Last Time
When we last left Show’s End, Pavel had been given an opportunity. A chance to receive the kind of power that Loralye possessed but was hesitant to use. All he had to do was agree to undergo the ritual that others had “volunteered” for. Meanwhile, Loralye was still getting acquainted with her family and discovering some dark truths about what they really wanted with her. The same could be said for Vaddy whose insights revealed the horrors of the inhabitants so called “religion.” Things had definitely become intense at Show’s End.
Vaddy’s Vision
Vaddy had seen the horrors of their religion. She needed to gather her friends and they needed to leave. As she searched for Loralye, Copper and Bolty, she ran into the soldiers who had befriended them. Frantically she asked them to bring their weapons. Miss Coralynn has their children. They needed to find Loralye and Pavel before it was too late. They agreed to help but not with weapons. Desperate, Vaddy showed their leader Corven what she saw. and what had happened to his beloved wife. His reaction was not what she expected. He recoiled and told her to NEVER touch him again, leading his men away.
A Member of the Family
Back with Pavel, his initiation into his transformation of power would begin with going along with a sacrifice. Not of him, at the start, but with two of the men who had been cruel to him. This required that Pavel meet another member of his family. His father Gunnar’s chain saw. This would be the instrument used to gather the necessary human clay for Pavel’s transformation. All he had to do was use it.
A Revival Trip
Meanwhile, Loralye’s grandfather Leviticus Jones was trying to show her the evil in the world. A Revival trip…of sorts. Making her see that her power could be used to bring order to this lawless world. Perhaps even put an end to those people who did bad things. Such things as what happened to her friend Flipsy. Not only her death but what became of her afterwards. It was this fate he wanted her to see for herself.
The Blood Sacrifice
Gunnar wanted Pavel to use his chainsaw on those men who had wronged him. In fact, he would help him do it. But Pavel was not like his father. He did not WANT to kill these men, regardless of how he had been treated. In fact, he had changed his mind about the whole thing. Letting Miss Coralynn and his father know that the transformation was not for him. However, this didn’t stop Gunnar from taking Pavel’s hands and guiding him to use the chainsaw. Whether he wanted to or not. Blood splattered as it sank deep. All the while, Gunnar continued to try to convince Pavel that this was the right thing to do, allowing Miss Coralyn to collect a blood sacrifice.
For Evie
At that time, Vaddy, Copper and Bolty were pushed into the Barns door. More victims to be sacrificed. Pavel asked that his “family” be spared while Coralynn and Vaddy exchanged psychic probes. At least until Corven reappeared and shot Coralynn with his rifle. Apparently, after getting over the shock of Vaddy’s revelation of what happened to Evie his wife, he decided he DID need to intervene. With hot lead, for what had been done to Evie.
Letting the Monster Loose
Back with Loralye and Leviticus, he decided that she needed to see what had happened to Flipsy after her passing. What had become of her body. As it turned out, it was used for a store window display in a bait shop. Merged with a mermaid’s tale and with a fishing hook staged in her mouth. The sight was too much for Loralye to bear. All of the anger and need for retribution she had been holding back at the insistence of Vaddy came pouring out. With all the power of a nuclear blast. The monster had been cut loose.
Chasing Family
The force of Loralye’s power was seen all the way back in Sanctuary Glade. Vaddy knew what had happened. She needed to get to Loralye. But it just so happened that Coralynn wasn’t as hurt by Corven’s gun as it appeared. She too wanted to see what Loralye had released. To do this, Coralynn grew wings and gathered Vaddy and Gunnar to see what Loralye had become. She flew off in the direction of the cloud of destruction. However, Copper, Bolty, and Pavel would soon be in pursuit of their family.
Thoughts
I had mentioned in my thoughts for Issue 4 to expect even more from the creative team of Cleveland and Sadzinski. We darn if they didn’t deliver as issue 4 connects brilliantly with the first volume. Explaining in tragic terms what had transpired to at least one of the bodies buried in Show’s End. The ones that Daxton had sold after they were gone (see Show’s End, Vol.1 TPB).
With Loralye’s heartbreak at the death of Flipsy, Grandpa Leviticus knew just the button to push. Seeing Flipsy was just the trigger to put her over the edge and to release the demon inside her. Can Copper, Bolty, and Pavel arrive in time to prevent Loralye’s destructive rage? Only one issue left to find out. Look for the very best that Cleveland and Sadzinski have to offer in this one. Considering the standards, they are setting, that will be something to see.
Show’s End: The Second Coming, Issue 4 by Anthony Cleveland and Jef Sadzinski is available October 12th on Mad Cave’s subscription site.
Senior Writer at GeekVibesNation – I am a 60 something child of the 70’s who admits to being a Star Trek/Star Wars/Comic Book junkie who once dove headfirst 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 21-year-old young man with autism. My wife and son are my real heroes.
