I now have a poet to look up and read, and the end of a story that was so brilliantly unhinged that I am not upset we did not get a fairytale ending. The moral is a nostalgia from my childhood where every tragedy had a lesson. I wasn’t taken with Filipe Andrade’s goopy, funhouse-mirror-style art though I liked the colourfulness of the comic overall. Indian mysticism is nothing if not colourful and I liked that reflected in the visuals. And, even if Ram V’s writing continues to leave me unimpressed, his observation of why funerals are so ritualised because it’s the one aspect of death we have control over, is a pretty smart one (unless he’s just repeating something someone else said).

Also, because of the repetitive nature of the story, I didn't find anything interesting or exciting in the plot.The five issues in the series — which re-released as a complete collection on February 1st — follow Laila Starr, the identity assumed by the goddess Death after she is banished from the heavenly pantheon (portrayed in the series as an efficient corporation where she works by removing souls from bodies). The story is based on Hindu lore, focusing on the interplay between the mortal and the divine; Death (implied visually to be Kali, the Hindu goddess of death, time and change) mingles with spirits, humans and Brahman alike. The initially vague reason for her expulsion is as follows: Darius Shah, the key to eternal life, is born, meaning that her position in the heavens is now rendered obsolete. She now must live amongst the mere mortals she considers liabilities at her 9-to-5 job. The omnipotent Laila follows Darius from a distance throughout his days, revealing herself at five stages of Darius’s life, from his birth to the mystery of his final days. Will Laila ever understand what it means to live and die, especially as a supernatural being untouched by the rules of a lifespan? Does death have a purpose? The book answers these questions more profoundly and succinctly than I can, but I can tell you this: “Laila Starr” is absolutely gorgeous in its musings on death.

The pacing of the book is incredibly tight. Each chapter feels like a complete story. And the ending was surprising but it didn't feel like a cheap twist. The Many Deaths of Laila Starr #4: 21 Jul 2021 The Many Deaths of Laila Starr #5: 11 Aug 2021 News & Features [ ] Links [ ]

Table of Contents

Hermoso libro, de comienzo a fin. Te hace reir, te hace llorar, te hace querer leer poesía. Te encariñas con los protagonistas a pesar de que solo uno de los dos puede ganar. Cada capítulo es una joya en sí, incluyendo uno desde el punto de vista de un cigarrillo (!) The art is oddly disconcerting, with rubbery bodies and very cool settings. But the colors are SUBLIME. Also, we have an Eastern pantheon of gods? Love!! And now I have finished it and I'm overwhelmed with how truly beautiful this story was. Rubbery alien bodies be damned, this was PERFECT 🖤🖤🖤 The story: the god of death is let go by a corporation culture of gods. She becomes mortal at the same time a baby is born who is going to discover a cure for death. The story shows the two of them overlapping and interacting throughout their lives, and throughout the many deaths of the former god of death.

Unfortunately, it was just ok for me. The artwork was not my thing and really brought down my enjoyment. We were also introduced to several characters where I never felt like we got to know them. This story begins with setting the premise perfectly. As Laila (death) starts to live in human body, she gets indulged in pleasure of mortal life. Because she was death, now she can also see ghosts, spirits and even hear the crows which makes her life more unique. We also get to know life of Darius in various stages. Laila meets him many times, sometimes without knowing him. The most interesting thing about each issue is that each time Laila meets Darius, two incidents happens and the way they happen was so interesting to see.

I'm ugly crying so badly I can't even properly type a review. This series gave me goosebumps from start to finish, and it's so well-written, and the artwork is simply stunning, and the characters are all so well-built, I feel like it's going to be a while before I find such a beautiful story again. Estos cómics son una obra maestra. Son hermosos y te dejan con una sensación de lo hermosa que es la vida y los pequeños momentos que la hacen lo que es. Beautiful, poignant, indie comic about questioning the meaning of defying death. The art is very unique and gorgeous. My attention slipped a bit for a moment in Darius' adolescent years, but the beginning of this story and the end are very strong. I like the message that, for some, chasing immortality leads to missing moments with the people that make life meaningful to begin with. All in all if you’d like to read something that discusses mortality or uses Hinduism in a fun way similar to how Greek and Norse mythology are used in today’s popular culture, then this is a great book. It’s a really good read.