Thoughts.
There’s something wonderfully angsty about Rave. Jessica Campbell manages, in many of her panels to capture the peculiar emotions associated specifically with adolescence. In the phone call panels, for instance, Campbell masterfully captures both ecstasy and agony—the first in the scene in which Lauren chats with Mariah after their first sleepover, the second in the scene in which Lauren waits endlessly for a call that never comes.
On the whole, Rave is an enjoyable read. Campbell’s style is interesting and fun—I read the entire comic (which is beautifully packaged) in a single setting. That said, I wish the narrative arc had been more fully developed. I wanted more page time devoted to Lauren and Mariah’s relationship; its disintegration ultimately lacked punch because it happened so close in time to its initiation. I would have felt the agony more acutely had Campbell given more air to the ecstasy.
I also wanted to better understand Mariah’s psychology and faith. I felt that Campbell leaned a bit heavily on the stereotypes associated with Wiccan practice (and, honestly, with Christian ideology, as well). I’m interested to see what Jessica Campbell does next.
Wynter K Miller 