Last Time
Last time in Dahlia in the Dark, Donny Dahlia, or in this case, Shotgun Donny, was tagging along with Big Molly Bloom to deliver a package. It was one of those, no questions asked kinds of deliveries. Just make sure it gets to its destination and collect your fee. The whys, what’s, and who were questions that could get you killed.
What’s in the Box
Which is why the last thing Donny wanted to learn was what or WHO was in that package. Although, considering the luck that Donny had been having lately, it had to figure he wouldn’t be getting what HE wanted. This became certain when he found out that it was the daughter of King Dimitri Luna in the box. Princess Maya of the Dryad Fairy Clan. Come to find out, her father had been doing some very cruel and harsh things. So much so, that the Fairy Council had chosen to banish the Luna Kingdom from Gaia.
Fleeing from Both Sides
Maya, through the assistance of some of her father’s inner circle, escaped before the banishment spell took hold. However, there were people on both sides who wanted her for their own gains. Those who were enemies of her father and those who sought to gain favor with him. It was those types that captured her and put her in connection with Ollie Oleander and through him, Big Molly Bloom and Donny to send her back to King Dimitry.
Hiding the Contents
But just as Maya had thought, the number of people who wanted her were in pursuit. This included humans and changelings alike. Although, the first order of business for Donny was to make sure that Molly wasn’t wise that he knew what the cargo was. This meant rewrapping the box, so it looked untampered with and for Maya to hide somewhere else. Using her abilities (the ones that made her able to fit in the small box in the first place), she shrunk down and hid in Donny’s front pants pocket. Just before Molly saw her… although she DID have her suspicions of Donny.
Breaching the Barrier
Meanwhile, King Dimitry is also attempting to locate his daughter. It doesn’t help when he hears that Ryne is also in pursuit of Maya. However, one of his advisors informs him that their man Galvanous had the ability to weaken the barrier enough to slip through and retrieve her. However, the plan was not without risk. If the council were to realize that they had breached the barrier and violated their banishment, the consequences could be severe. The King did not let that intimidate him. His daughter must be retrieved.
Ryne Appears
Meanwhile, one of the other interested parties didn’t realize they had an informer in their midst. One that reported directly to Ollie Oleander, who then informed Big Molly Bloom. Ollie told her of the threat and also told her to share that information with Donny at her own discretion. Apparently, it’s not only Molly who has suspicions about Donny. When Molly returned to the car, Maya had once again gone into hiding and Donny went into the restaurant to grab something to eat.
Before he could leave, he noticed a young lady eyeing him with some interest. They both pulled their guns but before any engagement could be started, a huge explosion happened outside. With panic ensuing in the restaurant, they pulled their eyes away from each other when Ryne appeared. Holding a gun on Big Molly Bloom and telling Donny that he hoped he knew more about Maya Luna than Molly appeared to. For BOTH their sakes.
Thoughts
To say the narrative has hit a boiling (or exploding) point, would be to understating the situation. There is so much more going on than has been revealed at this point. No one trusts anyone, which is probably par for the course in Donny and Molly’s line of work. Maya is of major significance for a number of parties but to what extent is unknown at this time. One would assume that King Dimitry’s interest in retrieving his daughter is far from just wanting to keep his little girl safe. So much so that he would risk the council’s wrath and further punishment to obtain her.
The Mystery of Ryne
As for Ryne, other than being proven to be absolutely ruthless in his methods, his motive for wanting Maya is also somewhat sketchy. Although it doesn’t escape King Dimitry’s notice that the “Bastard Fairy” Ryne is involved. It would seem that the King has dealt with Ryne in the past. Certainly, enough to know what he is capable of.
Through the first two issues, the creative team of Corollo and Milana have established a storyline that takes one step forward, and two steps back and two more to the right or the left. Not to mention some other insights that I haven’t even mentioned yet. Through two issues, it’s just enough to keep the reader guessing and intrigued by what it all means. It’s like playing Jenga, just waiting for the piece to bring the whole thing down.
Questions, Questions
Will Donny reveal where Maya is? Will it matter to Ryne once he has Maya whether Molly and Danny live or not? Past evidence would lean toward no. What is the significance of Maya to all of these parties? With Ryne now in the driver’s seat, at least for the moment, perhaps we will find out in Issue #3.
It’s not too late to catch up with Dahlia in the Dark. With only two issues, it will take short work to bring yourselves up to speed. Just in time for the next issue. Mad Cave’s Dahlia in the Dark, Issue #2 is now available and can be found on Mad Cave’s subscription page, here.
Senior Writer at GeekVibesNation – I am a 50 something child of the 70’s who admits to being a Star Trek/Star Wars/Comic Book junkie who once dove head first over a cliff (Ok, it was a small hill) to try to rescue his Fantastic Four comic from a watery grave. I am married to a lovely woman who is as crazy as I am and the proud parent of a 18 year old boy with autism. My wife and son are my real heroes.
