Rachel Rising #29

 
Writer: Terry Moore
Artists: Terry Moore
Cover: Terry Moore
Publisher: Abstract Studios  
It feels typical to say that a series keeps getting better and better with each issue released, but Rachel Rising deserves the praise. While it’s certainly horrific enough to earn its place within the horror genre—this issue particularly has some fairly terrifying and grim moments, but it’s everything else that surrounds it that makes it so much more.
 
Moore has given us characters that over the span of so many issues so far, we’ve learned to grow attached to, and of course never revealing too much of their story, to keep us engaged and wanting to know more. In this issue Rachel’s taking some big steps towards finding some more answers about her own story though and the mystery man who killed her in the first place. Rachel’s scene in her local hardware store as she continues her investigation emulates everything that makes Rachel Rising such a special series. Rachel doesn’t typically scare people despite her being dead, in fact a lot of people are drawn to it, but here we’re given a scene where, her death is still the central topic of conversation, but it’s not wholly about her. What happened to her was tragic yes, but what makes it more tragic is that the man who’s helping her can relate. He understands her tragedy a little too well and it’s heartbreaking and so so poignant because Rachel reaches out to him and as previously mentioned last issue, Rachel doesn’t typically touch people, but this moment is so emotional she can’t not. And it’s moments like this that truly make Rachel Rising stand out. Rachel may be dead, hanging around an old homicidal spirit trapped in the physical appearance of a young girl, and her levels of empathy and humanity are certainly skewed by this point, but through it all, there’s more to her than her grisly story.
 
She’s not the only one who’s got more than just a horror factor. Little Zoe is proving to be more than the killer she set out to be. There are things that clearly bother her and she wants them to end, and she’s devious about it. Her immediate solution isn’t always to grab her knife, this issue she has to handle things a little differently. Whether she’s successful or not remains to be seen, but it’s certainly interesting to see a different side to Zoe as well.
 
It certainly gets intense at the end of the issue, bringing back these two pivotal characters, and showcasing Zoe as the sweet, perhaps unsuspecting child, and Rachel as the innocent, and after everything they both have been through this issue, it makes the cliffhanger that much more pronounced, and genre appropriate.
 
Story wise, this is a standout issue certainly, and as much as we can count on Moore for intriguing writing, we can also count on him for killer (pun intended?) artwork. I also want to point out that this cover is my favourite cover for the series to date.
 
Terry Moore is on an incredible roll with Rachel Rising right now, and for those who are looking for something to pick up as we get to the end of October, you won’t be at a loss with this.