Rave
The Comics Journal | Robert Kirby | May 19, 2022
TCJ reviews Rave!
Jessica Campbell’s latest is a marked departure from her two previous, delightfully smart-assed books, XTC69 (2018) and Hot or Not: 20th Century Male Artists (2016). While those books deftly satirized misogyny and sexism, Rave is a far more sober-sided affair—though certainly not without a sense of humor. Here Campbell proves herself more than capable of nuanced, contemplative storytelling.
Using her trademarked thick-brush, funky-friendly linework, Campbell explores the devastating effects a rigid religious doctrine has on her heroine, a timid 15-year old high school student named Lauren, circa early 2000’s.
Campbell opens with Lauren attending a youth group at her evangelical church. The pastor begins with a sermon called “Remaining a pure bride of Christ,” which instantly clues us in to Lauren’s circumstances. She dresses in dowdy full-length skirts (with hairstyle to match), and possesses a world-class unibrow. But Lauren’s repressed/suppressed life gets considerably livened up when, for a high school class project on evolution, she is partnered with a schoolmate named Mariah. Mariah is Lauren’s polar opposite: bold, sassy, seemingly uncaring as to what others might think of her. She also identifies as Wiccan. Lauren’s parents won’t even let Lauren bring books about evolution into the house.
When Mariah’s mother decides to spend the weekend away with her boyfriend—leaving Mariah to her own devices, without a second thought—the girls plan a study date/sleepover at Mariah’s apartment. During the sleepover Mariah gives Lauren a makeover and Lauren ends up looking really cute. Eventually, the girls engage in a little make-out session, then spend the rest of the evening cuddling together in front of the television. Their romance continues for a while afterward, but Lauren’s evangelical background has left her ill-prepared for this intimacy. As she feared, there will be consequences.
Campbell’s deadpan observations of teenage shenanigans strengthen the narrative throughout, and she accurately captures the random banalities and cruelties of high school life. We see Lauren gossiping with a friend about creepy teachers; getting razzed (“You suck!”) while participating in a super-geeky song and dance number for a school show; and witnessing the all-too-common bullying in the school’s halls. Campbell nails kids’ awareness that their social standing is tenuous, that any faux pas could mean disaster—as when Lauren’s secret relationship with Mariah is suspected by an unsympathetic classmate.
Read the full review here!
Using her trademarked thick-brush, funky-friendly linework, Campbell explores the devastating effects a rigid religious doctrine has on her heroine, a timid 15-year old high school student named Lauren, circa early 2000’s.
Campbell opens with Lauren attending a youth group at her evangelical church. The pastor begins with a sermon called “Remaining a pure bride of Christ,” which instantly clues us in to Lauren’s circumstances. She dresses in dowdy full-length skirts (with hairstyle to match), and possesses a world-class unibrow. But Lauren’s repressed/suppressed life gets considerably livened up when, for a high school class project on evolution, she is partnered with a schoolmate named Mariah. Mariah is Lauren’s polar opposite: bold, sassy, seemingly uncaring as to what others might think of her. She also identifies as Wiccan. Lauren’s parents won’t even let Lauren bring books about evolution into the house.
When Mariah’s mother decides to spend the weekend away with her boyfriend—leaving Mariah to her own devices, without a second thought—the girls plan a study date/sleepover at Mariah’s apartment. During the sleepover Mariah gives Lauren a makeover and Lauren ends up looking really cute. Eventually, the girls engage in a little make-out session, then spend the rest of the evening cuddling together in front of the television. Their romance continues for a while afterward, but Lauren’s evangelical background has left her ill-prepared for this intimacy. As she feared, there will be consequences.
Campbell’s deadpan observations of teenage shenanigans strengthen the narrative throughout, and she accurately captures the random banalities and cruelties of high school life. We see Lauren gossiping with a friend about creepy teachers; getting razzed (“You suck!”) while participating in a super-geeky song and dance number for a school show; and witnessing the all-too-common bullying in the school’s halls. Campbell nails kids’ awareness that their social standing is tenuous, that any faux pas could mean disaster—as when Lauren’s secret relationship with Mariah is suspected by an unsympathetic classmate.
Read the full review here!