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 Eisner-nominated, definitive hardcover collection of the tragic and enchanting story of death and immortality from award-winning writer Ram V! Told with the tone of a fairy tale or fable, this story strikes me as something Neil Gaiman could have written, though he might have side-stepped the chapter narrated by a cigarette. And he probably would not have side-stepped the advancements or changes in the world that should be evident in a timeline that runs all the way up through the 2080s. I haven't read nearly enough of Ram V's work, but everything I've touched has been stellar. That said, I'm not convinced that reading every word he's ever written could've prepared me for how surgically concise he is here. He takes cultural ideas and beliefs, combs through them for universal experiences and sentiments, and gives them a voice that's wholly unique and maybe a little transcendent. His plot is a little looser than I wanted it to be, but it's intentional, I think, as that looseness helps it linger for longer and encourages the reader to fill in the gaps with themselves. Maybe the ending is too tidy, and maybe the character arc for Death is somewhat truncated, but I don't care. Unlike Daytripper, another comic with similar aims, The Many Deaths of Laila Starr doesn't overstay its welcome and knows precisely when and where to shift gears. For a story about life and existence, the series doesn't have any pretensions—it's simple, pure, and magical. Also, because of the repetitive nature of the story, I didn't find anything interesting or exciting in the plot.

Publication Dates [ ] Last Issue [ ] The Many Deaths of Laila Starr #2: 19 May 2021 Current Issue [ ] The Many Deaths of Laila Starr #3: 16 Jun 2021 Next Issue [ ] The Many Deaths of Laila Starr #4: 21 Jul 2021 Status [ ]What a great conclusion to the series. It definitely felt like the whole series culminated perfectly in this moment. This was one where I though I knew where it was going but was surprised to see the rather clever and moving twists in it. This is a book that keeps you on your toes and keeps your mind working. It’s a lovely reminder that death doesn’t have to be such a gloomy concept and makes you think about outlooks that could create more death-positivity. This is such a fun book, it’ll make you laugh, it’ll blow your mind, and it’ll also hit you deeply in the feelings. My only minor complaint is the font is occasionally hard to read. The Many Deaths of Laila Starr is a complete gem of a graphic novel that reminds you ‘ like a cigarette, the point of life, my friends, is to be smoked.’ 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).

First and foremost, allow me to say that I really liked both the art and the POC representation that this graphic novel brings to the table.Plus, I’m glad it represented Hinduism well and Indian culture in a authentic fashion as it’s not a common occurrence in western media. (It’s nice to be seen, especially if it’s executed with the highest merits as opposed to diversity for the sake of it). This is since, I feel brown people often get left behind in the discourse of social justice as there is a tiered hierarchy involved within social justice issues. Thought-provoking, touching, and bittersweet, this was a worthwhile exploration of life, death, and all that they could mean. Who is to say exactly how things end? If there is one thing we have learned, it is that life's endings are bereft of answers. [...] Perhaps it is enough to remember at story's end the miracle that it was simply yo have lived. 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!!

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. The first issue is fairly solid but, once Death immediately decides to about-face on the plan, the story meanders pointlessly until the very end. It’s unexciting reading for the most part and, without giving anything away about that finale, it’s unsatisfying and dripping with vapid New Age sentiment.

Ram V brings another rich layer of humanity to the story—and in the process further humanizes the divine…This is not just a story about life and death. It, like life itself, is an experience.” —ComicBook.com

In terms of art, it’s as colourful as India and the religion of Hinduism whilst having a warm and nice colour pallet, so that you can feel the heat of India and the emotions of the story. The art was really great. 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. I love how as story moves, Laila learns lots of valuable lessons about mortal life and at one point she even forgets what she wanted to do. Each issue teaches us some lessons and small things about life. Also the ending of this story was beautifully done. Ram V's writing is very smooth, pacing is amazing and artwork is very colorful and unique which captures the atmosphere of Mumbai perfectly. Okay so this is ASTONISHINGLY GOOD. The Many Deaths of Laila Starr is a visual treat and emotional ride. Author Ram V. and artist Felipe Andrade deliver this incredible story set in Mumbai, playing with Hindu mythology through characters that are fun and comical enough to keep the otherwise heavy, existential themes of the graphic novel from dipping into melodrama. Plus it is absolutely gorgeous to look at, with a sharp art style brought to life in heaping doses of arrestingly bright color palettes. When Death (visually represented as Kali finds herself laid off because a boy has been born that will put an end to death, she is sent to live a mortal life and decides she must kill him to allow death to continue. We follow Death as she finds herself without a purpose and living through several of her own deaths, and through this immortal being grappling with the emotions of those with a finite lifespan we must ultimately confront the question if death itself does have a purpose in life. The Many Deaths of Laila Starr #4: 21 Jul 2021 The Many Deaths of Laila Starr #5: 11 Aug 2021 News & Features [ ] Links [ ]DC Comics. І коли берешся за читання сучасної супергероїки його авторства є впевненість, що історія, як мінімум, буде середнього рівня. Але сьогодні мова не про супергероїку, а його іншу роботу для видавництва BOOM! Studios. Зважаючи на коріння цього сценариста, можна було припустити, що колись він дістане змогу створити й видати комікс, який пов’язаний із релігією та міфологією своєї батьківщини. І це якраз комікс «Багато смертей Лайли Старр» про який сьогодні розповідатиму. 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.