Written by: Kid Toussaint
Illustrations: Servain
Coloring: Servain
Publisher: Casterman
Holly Ann #2 Wie zal de regen doen stoppen? – Comic Book Review
Female detectives are still a rare thing in stories, even in this day and age, where we are trying to come up with as many diverse storylines as possible. It’s actually a shame that female protagonists don’t get their time to shine as a womanly Sherlock Holmes, even when you know that Nancy Drew, perhaps the most famous sleuth of them all, has been around since 1930 and is still going strong. Even Jessica Fletcher, the character from Murder, She Wrote was the inspiration of many stories. History lessons aside, today we have another woman that doesn’t shy away from some mysterious events, namely Holly Ann. Not only does she have to solve a murder, but also a rather peculiar weather phenomenon.
An unlikely friendship between an Irishman and the last of the Natchez Indian tribe in New Orleans is something Liam and Akwenuh, otherwise known as Bacchus, have in common. The one is a hardworking man, while the other is a thief that is trying to uphold his traditions, but both tend to find a certain peace with one another, albeit a rowdy discussion-filled peace. When during their latest argument they are kicked out of the bar and Bacchus suddenly turns up dead the following morning, it’s clear that something is amiss, especially when Liam has vanished as well, after being spotted on several different locations first. When suddenly another ‘Indian’ looking girl turns up in the middle of town, looking for the local brothel, no one gives her the time of day to point her in the proper direction, at least until Holly Ann hears what she’s looking for and agrees to take her. During the short walk, the girl, Diane, explains she is looking for her father, who tends to go to the local whorehouse now and then, but he always comes home afterwards, except for yesterday. She is determined to bring him home and let her mother give him a piece of her mind.
As expected, she is looking for Akwenuh, who is found with a bullet in his head. After Saphira, the ‘manager’ of the brothel tried to force Diane to stay there and work off her father’s debt, Holly Ann intervenes but it seems Diane is able to manage herself after she sees one of the girls wear her father’s necklace, one he’d never part with. When later the police confirms her father is dead, Liam turns into a suspect not only for Diane, but also Holly Ann. Reluctant at first, Diane follows Holly Ann’s advice to confine her rage and work together, as not all pieces of the puzzle have been found just yet. Investigating proves to be rather tricky though, as since Akwenuh has been murdered there has been a constant flood of rain that seemingly never seems to end. Then again, Akwenuh means sun, and thus perhaps the skies are weeping because they will never know the warmth of the sun again.
Overall the flow is rather quick as everything needs to be handled in a limited frame of 48 pages. Nonetheless, Kid Toussaint does a great job in creating several sidetracks for the readers to come up with their own theories. The story is pleasantly written and never too confusing, making it accessible for pretty much everyone. With certain love interests thrown into the mix, things take a few unexpected turns along the way.
Servain handles both the illustrations and the coloring for this issue and he does so in a very likeable fashion. While things are never overly detailed, they are not lacking a sense of realism. The drawings drag you inside the story, albeit with some rough touches here and there. The coloring looks ‘bland’, with enough shading to emphasize certain things. Servain loves to use thick lines for many things and in many ways this is very fun to look at. Facial features tend to stand out, which is quite nice, especially given the rather diverse cast.
Conclusion
Holly Ann #2 Wie zal de regen doen stoppen? is a very pleasant detective story, that is kept relatively simple to understand, albeit with enough twists and turns to keep things exciting. You’ll be treated to a short, but full-fledged crime story, with a pleasant cast and lovely illustrations from start to finish.
No Comments