Reviews
REVIEW: Moths #4
Book Title: Moths #4
Book Description: In the first issue of Moths, Emily Kai chose to blossom and unlock the powers within herself. An unfortunate side effect of doing so was that choice started a countdown. Everyone that chooses to blossom has six months to live before their powers consume them and they die.
Emily’s power of empathy has given her the opportunity to help right wrongs and prevent a massacre of those individuals with powers. With three months to live she’s not finished.
Emily is making the most of every moment and trying to help people see the good that the world has to offer through her performances. When her friend Michelle pays a visit she’s hit with quite a bombshell.
Michelle lost everything in the Big Death. Her family succumbed to the virus. The college she was attending won’t reopen because administrators are fearful of another wave of the virus. She doesn’t have a job or a significant other. Michelle is having trouble seeing the upside to anything. In fact, Michelle has decided she wants to kill herself.
Emily pleads with Michelle that there has to be another way. Michelle has already made up her mind. When someone Emily knows dies and her power of empathy allows her to feel it and share it she has another go with Michelle. Will that feeling be enough though?
Book Author: J. Michael Straczynski
Book Format: Paperback
Publisher - Orgnization: AWA Studios/Upshot Studios
Publisher Logo:
Illustrator: Mike Choi
- Story(3.75)
- Interior Art(4.25)
- Cover Art(3.25)
- Dialogue(3.25)
- Mechanics(3.25)
- Editing(3.25)
Summary
Moths #4 really hit home with me. I lost my brother-in-law to suicide about 9 years ago. My aunt killed herself last spring.
I’ve always had two conflicting mindsets on the topic of suicide. On the one hand it’s a selfish way to go because of the emotional trauma it creates for those left behind. On the other hand, if someone feels that all hope is lost and there’s no other way out I can respect that if they don’t harm anyone else in the process.
Depression is a very difficult battle to fight. Yes, there are medications that people can take to help fight it. As someone once explained it to me, the medications help take away the suicidal tendencies. They take away everything else, too. There’s no being happy. No being sad. Individuals in this situation feel like they’re just existing.
With that in mind I liked how Emily told Michelle that she wasn’t saying yes or no. Just don’t make it an impulsive decision.
The cover looks like a portrait. I like the purple tones. They help emphasize the empathy that exudes from Emily. Mr. Choi’s work on the interior pages is incredible. I can’t get over how well done the panel of Emily sitting and writing in her journal was.
As a geek on a budget I think Moths #4 is a powerful story that is well worth the price of admission. It may not have a lot of action. There’s more than enough intensity to make up for that.
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