Lai Wan #2

Title: Lai Wan
Issue: #2
Date: 2006
Publisher: Moonstone Books
Writer: C.J. Henderson
Art: Kieran Yanner
Colorist: Thompson Knox
Letterer: Nate Pride
Editor: Lori G
Cover: Kieran Yanner

The second issue's story, "A Happy Mother Takes Away Pain", is in many ways a more interesting introduction to the character of Lai Wan than the first issue was. This story stands alone nicely, and tells of a plain-looking middle-aged woman who seeks psychic Lai Wan's help for her mother's mysterious affliction.

The affliction, as it turns out, is demonic possession. The problem is that Lai Wan isn't in the business of fighting demons. She just gives the daughter the chance to fight the battle for herself. Not everything is as it appears, and the plot twists are fun, but what I really enjoyed here was the depiction of a very ordinary person finding the courage to fight a very extraordinary battle.

Kieran Yanner, who painted the cover for the first issue, handles all the art here, and his work is appropriately eerie and disturbing, especially his demon (a djinn, actually, for those wishing to be technical).

Lai Wan continues to be a fascinating character, and she really shines in this clever and disturbing tale.

Rating: 8/10

Photo is from today at TempleCon, with writer C.J. Henderson holding up Lai Wan #2 as well as his Lai Wan prose anthology. This is my last of 3 reviews of books purchased at TempleCon. We had a great time at the convention. Our next con appearance is in only two weeks at Queen City kamikaze in Manchester NH.