Review: The Last Day of Rain Chapter 3, by Claudia Matosa
If a captivating sci-fi love story that weaves together themes of climate change, data-theft, and personal redemption, set in a rain-deprived London devastated by environmental catastrophe, gets you intrigued, then The Last Day of Rain by Claudia Matosa is exactly what you're looking for.
"The Last Day of Rain" is an environmentally focused sci-fi comic that communicates the urgency of climate change fears. It takes us to a future where environmental collapse is an undeniable reality. The story follows Carol, who lives in a cloudless London in 2091, where the last days of rain are long gone. Her biggest dream is to see rain falling from the sky one day. However, this dream seems elusive as irreplaceable research data disappears, and a suspicious trainee complicates matters. The study that could potentially fix everything is on the verge of collapsing.
In Issue #3: Lost and Found, Carol tracks a data theft suspect and a spurned lover to a wealthy underground neighbourhood she despises.
The artwork boldly embraces vibrant colours and strong lines, creating a lively and charming visual experience. The characters are portrayed with expressive faces and dynamic poses, adding depth and emotion to the story.
A lot of panels have minimal detail in the backdrops, focusing attention on the character interactions and drawing viewers into the story. Claudia's artwork is really nice. It has a warm, hand-drawn illustrative quality, even though it's digital, and it makes great use of colour to keep your attention on the page. The artistic style adds charm to the love story it conveys, and even the writing has a sweet, cursive touch that enhances its overall appeal.
Storywise, Carol is searching for Art, but time is running out for them to find the drives they're after. Did he steal the data? Will we find out in this issue? I'm not going to spoil it, so if you've been reading this series, you'll need to pick this up to find out.
One thing I particularly liked was learning a bit more about this future London. Little bits in each issue really build up how the world is in this time. In this issue, it's Shiba Town which is underneath what looks like a massive amount of solar panels. It's pretty cool and I much prefer this method of worldbuilding than I do massive information dumps at the beginning of a first issue.
In one touching moment, Carol discusses the meaning of love, especially within her family. She reflects on living with the grief caused by carelessness and how that has shaped her current circumstances, as opposed to living in Shiba Town, where she grew up. It's also why she doesn't want to go back but is willing to do so to try and complete her mission. It adds some extra emotional depth to Carol's journey as she navigates a future London.
Claudia Matosa's "The Last Day of Rain" continues to captivate with its blend of sci-fi elements and heartfelt storytelling. The environmental themes resonate deeply in our current climate, making the narrative both timely and thought-provoking. It's a beautifully crafted tale that merges environmental urgency with personal drama, making it a must-read for fans of sci-fi and environmentalism. And with two more volumes to go until the story ends, there's bound to be a twist or two to come.
If you want to check it out, you can purchase Chapter 3 here, or you can pick up the first three chapters together in a nice bundle for a great price.
Rating: 4/5
