moore was flying by the seat of his pants. He tells a compelling horror story, and of course his artwork is stunning, but the increasing number of dropped/forgotten plot threads and sharp right turns over the course of the series became very frustrating. From the moment Rachel wakes in a shallow grave in that first issue, it's clear that there's something bigger going on, but the more the story progressed the less confident I was that Moore knew what that something bigger was.
To be fair to Moore, I suspect he intended the series to continue longer than it did-- I know low sales were a recurring problem for the comic, and the abrupt ending (which left a lot of things unresolved) seems to suggest he bowed out earlier than he'd intended. But it only exacerbated problems that were already there -- by the time I cracked open this trade, I was already feeling frustrated by the aforementioned dropped storylines, contradictions and the general sense that there'd never been any master plan.
As I said, I still enjoyed the ride. But the story was never as cohesive or as focussed as it could have been and I think the comic is the weaker for it. The ultimate resolution is unsatisfying, overly rushed and leaves many questions unanswered.
January 7, 2017
Soooooooo!! I am finally done!
I went into this expecting less than I actually got. This is the first anything of Terry Moore’s i’ve read and i just have to say, boy does he know how to spin a good story!
Right from the first issue, the reader is thrown into disorientation as we see Rachel come back alive in the most oddest way and after that, everything is enshrouded in smooth flowing art and absolute mystery. It’s engaging, enchanting and just plain enjoyable.
One of the things i really liked about this graphic novel series was the quote before each issue.They were more than fitting and helped to give each issue a very nice mysterious and thrilling feel. Also, the way the art was rendered in these volumes were quite impressive. With a few pages, the actions taking place were expressed without dialogue and each scene with just the artwork as a way to express meaning was beautifully haunting.
All in all, I was more than surprised that i ended up LOVING this so much and a friend said i would regret blazing through them so fast because I would miss reading it at the rate at which I was enjoying this! Buttttt the joke is on them because i really do not regret it!
Bravo Terry Moore. Bravo.
I went into this expecting less than I actually got. This is the first anything of Terry Moore’s i’ve read and i just have to say, boy does he know how to spin a good story!
Right from the first issue, the reader is thrown into disorientation as we see Rachel come back alive in the most oddest way and after that, everything is enshrouded in smooth flowing art and absolute mystery. It’s engaging, enchanting and just plain enjoyable.
One of the things i really liked about this graphic novel series was the quote before each issue.They were more than fitting and helped to give each issue a very nice mysterious and thrilling feel. Also, the way the art was rendered in these volumes were quite impressive. With a few pages, the actions taking place were expressed without dialogue and each scene with just the artwork as a way to express meaning was beautifully haunting.
All in all, I was more than surprised that i ended up LOVING this so much and a friend said i would regret blazing through them so fast because I would miss reading it at the rate at which I was enjoying this! Buttttt the joke is on them because i really do not regret it!
Bravo Terry Moore. Bravo.
September 23, 2016
This is my second Torry Moore series, the first one was Echo. I enjoy his work very much but I've learned from these two experiences that in his stories it's more about the journey than the destination.
He builds a complex storyline throughout his series and, at least in these two cases, the whole thing gets resolved in a single issue. It makes the finale feel rather rushed.
Still, I won't complain because the good far outweighs that fact. I liked Rachel Rising even more than Echo and find both Moore's art and writing - especially his characters - exceptionally human which makes him unique in the world of graphic novels. Hopefully, it won't take him too long to get another series up and running.
He builds a complex storyline throughout his series and, at least in these two cases, the whole thing gets resolved in a single issue. It makes the finale feel rather rushed.
Still, I won't complain because the good far outweighs that fact. I liked Rachel Rising even more than Echo and find both Moore's art and writing - especially his characters - exceptionally human which makes him unique in the world of graphic novels. Hopefully, it won't take him too long to get another series up and running.
January 5, 2020
This time around we finally really find out who killed Rachel, and it's not who I thought it was at all. As Rachel herself said, "I wasn't even close." To be honest, it had a bit of a 'the butler did it' vibe, and I'm not sure whether I liked it or not.
Malus' plan, in retrospect, seems to have had a large, and fairly obvious, hole in it. Various seemingly unrelated crimes that have happened in Mason turn out to be connected in unexpected ways and most, but by no means all, of the loose ends are wrapped up.
This was not my favourite volume in the series by a long way, and it's kind of a pity to finish on that note of slight disappointment, but it doesn't diminish my affection for the series overall. Rachel Rising is a slightly frustrating, chaotic, beautifully drawn comic series, and well worth following through until the end.
Malus' plan, in retrospect, seems to have had a large, and fairly obvious, hole in it. Various seemingly unrelated crimes that have happened in Mason turn out to be connected in unexpected ways and most, but by no means all, of the loose ends are wrapped up.
This was not my favourite volume in the series by a long way, and it's kind of a pity to finish on that note of slight disappointment, but it doesn't diminish my affection for the series overall. Rachel Rising is a slightly frustrating, chaotic, beautifully drawn comic series, and well worth following through until the end.
June 21, 2016
What a great series! A fitting end although slightly anticlimactic.
I was especially impressed with one particular page when Aunt Johnny is explaining a car accident victim to Rachel where she basically says the seat belt and airbag contributed to the death, which caused internal bleeding while suffering as he was still conscious until the very end. Just felt the panels were laid out so cleverly and I was thoroughly bothered.
I was especially impressed with one particular page when Aunt Johnny is explaining a car accident victim to Rachel where she basically says the seat belt and airbag contributed to the death, which caused internal bleeding while suffering as he was still conscious until the very end. Just felt the panels were laid out so cleverly and I was thoroughly bothered.
July 23, 2016
Last Volume in the series. Just a fantastic series. Terry Moore is an amazing writer and a master in charter development and story. A must read. LOVE.... Side note: A omnibus edition (collects all issues,full arc) comes out in August 28, 2016
Also a special limited edition Black Hardcover signed by Terry Moore at his web sight. http://www.strangersinparadise.com/st...
Also a special limited edition Black Hardcover signed by Terry Moore at his web sight. http://www.strangersinparadise.com/st...
April 21, 2020
I found this ending a bit disappointing. I've not convinced the polt for this was ever planned out. After a drawn-out story, the ending was rushed to an extreme degree. Defeating the big bad was so easy it makes you wonder why it wasn't done 2 trades in, the central mystery was resolved with a character as random as a rabbit from a hat, and there are lots of plot threads that were left hanging with zero resolution.
While the story was meh, I found the art particularly impressive. Moore's art is always beautiful, but the raw emotion he was able to convey in his character's faces really blew me away in this volume.
In hindsight, I think this series would have been better with half the number of issues and with a lot of fat trimmed away. But I did enjoy it, and if there's ever a sequel I'll definitely pick it up.
While the story was meh, I found the art particularly impressive. Moore's art is always beautiful, but the raw emotion he was able to convey in his character's faces really blew me away in this volume.
In hindsight, I think this series would have been better with half the number of issues and with a lot of fat trimmed away. But I did enjoy it, and if there's ever a sequel I'll definitely pick it up.
September 4, 2019
Дивно було читати настільки легку для персонажів розв’язку усіх протистоянь та взагалі сюжету, тим більше - знаючи, що Мур і досі не завершив їхню історію та просто зараз кроссоверить усі свої роботи у незавершеній серії.
Тим не менш, у томі є трохи добра стосовно персонажів, трохи психоделіків та значно більше зазирання у минуле формату "помацай цей труп", близького до поїдання шматків Тоні Чу (шарите?)
Тим не менш, у томі є трохи добра стосовно персонажів, трохи психоделіків та значно більше зазирання у минуле формату "помацай цей труп", близького до поїдання шматків Тоні Чу (шарите?)
November 23, 2017
An epic ending.
November 1, 2023
3.75 stars. Overall such a fun series! And weirdly wholesome despite its main themes being death and murder
January 10, 2018
This series was fun. I got the first one from the library and then free-trial subscribed to Comixology in order to plow through the remaining six, which is a move I recommend. Cool creepy gory evil with some kicky dialogue, and lots of ladies in a way that didn't feel too super gross even though they're all hecka heteronormatively hot and drawn by a daggum mang.
January 15, 2025
What a finish!
November 28, 2016
My conclusion is that, ultimately, this is a splendid comic and I'm glad I picked it up. The sombre notes from the first act are more than offset by the humor in the second act, even if the latter has more filler. There are sad moments, funny dialogue, romance, religious references and lovable characters. It was an enjoyable ride.
Aunt Johnny finds three other women that were killed in the same way as Rachel was. Rachel's ability to see people's final moments before death can backfire when a demon is involved. The final page will leave you laughing out loud at how much more work Rachel has to do.
Aunt Johnny finds three other women that were killed in the same way as Rachel was. Rachel's ability to see people's final moments before death can backfire when a demon is involved. The final page will leave you laughing out loud at how much more work Rachel has to do.
May 16, 2017
a rather disappointing ending to a rather good story
February 8, 2022
Rachel is strangled to death by a perverted serial killer and left to rot in a shallow grave. Not long after that, Rachel rises from her grave in nearly perfect condition. She meets up with her aunt who works as a coroner to discuss her miraculous defiance of death in hopes of catching the man who killed her, but things get even more complex. Rachel finds herself to be caught up in a twisted revenge plot that has been in the making for centuries, a plot that defies time, death and the limits of human existence.
Rachel Rising is a true hidden horror gem in the world of graphic novels. The plot is insanely original, reminiscent of the darker side of Neil Gaiman, China Meiville, Gerald Brom and other writers of morbidly beautiful tales of magical realism. The story starts off as a simple psychological thriller, but gradually ramps things up with elements of paranormal horror, Christian mythology and gruesome surrealism.
Though there are some truly horrifying and grotesque things that happen all throughout the story, it also manages to handle comedy and romance extremely well. I genuinely felt invested in all the friendships, romantic relationships and laughed out loud quite a few times. The comedy is morbid as hell and the romance feels earned. It doesn’t feel out of place with the dark fantasy and horror elements at all. The fine balance of all these qualities reminds me of Preacher a bit.
The art is stunning. The character expressions are some of the most highly detailed I’ve ever seen. I loved all the main characters. My favorites were the mortician Aunt Johnny and a little psychopath girl named Zoe who brutally murders people throughout the entire story while somehow remaining consistently charming, hilarious and empathetic.
Great series!
Rachel Rising is a true hidden horror gem in the world of graphic novels. The plot is insanely original, reminiscent of the darker side of Neil Gaiman, China Meiville, Gerald Brom and other writers of morbidly beautiful tales of magical realism. The story starts off as a simple psychological thriller, but gradually ramps things up with elements of paranormal horror, Christian mythology and gruesome surrealism.
Though there are some truly horrifying and grotesque things that happen all throughout the story, it also manages to handle comedy and romance extremely well. I genuinely felt invested in all the friendships, romantic relationships and laughed out loud quite a few times. The comedy is morbid as hell and the romance feels earned. It doesn’t feel out of place with the dark fantasy and horror elements at all. The fine balance of all these qualities reminds me of Preacher a bit.
The art is stunning. The character expressions are some of the most highly detailed I’ve ever seen. I loved all the main characters. My favorites were the mortician Aunt Johnny and a little psychopath girl named Zoe who brutally murders people throughout the entire story while somehow remaining consistently charming, hilarious and empathetic.
Great series!
May 13, 2017
Omnibus Sale April 2017:
I did indeed but all the Omnibus' listed in Mr. Moore's Half Off-Omnibus Sale, so I will be updating my ownership and reviews for all of these, but especially delightful is that getting the Omnibus for Rachel Rising encouraged me to finally finish the series.
I deeply love Terry Moore's art at all times and the witty way he knows how to bandy with the English language, whether harrowing love story or deep and spooky tale, the latter of which is Rachel Rising (and the prior of which is his award-winning Strangers in Paradise, which owned half my life). I loved seeing all the ways these characters went, and how they made an even stronger family unit handling all the odd things that were happening.
I love that the characters you considered most evil took twists and turns that changed, evolved, and even more integrated them into the tale being told. I was delighted with the aesthetic way the pages blur while holding it in your hand, all black edges, adding to the whole feeling of the story and the book as you were holding, it reading, being aware of the edges.
I did indeed but all the Omnibus' listed in Mr. Moore's Half Off-Omnibus Sale, so I will be updating my ownership and reviews for all of these, but especially delightful is that getting the Omnibus for Rachel Rising encouraged me to finally finish the series.
I deeply love Terry Moore's art at all times and the witty way he knows how to bandy with the English language, whether harrowing love story or deep and spooky tale, the latter of which is Rachel Rising (and the prior of which is his award-winning Strangers in Paradise, which owned half my life). I loved seeing all the ways these characters went, and how they made an even stronger family unit handling all the odd things that were happening.
I love that the characters you considered most evil took twists and turns that changed, evolved, and even more integrated them into the tale being told. I was delighted with the aesthetic way the pages blur while holding it in your hand, all black edges, adding to the whole feeling of the story and the book as you were holding, it reading, being aware of the edges.
December 27, 2017
I gave this series a chance solely because ComiXology provided the whole series as part of their subscription. I'm glad I tried it.
The series starts off simple: a young woman, Rachel, is risen from the dead after being murdered and seeks to discover who killed her. Things get very complicated soon after as she finds herself entangled in events that will lead to the end of the world. The story is violent, somewhat gory, and some people are truly horrific. Avoid if you have a problem with any of these things.
Despite that, I think there's a lot to recommend in this series, especially if you don't mind spiritual horror/thrillers a-la "The Seventh Sign". The art is gorgeous. The mythology is reminiscent of Gaiman. The characters are compelling, especially Zoe. She's an incredibly likeable sociopath, even when you don't want to like her--I have my theories on who she really is. There is hardly anything in the series that I disliked. But, I am a touch disappointed by the ending. It was over too soon and I wanted much more.
I really enjoyed the series. I'm sure I'll read it again, while hoping Moore writes a follow-up story.
The series starts off simple: a young woman, Rachel, is risen from the dead after being murdered and seeks to discover who killed her. Things get very complicated soon after as she finds herself entangled in events that will lead to the end of the world. The story is violent, somewhat gory, and some people are truly horrific. Avoid if you have a problem with any of these things.
Despite that, I think there's a lot to recommend in this series, especially if you don't mind spiritual horror/thrillers a-la "The Seventh Sign". The art is gorgeous. The mythology is reminiscent of Gaiman. The characters are compelling, especially Zoe. She's an incredibly likeable sociopath, even when you don't want to like her--I have my theories on who she really is. There is hardly anything in the series that I disliked. But, I am a touch disappointed by the ending. It was over too soon and I wanted much more.
I really enjoyed the series. I'm sure I'll read it again, while hoping Moore writes a follow-up story.
December 16, 2023
OMG!! (No pun intended)
Terry Moore is incredible. His plot lines weave such an intricate net that it makes spider webs look like simple line drawings. And then, like a camera pulling back from the molecular level to outside the galaxy, the different series are intertwined with subtle & prominent connections. All the while with narratives that are extremely dark as well as hilarious simultaneously.
The art is spectacular in ways that would make da Vinci proud (I've even seen a Mona Lisa smile). The faces & eyes are quite expressive, the people SO lifelike, and the landscapes are beautiful. If, for some reason, one wasn't interested in the tale, it would be worthwhile to go through the volumes to look at the art.
Added together, I felt as if I were sitting in an IMAX theater, watching a movie made from a dream, with the visual intensity of the medium combined with the sudden twists & turns that only occur in dreams.
Terry Moore is incredible. His plot lines weave such an intricate net that it makes spider webs look like simple line drawings. And then, like a camera pulling back from the molecular level to outside the galaxy, the different series are intertwined with subtle & prominent connections. All the while with narratives that are extremely dark as well as hilarious simultaneously.
The art is spectacular in ways that would make da Vinci proud (I've even seen a Mona Lisa smile). The faces & eyes are quite expressive, the people SO lifelike, and the landscapes are beautiful. If, for some reason, one wasn't interested in the tale, it would be worthwhile to go through the volumes to look at the art.
Added together, I felt as if I were sitting in an IMAX theater, watching a movie made from a dream, with the visual intensity of the medium combined with the sudden twists & turns that only occur in dreams.
May 1, 2018
Che delusione!!!
Come si può finire in questo modo? Con tutti quei dettagli buttati lì e non sviluppati. Beh, anche Echo era così... Solo che pensavo/speravo che Terry Moore fosse migliorato. Della serie: cos'è quella cicatrice che zia Johnny si ritrova in testa? Perché Jet è tornata a vivere se Rachel era la sorella di Lilith? A cosa le serviva? E tutto il casino sull'omicida di Rachel che si risolve in due paginette scarse?! E cosa dire del dottorino che aveva la moglie mummificata in casa?
Troppo metafisico per i miei gusti.
I personaggi "normali" non sono male. Zia Johnny, ad esempio. Il suo collega obeso. Anche Rachel, ma solo la parte riguardante la sua ultima vita. Perfino Zoe è un personaggio che, nonostante tutto, suscita simpatia. Ma tutta la trama dietro è lacunosa.
A 'sto punto non so neanche se val la pena leggere Strangers in paradise o quello nuovo...
Come si può finire in questo modo? Con tutti quei dettagli buttati lì e non sviluppati. Beh, anche Echo era così... Solo che pensavo/speravo che Terry Moore fosse migliorato. Della serie: cos'è quella cicatrice che zia Johnny si ritrova in testa? Perché Jet è tornata a vivere se Rachel era la sorella di Lilith? A cosa le serviva? E tutto il casino sull'omicida di Rachel che si risolve in due paginette scarse?! E cosa dire del dottorino che aveva la moglie mummificata in casa?
Troppo metafisico per i miei gusti.
I personaggi "normali" non sono male. Zia Johnny, ad esempio. Il suo collega obeso. Anche Rachel, ma solo la parte riguardante la sua ultima vita. Perfino Zoe è un personaggio che, nonostante tutto, suscita simpatia. Ma tutta la trama dietro è lacunosa.
A 'sto punto non so neanche se val la pena leggere Strangers in paradise o quello nuovo...
January 9, 2021
this series was very entertaining and well constructed! i'm sad it's over, i could read about rachel's adventures for longer ):
i also loved how it mostly had female characters! it's easy to forget how you can have multiple women in the same story with different personalities contributing to the plot in diverse ways @ mainstream media lol
all in all, a thouroughly enjoyable read! i'd recommend to anyone who likes the supernatural/possession themes, women and overall, kinda twisted/murderous minds? yup, pretty good series!
i also loved how it mostly had female characters! it's easy to forget how you can have multiple women in the same story with different personalities contributing to the plot in diverse ways @ mainstream media lol
all in all, a thouroughly enjoyable read! i'd recommend to anyone who likes the supernatural/possession themes, women and overall, kinda twisted/murderous minds? yup, pretty good series!
July 6, 2021
The end of the series! So much happened. Rachel died so many times. Lilith and Malus have a show down, and his demise comes in an unexpected way, that seemed a bit too swift. Zoe almost dies, but Rachel saves her. There are some story lines dropped, like the young cop and his investigation, and Dr. Seimens and his plans to resurrect his wife who died 30 years ago. The ending offers an idea of how the series would continue, if Moore ever decides to come back to it. Overall, a great series for fans of bloody murders, bloody history and magic.
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June 25, 2023Terry Moore is a Genius
It all started with a high school play and a clumsy girl. I'm talking about the Strangers in Paradise volume 1 mini series it doesn't end with Rachel waking up. No. I'm in the future now. Rachel Rising is a haunting part of this world that stands on its own. It's a quick read and a page turner. If you're reading this you're in the future too so you don't have to wait month by month like I did but I guess if you're reading this for this volume you already know a Terry Moore masterpiece stands before you.
It all started with a high school play and a clumsy girl. I'm talking about the Strangers in Paradise volume 1 mini series it doesn't end with Rachel waking up. No. I'm in the future now. Rachel Rising is a haunting part of this world that stands on its own. It's a quick read and a page turner. If you're reading this you're in the future too so you don't have to wait month by month like I did but I guess if you're reading this for this volume you already know a Terry Moore masterpiece stands before you.
April 20, 2019
I gave the previous volumes three stars because the story/characters were four stars but the violence made me uncomfortable and then I docked a star and gave it three stars. This one is a solid three star. The end seemed to peter out. I wanted something more explosive I think.
To clarify though--I thought the series was really good and would definitely read it again. So these star ratings might be a bit deceptive.
To clarify though--I thought the series was really good and would definitely read it again. So these star ratings might be a bit deceptive.
September 3, 2025
Ah, Terry Moore’s ‘Rachel Rising’ finally comes to an end with this volume. And even though the journey was bumpy, the climactic pages were violent, tragic, almost emotional, before throwing in one last dark comical twist.
To be honest, after the extensive build up on how ancient and powerful Malus, the primary antagonist is, the way he is defeated was rather underwhelming. But Moore’s detailed artwork and the dark comedy makes the ending of ‘Rachel Rising’ quite satisfactory.
To be honest, after the extensive build up on how ancient and powerful Malus, the primary antagonist is, the way he is defeated was rather underwhelming. But Moore’s detailed artwork and the dark comedy makes the ending of ‘Rachel Rising’ quite satisfactory.
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