ROSE & THORN #4 REVIEW

[David Santee]

<a href="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/previews/dc/0304/Rose&ThornCVR4.jpg"_blank"><img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/previews/dc/0304/Rose&ThornCVR4t.jpg" align=left alt="Rose & Thorn #4"></a> Reviewer: David Santee, davesantee@hotmail.com
Quick Rating: Good
Story Title: Seeds of Doubt

Thorn confronts Rose as Detective Leland with the thugs of the 100

Writer: Gail Simone
Penciller: Adriana Melo
Inker: Dan Green
Letterer: Rob Leigh
Colorist: Alex Bleyaert
Cover Artist: Adam Hughes
Assistaqnt Editor: Valerie D’Orazio
Editor: Mike Carlin


Gail Simone continues to amaze me. She started writing about how women are treated in comic books five years ago on a little website, Women in Refrigerators (http://www.the-pantheon.net/wir/index.html). She then starts an online column You’ll All Be Sorry! (http://www.comicbookresources.com/columns/archive.cgi?column=yabs). Her run on Deadpool and Agent X are some of the funniest books published by Marvel, and as an exclusive creator at DC, she has made Birds of Prey one of my favorite books every month. With Rose & Thorn, Simone has set out to create a complex, psychologically scarred character, and has succeeded brilliantly.

Unlike the first three issues, which developed the dual character of Rose and Thorn, issue four is very plot driven. The first half of this series set up the characters, #4 is setting us up for what looks to be an exciting conclusion. I just have to wonder if there is too much to deal with in just two more issues. We have Ashleigh, the 100, and Dr. Chritlow, all separate plot points to deal with. I was hoping at least one of these things would be taken care of, but Simone has kept all the issues up in the air. Seeing how she plans to cope with this going to be a treat.

I do have some problems with this series. Simone has spent so much time developing the relationship between the two personalities, that the antagonists of this story, Ashleigh and the 100, seem a little thin. Ashleigh in particular is confusing to my simple little mind. Do I feel sorry for her since she, like Rose is a victim of Dr. Chritlow and the mental health system or is she just some mad dog that needs to be put down? I hope the next two issues can fill out these characters.

The art by Adriana Melo has its good and bad points. The good is her characters. Each is distinctive. This is very important with the dual character of Rose/Thorn. While the differences are physically small, Melo uses body language brilliantly to communicate which personality is in charge. The bad is the art used to express the separate psychological state the personality not in charge inhabits. Melo and the inker, Dan Green, came up with a style that looks like somebody spilled water drops on the panels. It’s distinctive, but compared to some others styles I’ve seen (i.e. Sam Keith’s The Maxx ), it just doesn’t do it for me. In issue # 4, the splotches that were minimal in the previous issues seem to take over the panel. It’s getting hard to read what is going on. This may be how Melo is showing us the breakdown between the two different personalities, but it is getting a little out of hand.

I am enjoying Rose & Thorn, and I think you will too if you enjoy psychologically deep characters. With this series, Gail Simone has the ability to write pretty much anything she wants. I am looking forward to her future work on Legion and JLA, and continue to excel on Birds of Prey.


ART:
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STORY:
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OVERALL:
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Buy this issue online now from X-World Comics and save! (http://x-worldcomics.com/yourvirtualstore/shopdisplayproducts.asp?id=930&amp;cat=ROSE+%26+THORN)

[Zachary J. Morrison]

Good review, David. I enjoyed reading this ish, and it turned out to be an interesting read. My favorite part throughout the ish was when Rose's uncle found his partner in crime laying unconscious with Rose's bra. I thought that was funny. I can't wait to see how this mini series continues with the next ish coming out soon.

[Mitch Brown]

great work Gail..this is one of the few comics my g/f has really gotten into also.

[gatorgav]

Excellent review David! crud... I have been putting off picking this title up but it looks like I'm going to have to start, I love Gails work and from the review it seems like I would like this title.

[Dan Porter]

For some strange reason, I opted against buying this mini on the grounds that it was "too expensive." Silly me. I do read Birds of Prey regularly, though, and I appreciate Simone's work on that particular title. I might pick up Rose & Thorn if there's a trade... We'll just have to wait and see.

-DPorter

[Zeb Aslam]

Finally got around to reading this issue today...Excellent! I love how Simone is exploring the darker side of the psyche with this book. The artwork is also very good...I can't say I agree with your comments about the 'drops' effect but hey that's just a difference of opinion. I personally think they enhance the book and give it a more indiviual and stylised look. I do however agree that we only have 2 issues left to handle the thus far not so well developed villains in Rose's life, but I trust Gail, and can't wait to see how she pulls it all together. Also, the final page with the detective...something's fishy in Metropolis...

[Anthony Lucynski]

I read it and loved it as usual.

I cant really ever say anything new about Gail's books anymore, because I just become repetitive. The superb writing on this title, coupled with BoP, is just something that speaks for itself.

Anthony L