THE LAST SESSION #2, from Mad Cave Studios on January 12th, 2022, catches up with the group to find out how Jay’s partner and newbie player, Lana, is faring at the end of the gang’s longest campaign. In a word? Badly.
The Details
- Written By: Jasmine Walls
- Art By: DOZERDRAWS
- Colors By: DOZERDRAWS
- Letters By: Micah Myers
- Cover Art By: DOZERDRAWS
- Cover Price: $3.99
- Release Date: January 12, 2022
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Was It Good?
THE LAST SESSION #2 might best be described as a “wrestling with their feelings” issue in this new title from Mad Cave and writer Jasmine Walls. Counter to classic comics storytelling, this issue doesn’t have a distinct beginning, middle, or end, and instead focuses on the group grappling with how they feel about Lana joining the group. In other words, this issue is a single, lengthy scene that explores the complications with young adults trying to articulate their feelings and what’s driving them.
The narrative is far less dramatic than it sounds in the preceding paragraph, but there’s an interesting element of authenticity about longtime friends, who’ve developed a rapport, having a hard time articulating why something feels off. Cassandra introduces chaos into the group’s flow. Some members roll with the changes. Others are having a hard time coping. This feels like a natural drama you might see play out in any High School or group of friends bound by a common interest.
That said, there are parts a reader may also need to find a way to roll with. Again, there’s no distinct beginning, middle, or end, so it may read more like a vignette or extended scene rather than a complete chapter. Cassandra is the clear antagonist, but there’s no clear protagonist. Is it Lana since she’s the one objecting to Cassandra’s disruption? There’s a brief prologue with a flashback to Drew’s first days in High School that is completely irrelevant to the rest of the issue. Should readers be keeping a steady eye on Drew? Cassandra was introduced to the group through Jay but Jay isn’t referenced or present at all in this issue. Will this all circle back to Jay somehow as the instigator of the disruption?
These questions point to a lack of structure and focus for the story. Crafting strong emotional beats are always a plus, but without a structure and flow, you wind up with what you have here – a dramatic vignette.
That’s not to say this issue is a bad one. The point here is that, so far, the point of this title (aka the theme) isn’t clear. When the theme isn’t clear, it’s difficult to invest in the story’s outcome. This title can get there, but it needs focus and clarity.
The art is fine for this subject matter and material. The character designs have a quirky, slice-of-life, Webtoons style that should appeal to fans of Webtoons-style comics. The characters are relatively flat and cartoonish in their expressiveness, but again, it suits this material. Also, the linework is exceptionally clean, so you’ll find this issue is a visually pleasant experience.
What’s It About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]
If you’re not sure how the High School drama got started, first read our THE LAST SESSION #1 review.
We begin with a flashback prologue to Drew’s first days in a new school, presumably this is before he met his friends. We learn Drew is from a single-parent home, finances are a struggle, and Drew requires medication. It’s not clear from the description what the medication is, why Drew needs it, or why it’s pertinent to the story.
[Editor’s Note: We here at ComicalOpinions.com have a strict policy AGAINST reaching out to creators to clarify questions about their comic. If it’s not clear on the page, it’s a flaw. We review the comic as presented, not as intended.]
The prologue is not referenced again in the issue, so it’s not clear why it’s there other than to give readers a picture into Drew’s life. Moving on.
Four years later, we catch up with Lana and other members of the group discussing Cassandra’s clumsy, chaotic performance during the campaign. Cassandra brings energy and fresh ideas to the group’s mission, but her inexperience creates as many or more problems as her fresh perspective solves. Lana is the biggest detractor of the group, fueled by an undercurrent of jealousy towards Cassandra over Jay. It’s not clear if the jealousy is platonic or something more.
To Lana’s dismay, the other group members are more forgiving of Cassandra’s clumsy disruption. Lana could be interpreting their lack of angst as a similar lack of priority from her friends over the campaign, causing her to view Cassandra’s disruption as a threat to the group. We conclude the issue with one member getting good news, another getting bad news, and an awkward chance encounter at a grocery store.
Final Thoughts
THE LAST SESSION #2 is chock full of strong emotional beats and authentic conversations between a group of friends grappling with the same disruption in different ways. The art is serviceable, and readers who are fans of Webtoons-type material should enjoy this issue. That said, the issue reads as an extended scene that really makes no clear progress on the story or feels like it’s headed in any particular direction.
Score: 7/10
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