Indie Comics Review: Alice Ever After #2

Review: Alice Ever After #2

[Editor’s Note: This review may contain spoilers]

Publisher: BOOM! Studios

Writer: Dan Panosian

Artist: Giorgio Spalletta (London) and Dan Panosian (Wonderland)

Colorist: Fabiana Mascolo

Letterer: Jeff Eckleberry

Review by: Kendra Hale

Summary

Alice Ever After #2 brings us back into the world of Alice as she discovers where her choices to enter the asylum will take her. After the introduction in the first issue, I am excited to see where the pathway leads. The artwork is like a dream world of craft and mastery and it keeps me yearning for more of it. I have been so excited to dive into this one again so after the white rabbit eh?

The Devil In Disguise

Alice has made her mind up, she has chosen to stop disappointing her family and do what makes her happy. She wants to stay in Wonderland forever, but forever is a mighty long time and Alice has many who are working against her. The remnants of her “Wonderland” can be clearly seen in her London life as she meets not only her caretakers at the asylum in Theodore, Thomas, Mistress Hulda, and Dr. Madsen Hasslemann, but also in the fellow residents.

One of those residents, Matthew, befriends Alice and even tells of his connection to her friend Morton. A late night mission to look at the inventory leads down a path Alice may not be ready for, and with all these forces working against her Alice may have done better keeping her poor head down. But with all eyes on her, what will become of our protagonist?

Positives

There are so many with this series that it honestly feels I could write a review on just those. The writing and art decisions are so smartly chosen that it enhances the experience. I genuinely love the artwork on the covers, Dan Panosian’s vintage Carroll-esque covers are always a joy to look at and take in. Alice Ever After #2 came with variants done by Enrico Marini and Adam Hughes, both of whom stepped up with exquisite visages of Alice.

But I want to touch on what I feel is the greatest part of this series. I love that there are two artists each depicting their part of Alice’s world. Dan Panosian gives us the world Alice longs for with his art on the Wonderland areas of the book, and Giorgio Spalletta gives us Alice’s London scenes. It is a brilliant choice that further intrigues readers into the worlds of this iteration of Alice.  Fabiana Mascolo continues the intrigue with colors while Jeff Eckleberry completes the illusion with his lettering.

Negatives

How fast it moves. I wish you could hear me laugh as I type that sentence, but the book really does. I sat reading it and was like, ” Oh I am only a few pages in .”, only to look up and be halfway through the book.  The Alice Ever After series is deceptive in its pace and is so seamless a read.

Verdict

Alice Ever After #2 is a joy and the series is a must for Alice fans, it would be such a sad missed opportunity NOT to read the series. A high recommendation!

Images Courtesy Of Boom! Studios