Where All Stars Fail to Burn

Wet Moon #5

by Sophie Campbell

Cleo Lovedrop has been going out with Myrtle, the girl who left her roses, who wrote her a song, and who took care of her black eye. But lately, Cleo's been seeing a different side of Myrtle: jealous, aggressive, manipulative... and scary. And with everything else going on--Cleo's roommate being attacked, Audrey breaking up with Beth, Trilby being distant--Cleo just isn't sure she can deal with it anymore...

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Queer, Fiction, Graphic Novels Comics, Comic Book, LGBT

160 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2009

About the author

One of the most exciting and talented creators working in comics today, Sophie Campbell has made her mark on IDW books such as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Jem and the Holograms.

A graduate of the Savannah College of Art & Design, Campbell began her career writing and drawing independent comics primarily focused on the lives of young women from all walks of life, including Wet Moon, Shadoweyes, and the Abandoned. She further proved her versatility as an artist when she began drawing the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles for IDW, where her kinetic action sequences and distinctive character art were a hit with fans and critics alike.

Campbell was brought on as the first artist on the IDW continuing series Jem and the Holograms, where she was responsible for the modern redesign of the characters and establishing the unique look of the comic. Her work on Jem with writer Kelly Thompson was so well received that the two were profiled by the New Yorker in 2015.

Campbell continues to work on several projects for IDW, as well as her own creator-owned independent comics.

Reviews

[noosha · Rating 4 out of 5]

never gonna get over the fucked up change in art, addicted regardless

[Scott · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was kind of bored by this installment. There's a mad slasher going round, but other than that nothing really happens, and I'm getting tired of hearing these kids go on about their mundane lives and mixed-up romances. It might be more palatable if Campbell was still using the more realistic art style he drew the first two books with, but I can barely stand to look at that any more either. This volume ends on a cliffhanger, so I guess I'm going to have to pick up the next one when it comes out to find out what happens to my favorite character.

[Nnedi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wet Moon 5 is the best one so far. The characters (who are wonderfully diverse and all so REAL- no one does characters like Ross), the art, the story lines, it's all really humming now. The ending is a real kick in the guts.

[Dimitris Papastergiou · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shit's about to get REAL up in here.

Great story, great artwork.

It's being 5 volumes, so you don't need a damn review, read the plot, remember what happened last volume and keep reading until you fall asleep because you work tomorrow.

Great, great, great!

[Rena · Rating 5 out of 5]

WHAT?!? to that ending.....

[Jonathan Lee B. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wet Moon Vol. 5: Where All Stars Fail to Burn is a flash flood during a hike.

[Steffie Van · Rating 1 out of 5]

De kaft van het boek spreekt me aan, nodigde uit om te lezen.
Doch als ik het opende kreeg ik een donker beeld en gevoel. De vele personages en de personages die uiterlijk op elkaar gelijken maken het moeilijk te volgen.
Ook de verschillende overgangen in het boek, maken het verwarrend.
Het was wel een spannend einde. Alleen daarom zou ik het volgende boek lezen.
Ik vond het boek ingewikkeld en moeilijk te volgen. Misschien komt dit omdat ik de vorige boeken niet heb gelezen. Het was wel een spannend einde. Alleen daarom zou ik het volgende boek lezen.
De stijl van het boek ,zowel de lay-out als de verhaallijn, is niet zo mijn ding.
Ook de mentaliteit van de personages in het verhaal komen vaak agressief en gemeen over.
Bij het lezen van het boek, heb ik getwijfeld om het verder uit te lezen. Ik had spijt dat ik online mijn keuze gemaakt had. Mocht ik zelf het boek afgehaald hebben, dan had ik het zeker teruggezet en een andere gekozen.
Ik sta open om eens een weg in te slaan, maar deze stijl was niet voor mij weggelegd.

[Summer (speaking_bookish) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This volume of Wet Moon is the best so far. I can't believe that I almost DNFed this series after reading the first volume because the way I feel about this series now is thousands of miles from what I first felt. When I tell you that the ending of this volume will gut you like a fish I really mean it so keep that in mind if you'll be picking this up. I will say that I'm still somewhat confused on some of the characters especially Fern- how did she get to be so sickly and why does she sleep upside down? Did I miss this information somewhere? I'm not sure but I think I'll be doing a reread of the series from the beginning knowing what I know.

I've already begun volume 6- I had no choice after the wild things that take place at the end of this volume. A lot of the things these characters do and say is legit questionable but I'm hooked now and there is only one volume left for me to read so there is no going back now.

[Roglin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ehhh. It's interesting. I like how all the characters are alt gals and guys, but I hate some of their attitudes.
Also, Cleo's eyes get freaking massive throughout the book. Like holy farts. She goes from super normal looking to bug eyed and chibi as heck out of no where. Did I mention she's the only character that does this?
Oh, and the love triangle thing/cheating on your bae thing isn't for me either. Like come on guys. Own up!

[Mary Harker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Este número me ha dado la sensación de ser "la calma" antes de la tormenta. (Si es que se le puede llamar "calma" a todo lo que ha ocurrido...).
Está increíblemente interesante, pero me da mucha pena estar acabando la saga.

[Tina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I Devoured this one in one sitting. I think it's my favourite so far.

I love how this series has evolved from gothy teen angst to weird twilight zone wtfery, while still keeping a focus on well developed, believable characters.

[Loz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good slow burn slightly spoopy very goth slice of life. This volume ended on a huge wtf moment and I cannot wait to read the next. I like this series a lot, but it absolutely is a not for everyone enjoyment. Sophie's art, as always, is expressive, diverse, emotive, and relatable.

[Kit Feral · Rating 2 out of 5]

Still don't really like them... still want to keep reading. Sophie Campbell is really good at cliffhangers.

[Gabriel H. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was the volume where I fully and completely fell in love with Mara Zuzanny. Lots of fun, generally.

[Colin Oaten · Rating 4 out of 5]

The 5th volume of the acclaimed LGBTQ series set in the town of Wet Moon. Good series with realistic relationship dynamics.

[Devon Munn · Rating 3 out of 5]

OH SHIT!!!!

Also wait the Beth girl is 17??

[The_Mad_Swede · Rating 4 out of 5]

Campbell's saga about the little Southern town of Wet Moon, and particularly Cleo Lovedrop and her circle of friends, continues here, right where it left off in the previous volume, Drowned in Evil , and as with that volume, I do not wish to discuss the plot details too much in order too avoid spoiler material. Campbell's plot lines develops continuously, sometimes in almost circuitous fashion, but some twists and turns in the story in this volume hit me rather hard, to be honest.

The story of Wet Moon might not be everyone's cup of tea, but I have found its sprawling and character-based narrative structure quite endearing ... although, "endearing" might not altogether be the best word for it. At any rate, anyone interested in the series should start with volume one and then keep going (after all, it is only seven volumes in total). It is still a highly recommended read.

[Mel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Still such a great series. 5 is when violence and the whole southern gothic influence really develops in the series. But it still has such great realistic character based moments, including waiting for a Harry Potter book release!

Review from first time reading.
So having seen that there were 5 books in the series at the shop, I thought there were 5 books all told. So I finished 4 and rushed out to get 5 only to find out there was an even WORSE cliff hanger at the end! I read all 5 books in about two weeks and now I have to wait till 6 gets published! *wails*. It was very strange but at the end of four I was actually sad they didn't get to the baseball game (and I hate baseball!) so the beginning of this was really great! Mara was just amazing throughout. I felt so much sympathy for her and Cleo. God Cleo's journals sound almost exactly the same as my own diaries from my first few years of university. I so identify with her coming to terms with her bisexuality, and how even with queer friends she still feels judged, and falling in love with your best friend while you're supposed to be dating someone else. It just captures perfectly how fucked up and intense it is to be young and confused. (With gorgeous art of punk and goth chicks). I'm sad that Myrtle seems to be turning or being revealed to be evil as I really liked her and her and Cleo were so cute in book 3! But the story is totally sucking me in. And as always in these books some of the best and most defining character moments have no dialogue at all. I think the best comics are when they are written and drawn by the same person and so much can be expressed without words and Sophie just does that brilliantly. All the girls fears and insecurities just come out beautifully. In this book Natalie really comes into her own and I really love the scenes with her and Mara. (and not just cause Mara is incredibly cute in the photoshoot). I just adore this series and can't wait for the rest to be finished!

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, Wet Moon. So angsty and drama-filled. I adore it. I love Ross Cambpell's pudgy little characters with the big eyes and the confusion about their love lives. I love that the most tomboyish main character (beloved Trilby) is also the only outright straight female main character. I love the weird side stories and the feeling that they're all on the point of converging. I honestly cannot put a Wet Moon book down after I open it until it's finished.

Volume 5, Where All Stars Fail to Burn, is where the shit starts to go down. Things start happening faster. We watch Cleo kinda sorta start to fall in love with a close friend, and also deal with her sister Penny's big secret. We watch Trilby and her geektastic boyfriend, Martin, be just outright adorable, and Martin gets to meet Trilby's parents. We watch Audrey finally stand up for herself. Myrtle becomes even more psychotic, and Fern becomes even more unbelievably weird. We still don't know who the masked vigilante is, though I've got some theories going. And of course, we get to see the big softball game. Campbell, that incredibly talented SOB, leaves the book with a heart-breaking killer of a cliff-hanger - I almost fell out of my airplane seat in shock that he would leave the story like that FOR MONTHS! Until the next book comes out! ARGH! It sets my teeth on edge just thinking about it, even now, and I read this book two and a half months ago!

Bottom line, 5 stars. I cannot get enough of this series. It's killing me that I might have to wait a whole year for the next one. Damn you, Ross Campbell!!!

[Mosi Mosi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing! I love pretty much everything about this series, and I think it gets better everytime a new one comes out.

I love how Campbell understands girl's problems, and turns mundane and normal problems in something thrilling. I can't wait to read the next one!
The character design is amazing to me, it's not perfect, but I think it stands out in the way that he doesn't pay much attention to stereotypes - it's not in every comic that you stop negro goths and chubby protagonists.
I love how honest and truthfull this comic is, and I look forward for more.

[Abby · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars really, because cliffhangers are evil. And it is a whopper of a cliffhanger. Plus the fact that it was over way too fast. I guess this is why I don't read more series comics as they're being published. I am too impatient!! I continue to be impressed by how Ross Campbell really gets into the heads of angsty goth/emo girls, and has a perfect ear for their awkward heartfelt conversations. Can't think of many authors or cartoonists who can do this well.

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

The cliffhanger is crazy. It's also nice to see the angst of their teen romances start to have real world consequences. But overall the volume as a whole is a bit slow. It was also hard for me at first to remember who everyone was and what was going on. The Who's Who needs to come at the BEGINNING of the book, and it needs a brief statement about people's relationships with each other.

It sounds like I didn't like it, because all I'm doing is complaining about it, but honestly I did.

[Stewart Tame · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaghhhhh!!!!!!! What a place to end the book. You're an evil, evil man, Ross Campbell. Padding out the volume with fan art so that the ending came sooner than expected was a nice touch. Fortunately I have volume 6 all ready to go. Definitely liking this series. Still reminds me quite a bit of Love & Rockets, the early "Heartbreak Soup" storyline in particular.

[Thea Steele · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh wow. So things actually happen, and that's nice, and I've kind of relaxed my stance on the characters in this book and have decided to be annoyed at the people who think these characters are realistic or likeable instead of being annoyed at Ross. So yeah, I'm into it.

[Rodney Wilder · Rating 5 out of 5]

Why, Ross Campbell?! Why?!

Ross Campbell proves himself the master of the gut-wrenching cliffhanger with this offering. The ending aside, this book finds him expressing many truly beautiful moments with poignancy and wordless emotion. A beautiful addition to the series.

[Hannah Moore · Rating 4 out of 5]

Everyone still looks like giant, sexy babies to me, but I'll say that Campbell has gotten me back with the story. I didn't think that I would want the sixth volume so quickly after reading this, but he's got me.

[Gonzalo Oyanedel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Una entrega donde la monotonía se compensa con una mayor estabilidad y ritmo narrativo, ya característico de la serie. Una Cleo más madura y más atención a los personajes secundarios preceden a un desenlace simplemente inesperado, que obliga a continuar con el siguiente tomo.

[Tammy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Whoa. Is this the end?

[Nana Yeah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I CAN'T WAIT for Wet Moon 6. The end was such a sudden shock that I feel so lost...

[Keith · Rating 4 out of 5]

these are some of my favorite comics ever.