A little more establishing details and more of the new relationship feels, we’re really starting to get into the meat of the story. ( )

Sunstone Vol. 2 had mostly the same problems as it's predecessor.

Weird panels, too much exposition, forced drama, fluctuating quality of art etc.

I enjoyed this volume far more than the previous one though. So what changed for the better this time round?

1. A freaking great and effective opening spread. Even the borders of the panels allude to the building of trust between the couple. The motion is almost visible, like that of an animatic, the art is solid, even the text is placed perfectly and doesn't overwhelm the page.


2. A page following the above spread that ingeniously uses a more realistic illustration in order to exude eroticism. What I really love about this page is that it's a close up, so it tricks your mind and eases it in this far more realistic and detailed scene because of course, when you see objects up close you also get to see more details. So it doesn't seem weird to transition from a more cartoony page to this one, it doesn't bother the eye, it's seamless. I'm in love with this transition. I think it's masterful storytelling-wise, and is one of the reasons I like sequential art so much. Because it can manipulate your vision, your brain, with neat little tricks like that.

These things are why I hold Šejić to such a high standard. This is why I want to claw my eyes out when only 2 pages after this eyecandy we see this proportionless bobblehead atrocity:


3. The period thing. Now come on, how many (cis) male artists do you know that would actually remember that many women get their periods, especially when they're illustrating erotic scenes with beautiful women? Most don't seem capable of understanding simple breast physics and bra functions. It might seem like a small thing to people who've never had a period but it ain't. And the dude actually drew the wings of a pad in a realistic highly erotic scene. Yes Šejić you're the man. I'd LOVE to see more comicbook artists not shying away from depicting menstruation as if it's just a disgusting thing that happens to people on galaxies far-far away.

4. Flashbacks with decent narration and good art. I'm all up for using a narrator as a device when recounting past events, when it's done like this. You could argue that the whole comic is a flashback, which is true, but not all portions of it are as well written and believable as the ones is this book.

5. Different faces OMG! Well...only for the guys at least because apparently there's only one type of beautiful woman and we cannot deviate from that now can we? The men were all unique in their own way, different cheeckbones, noses, chins, lips, foreheads, weights and body types. There are four men in this book and all have a different, and very distinct style. I wish it were the same for the women too though. We have more than four women and they all have the same features, the same face, with different wigs on. Oh, well, can't have everything I guess.

I really like Šejić's notes at the end of each volume. This one was filled with illustrations and redesigns of older panels.

I think I'll continue reading this. ( )

Not as great as Volume 1 but I will continue this series. I really enjoy all the panels and scenes with Ally and Lisa. They are my favorite characters with Alan coming in second. I liked the fact that we learned more about Lisa and her past. It was nice to see Ally comfort Lisa and try to reassure her that the rope issue with her previous sub wasn't her fault.

I really didn't care about the other background characters. Not sure how they will come into play but I really don't care about them. I was bored when Ally and/or Lisa weren't the main focus. I will continue reading the series. I know they are endgame so I am curious to see what bumps on the road they will encounter. ( )

The only time I've had someone make a comment about a purchase I made while I was at a comic book store occurred while purchasing this comic. Comment was made by the female cashier (clerk? what do they call the person you shove money into (at, not into, she's not a vending machine; was going to be into their hands, but forgot) so they allow you to leave their store at a comic book store?). While holding a comic that contained nudity and BDSM activity. Luckily, for my sense of mind, they were gushing over the series, specifically the first volume. So, that happened.

I do not normally read BDSM "things", though I've randomly stumbled across the genre?/issue?/theme? in my reading. I recall going through a bookshelf, spotting a book by an author I'd read several books by. Reading said book. Finding it filled with BDSM stuff. Then having a vague discussion with my mother about how the book was nothing like the movie made of it. That would be Ann Rice's ... ah, what was that called, oh, right, [b:Exit to Eden|22328180|Exit to Eden|Anne (Rice, Anne) Rampling|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1401120987s/22328180.jpg|41695894]. And the book shelf had been my mothers. The things you randomly find on your parents bookshelves. When you are a teenager.

None of that has anything to do with the actual comic Sunstone, of course. Well, actually, it does but not about the contents. The contents involve the developing relationship between two straight women who, eventually, might realize they aren't straight (since I read this first on DeviantArt, and since Shiniez put things up out of order, I already know that they do eventually reach that point - that it is more than just a BDSM relationship).

This specific volume involves the Mistress and Submissive, Ally and Lisa, being talked into going to a BDSM club. One that Ally had been to before, and one she has been avoiding for a long time. Because she had a rather bad experience there once. Accidentally causing her friend's relationship to implode. And then feeling deeply guilty of that for years. To the point that she ends up in the bathroom, when they actually do go in the "present" day world of this comic, and break down crying.

See, this is more than just a comic of naked people in bondage. Actually, if you were looking for that, this is probably the closest you would likely get in a mainstream comic, but there's a lot less naked people than than I actually recalled.

But anyway, I don't write reviews, as evidenced by the above, so I'm going to stop now. ( )

It just gets better ( )