AIN’T NO GRAVE #2, by Image Comics on 6/12/24, finds Ryder bringing Hell to the town of the dead on her journey to confront Death before he finds her.
Credits:
- Writer: Skottie Young
- Artist: Jorge Corona
- Colorist: Jean-Francois Beaulieu
- Letterer: Nate Piekos
- Cover Artist: Jorge Corona
- Publisher: Image Comics
- Release Date: June 12, 2024
- Comic Rating: Mature
- Cover Price: $3.99
- Page Count: 32
- Format: Single Issue
Covers:
Analysis of AIN’T NO GRAVE #2:
Plot Analysis:
Previously, in Ain’t No Grave #1, readers were introduced to Ryder, a retired hired gun who now resides on a homestead with her husband and daughter. When Ryder learns her idyllic life will soon end after contracting a terminal illness, Ryder dusts off her spurs and revolvers to embark on a mystical journey to find and kill Death.
In Ain’t No Grave #2, Ryder enters the town of Cypress, a waypoint between this life and what comes after. She’s confronted by the local Sheriff, who knows Ryder has entered prematurely. When the Sheriff takes aim with his rifle, Ryder guns him down.
Suddenly, the sky opens up and rains down flaming pieces of paper. By the time the paper reaches the ground and the citizens of Cypress, the flames subside to reveal Wanted posters proclaiming a reward for Ryder’s death. Now, the town begins to chase Ryder.
Then, we see a flashback to a moment when Ryder robbed a train while pregnant. Cornered by a Marshal and his deputy, Ryder is given the chance to give up before anyone gets killed, including her unborn child. Then, we learn Ryder isn’t concerned with preserving life beyond her own and kin.
Back to now, Ryder stabs, shoots, and hangs the pursuing mob of Cypress citizens. When she ducks into a storehouse, a young man gives her cover and a useful bit of information. If Ryder can get to the riverboat called Her Blind Majesty, she’ll be one step closer to confronting Death.
What follows is a frantic chase through Cypress to reach the water. With the help of an unusual animal, Ryder makes it to the next leg of her journey, but Her Blind Majesty is not what Ryder expected, nor does she reach it unscathed.
Character Development:
Skottie Young takes a small but important swerve in Ryder’s story when we see what kind of outlaw life she lived before settling down into domestic bliss. In short, Ryder is a murderer, which adds a significant amount of complexity to her character and the readers’ feelings about the story.
It’s tough to root for a character who deserves to die, which makes the reading experience more interesting.
Artwork and Presentation:
Jorge Corona’s stylistically exaggerated artwork adds a phenomenal mix of whimsy and gritty violence to this Western fable. Corona’s character designs are presented as a group of fantasy people from an enchanted land but twisted into the deformed undead of a horror show. Truly, there’s nothing like it on the shelves right now.
Art Samples:
Pacing and Structure:
Skottie Young’s pacing and plot structure are darn near perfect. When Ryder enters the town and decides to put the Sheriff down before the situation gets ugly, Ryder’s quest turns into a race to avoid capture that mixes fast-paced movement and edge-of-your-seat tension to avoid capture in the stealthy moments.
Further, Young’s plot takes several big steps forward in Ryder’s journey by not lingering too long in Cypress and setting a clear course for the next stage of the story. The plot developments are varied, important, and engaging.
Thematic Exploration:
Ryder’s quest isn’t easy to pin down in terms of a singular, clearly defined theme. Issue #1 establishes a clear hunt, but issue #2 (temporarily) shifts the narrative into a race for survival. Where the story goes next is anyone’s guess, and that’s a good thing.
Final Thoughts:
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AIN’T NO GRAVE #2 is another stellar issue in Skottie Young’s Old West fable about a former outlaw on a quest to cheat Death. Skottie Young develops Ryder into a bad person with good albeit selfish intentions, and Jorge Corona’s stylistically exaggerated art is outstanding.
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