‘Alabaster: The Good, the Bad, and the Bird’ Comic Review

Caitlin R. Kiernan sets up an interesting narrative in Alabaster: The Good, the Bad, and the Bird. Readers will quickly notice the contrasting storylines that compose the comic; the first page makes a bold statement with Daniel Warren Johnson taking advantage of a minimalist drawing style and Carlos Badilla’s implementation of black-and-white coloration.

The text on the first page of Alabaster sets the tone for the rest of this particular portion of the story. It is immediately evident this section will heavily utilize Biblical references and concepts relating to religion, such as the idea of Heaven and Hell. This is only appropriate since the dark figure comic readers first encounter is within her own personal Hell: “a white nothingness.” A void.

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Alabaster’s other storyline, which is simultaneously occurring, has a completely different atmosphere. Here, the story is quite colorful–in both a literal sense with its vivid panels and also in a metaphorical sense with its colorful characters.

While at Betty Beaver’s Truck Stop and Diner, readers are introduced to a well dressed man who is referred to as Bailiff. Two masked women, Hunter and Carson, are also introduced as the three sit down together for a meeting.

It is obvious the two women are exchanging something for what Bailiff has in his briefcase; however, before Kiernan indulges readers as to what either item is, she gives them a chance to piece together some vital information.

Before the exchange, Kiernan uses Bailiff’s dialogue to remind readers of the fate of Dancy Flammarion, the series’ protagonist. The reminder is written concisely and in a way that brings new readers to speed quickly while clarifying some of the events of the current issue.

Bailiff’s dialogue also serves as a way to bring in some of the Biblical elements from the other storyline into this one. This lets the two storylines gradually integrate and seem much more cohesive. In fact, at one point, Bailiff’s dialogue mirrors the “memories” of the dark figure introduced in Alabaster’s opening pages.

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Seeing the dark figure’s memories partially explained in Bailiff’s storytelling completes the storylines’ integration seamlessly. With the bigger picture gradually revealed to readers the suspense heightens further, along with the excitement level.

Though some of the mystery is clearing up, there are still plenty of questions left to ponder at the close of Alabaster: The Good, the Bad, and the Bird. For instance, readers are still unsure as to where Hunter and Carson are heading next. Bailiff’s next moves are also a complete mystery, and there is even more concern as to what he will do with his newly acquired “good” since it is, well, alive–at least for the time being. There is also the question of the dark figure’s fate. Will she escape her Hell? Will the memories that haunt her cease to exist?

Alabaster: The Good, the Bad, and the Bird has clearly created more questions than it has answered, but they are questions I would like to see answered. For that reason, I will continue my journey with this series. As repeated throughout the comic,“This isn’t the way the story ends.”

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