Redlands, Vol. 2: Water on the Fire

Redlands #7-12

by Jordie Bellaire, Vanesa Del Rey (Artist)

The witches of Redlands find themselves divided and challenged by the power that created them. Through chaos and blood, they will rebuild their coven and set in motion the ultimate revenge fantasy that ensures their true freedom from all beasts and killers...yet they'll never escape each other. Collects Redlands #7-12.

Collects REDLANDS #7-12

Genres: Comics, Horror, Graphic Novels, Fantasy, Fiction, Paranormal, Graphic Novels Comics

144 pages, Paperback

First published May 22, 2019

About the author

Jordie Bellaire is an American comic book colorist and writter who lives in Ireland and works for DC, Marvel, Valiant, and Image comic book publishers. She has colored Pretty Deadly, The Manhattan Projects, Moon Knight, The Vision, Magneto, Nowhere Men, Hawkeye, Batman, among other titles. As a writer, her most famous works are Redlands and the reboot of Buffy The Vampire Slayer.
Bellaire is credited with starting the "Comics are for everybody" initiative to make the comic book community more inclusive and compassionate.

Reviews

[Dakota Morgan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I like the writing in Redlands, I like the setting, I like witches and demons and devils. But each successive volume has left me cold and confused. Who are these women? What's their end goal? Who are these other characters? Why do I care? Volume two offers few, if any, answers, instead deepening the mystery. Ro, Alice, and their devil-father go off to execute a prison break. Bridget/Nancy and Caster hang out in hotel rooms and seedy bars and have deep talks. The pages turn quickly, making it feel like something is going on, but nothing is going on. And Vanesa del Rey's art is still far too difficult to decipher. No more Redlands for me, I think.

[Brianne Hofmann · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reading through some of the reviews after the first vol., I get the criticism. The story doesn’t flow very well, making it difficult to follow what’s happening currently. I think this has also been classified as horror...but that’s a stretch. I’m not compelled to move forward with the next volume.

[Valéria. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Šupnem recenziu na oba booky naraz: Toto bolo fakt dobré, zaujímavé, krásne krvavé a dobre to ubiehalo. Jediné čo mi robilo zo začiatku trochu problém bolo obľúbiť si hlavné postavy, ale to sa v druhej knihe napravilo. Kresba je taká skicová, ale krásne to pasuje k príbehu. Čo je úplne parádne a neskutočne som si užívala bolo panelovanie. Niektoré stránky boli nádherne rozvrhnuté. Dúfam, že to bude pokračovať lebo po oznámení #13/tretieho booku ani chýtu ani slychu.. 4,5/5

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like where this is going. There is still a lot under the surface, and it's not exactly a book that can be speed read and get it all. There was a sequence that was entirely hieroglyphics that kind of tells the back story of one of the witches. That took a bit to understand and it wasn't perfectly clear until a brief mention later in the book. Knowing this is a 4 part series makes me more inclined to let some of the mystery and confusion slide, so long as it all comes together later, like any typical good novel.

The art is alright, but a little sloppy at times. Sometimes it's hard to figure out exactly what I'm looking at, particularly with the choas god aka the witch's father. But I kind of expect that to be intentional. It's pretty dark.

I also like the little newspaper clippings and advertisements and things at the end of individual issues. Though it also feels like padding, to some degree. Sometimes it slightly extends some backstory, but mostly it's just gee-whiz stuff. Not that I don't appreciate it, but I feel like those pages could do better as actual story pages.

Either way, I'll definitely keep reading this series.

[exorcismemily · Rating 2 out of 5]

**2.5⭐ review coming soon**

[Sara the Librarian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Man did I ever get the hairy eyeball from my nine year old when he saw me reading this in bed.

But this cover, I mean c'mon.

Dammmmnnnnnnn

[Václav · Rating 4 out of 5]

With the first book, I had an issue with the main characters. They're very unlikeable to me. Even if authors claim that this comics book is also about something to relate for people with a tough life and letting anger out. I don't know. It's about three women who stand against men who abuse their power and/or acts like an animal. By abusing their power and acting like animals. I can't see empowerment in that. I can only see anger and revenge and torment. And I have trouble to see women in these old witches. They are as many women as their "father" is a man. They're more creatures. Old beings. Once may be human, but now something much more (or less, in means of humanity). And this is one more thing I have trouble here: beings who live many centuries acts very similar like humans of their (visual) age. I would expect something different... But the story is alright. I actually like it. It's thrilling, engaging and interesting. I like the multiple storylines coming nicely together and the art is maybe not perfect in my taste (I don't like messy and/or scribble style), but it works, the scenes are well constructed and the panelwork is excellent. I enjoyed the second book a bit more than the first (which I needed to quick re-read to get back to the picture), I love the issue covers and I'm looking forward to read more of the Redlands. (It looks there will be twelve more issues, even the story feels it could easily conclude in (less than) a half of that. I'm curious how that turns out.)

[Jakub Kvíz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pokracovani Redlands rozhodne nezklamalo, ale porad je to "jen" lepsi prumer.

Dostaneme origin sester, jejich otce a dalsich vedlejsich postav. Pribeh se zacina nekam posouvat a veci do sebe pomalu zapadaj. Skoro bych rekl, ze trojka, max. ctyrka budou finale, protoze nemam pocit, ze by tu Jordie Bellaire budovala nejakej komplexni svet, ale spis si pripravila jeviste pro nekolika aktovou hru.

Sem zvedav na pokracovani (nebo dokonce finale), ale bojim se, ze zase vsechno zapomenu... Uz jen pro to, ze treti story arc jeste ani nezacal.

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

After finding volume one intriguing, I looked up volume two to reserve, but when I saw the cover there was no way I was going to order a copy through inter-library loan for my co-workers to see! Luckily, I found a copy through the online service Hoopla to read. While I am no prude, I was disappointed the cover is so very gratuitous.

This volume begins with a visit to the past- the way-back past! We find Alice in ancient Egypt (why would she be named Alice back then??), Ro in Viking era Ireland, Bridget during the Salem Witch Trial time period and their “Father” in all three eras who turned them all into witches and demands obedience. We learn more about Bridget’s police partner Casper (who is a ghost, hence the name), Ro’s adopted clairvoyant daughter Itsy, Bridget’s sometimes lover Laurent, and the revenge-seeking teen prostitute Nancy who is still inhabiting Bridget’s body- and it is becoming difficult to keep all the details straight.

This volume ends on a cliffhanger of sorts- the witch’s evil father is pulling strings and setting the three women up to be on opposite sides of a crisis that only can result in bloodshed. It has been over two years since this volume with no more issues on the horizon, so my guess is the series was dropped. No loss- while it started out promisingly the narrative threads became too convoluted for me to understand or really care about. The artwork didn’t help, for it was often too scratchy and dark to pick up on details that might have helped carry the story. I hope that Bellaire keeps on writing, she just needs to streamline her stories.

This review (plus V1) can be found on my blog: https://graphicnovelty2.com/2021/11/1...

[Shaun Stanley · Rating 2 out of 5]

Redlands Vol. 2 Water on the Fire collects issues 7-12 by Jordie Bellaire and Vanesa Del Rey.

I liked the characters in the volume but I don't know if anything actually happened. This story sets a lot of things in motion and nothing actually happens. It's weird. The premise and setting are fantastic but the story goes nowhere. The second volume ends with no conclusion and there has been no news of a third volume for close to two years now so that is a disappointment. Some of the art in the volume was hard to decipher because it was so dark.

I have given even volume 2 stars but I actually do enjoy the series and want more. If the book does return, I hope the story becomes more focused and heads toward a conclusion.

[Theediscerning · Rating 3 out of 5]

Apparently the second quarter of this dark fantasy, this book is very awkward if you can't remember enough of Volume One, and really not a place for newbies to start. It begins to have the feel of David-Lynch-does-the-Afterlife, which might be your taste, and might not. I'd certainly hold out for the whole thing to be done before tackling it, for there is a lot to get to grips with.

[RG · Rating 2 out of 5]

Overly confusing for no reason.

[Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very solid follow up to the first volume. The Sister/Witches backstories are expanded upon nicely. I'm liking the supernatural/noir feeling of these tales.

[Adam Barrett · Rating 1 out of 5]

I read this one so you wouldn't have to (don't waste your time). It's pretty much as revolting as Vol. 1, and doesn't resolve the story arc in any way.

[Cathy]

I did not enjoy Redlands Vol. 1, so I am kicking this off my shelf.
(Part of a reduced humble bundle)

[Kris Ritchie · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 rounded down. It's like, I enjoy all the ingredients but something about the way they come together are eh?

Maybe it is cuase the stakes or overall goal doesn't seem clear, what even is the point of this coven? To run this town? To appease Satan? To piss around for 6 issues?

[JC Cornell · Rating 2 out of 5]

Less interested in this volume than the previous one, but we did see more character development. Still not sure if this series will continue to help my interest past #20. Will have to see.

[The Lost Dreamer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dark, hot and sticky. Maybe not as magnetic as volume 1, but this second volume (of four, apparently) keeps most of the interest and expectations it generated. Artistically Redlands remains as a masterpiece: you can spend quite a while looking at a single page and keep feeling that you're missing something, that there are still creatures hidden in the dark corners of the paper. That's a fascinating feeling and, in part, what captures me of this comic book. But I'm also quite intrigued by the plot. I think this volume is a little more complicated to follow than the previous one, not because the plot is complicated, but because of the pace at which it moves. Maybe it feels a little bit too slow, but there are more than enough amusements for one to keep entertained along the way. I'm really into the link between witchcraft and gender, so there is, for me, a clear interest in the plot. Even though if it's feeling a little bit predictible at some points. And, anyway, probably reading it as monthly issues increased that feeling.
For me Redlands remains as one of the most attractive comics that I'm reading at the moment. I love all the femenine details, the dark magic and the blurry landscapes it refers to. It's fascinating and I hope it stays this way. We'll see how it ends.

[Pablo Molina Cortés · Rating 2 out of 5]

Es una pena que no haya podido conectar con el volumen 2 de Redlands así como lo hice con el volumen 1... Siento que hubo mucha dispersión de la acción y de los acontecimientos, y que no llegaron a ningún lado más que a una tremenda confusión y perdida de interés por lo que está pasando.
El "padre" del aquelarre compuesto por las brujas Bridget, Ro y Alice, llega al pueblo de Redlands y básicamente las obliga a cumplir una misión... Pero después de tanto tiempo, ellas ya no quieren seguir sus órdenes, ya tienen una vida construida, con otras prioridades mas allá del caos.
Pero parece que ellas no pueden escapar tan fácil del poder de este oscuro padre... Y en este ambiente de tensión nos mantienen durante seis números sin grandes sorpresas. Todo queda planteado para un tercer volumen que no sé si llegaré a leer porque he perdido el encanto que me dejó el volumen 1. Solo el tiempo lo dirá.

[Dkolacinski · Rating 3 out of 5]

So this coven of witches destroys by fire an entire sheriff's department and takes over governance of this Florida town, including the sheriff's department. Then things get really weird and difficult to follow. Are the actions revenge for abuse from an early age, furtherance of the goals of the coven (whatever these might be) or simply being pissed off? Hard to tell, and even harder to follow. instead of saying wow, or even cringing from the gratuitous violence, I say WTF especially with what might or might not be a cliff-hanger ending. This could have been great, but it ended up merely confusing.

[Devin Wilson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't think it's a good thing that I can't tell whether this story is supposed to be over or not.

I'm giving this book a positive review because of its positive and inconsistent strengths, but the overwhelming feeling I have after reading these two volumes is disorientation.

My best guess is this: I think the non-linear storytelling, supernatural elements, and laudable but not superlatively clear art style do not mix well.

I may read both volumes in one sitting sometime and hope to get more out of it on a second time through. I want to like it, but... I don't even feel like I know what it is.

[Sem · Rating 3 out of 5]

Oh are you fucking kidding me?
THIS is where we leave on a cliffhanger and, just to confirm, it's been five fucking years and no word on a continuation?
It's my fault, really, for getting into an Image series without confirming it ended rather than just... stopped. I found out it happened with a few others and avoided them but assumed this was a complete story. That isn't the case, though, as the series gears up, speeding toward a great collision of multiple storylines and then dies off with an issue that apparently was meant to be the midpoint. Instead, it's a drab, annoying conclusion and a reminder not to get into any series that isn't fully over.

[Paul Allard · Rating 3 out of 5]

Confusing second volume to this supernatural comic series

Although I read Volume 1 a while ago, I’m sure that I found it clearer than this set of comics about three witch sisters and their friends and relatives. The story involves a couple of parallel plots with flashbacks to add to the confusion. The artwork is not particularly clear and, all in all, this is not a great success. Perhaps if I reread Volume 1! There are some interesting extras at the end of each issue. There will be another volume.

[Matthew McElroy · Rating 3 out of 5]

It just wasn't as good as the first book. And it was absolutely intended to be part of a longer series, so there should have been a clear plan to continue the story.
Instead, we are left with tons of hanging threads- what is the deal with Itsy? Where is Bridget's soul? How did these three women meet? How did Chaos come to the women in the first place? The art is still intriguing, if dark. You definitely need to read this in a well-lit place, because so many of the panels are hard to see. I'm hoping the library has the final installations. This started off so promising.

[Daryl · Rating 2 out of 5]

A few weeks ago, I posted a review of Redlands, Volume 1. Most of what I said then applies to volume 2, as well. The witches' father/creator shows up, who may be the devil. Not a whole lot happens here. I don't think this was intended to be the end of the series - too many hanging plot threads and no resolution - but this was the last one published. Glad I read it, I guess, but I'm left with a feeling of meh.

[Michael Gordon · Rating 4 out of 5]

A modern take on Southern Gothic taken to the extreme. Featuring characters created by Jordie Bellaire who are not just flawed, but caught in a vicious and violent circle of doing wrong and having been done wrong. Behind all the graphic sex and violence, there’s a steady undercurrent of rage in the atmosphere crafted by Vanesa Del Rey. This series is a slow burn with some explosive moments, the creative team bravely and deliberately taking their time to tell this story and I very much hope they get the chance to finish what they’ve started.

[wbforeman · Rating 2 out of 5]

I know the art is polarizing, but I still really enjoy it. When I find frustrating in the second volume makes the story more convoluted with more spinning plot lines between the three stories, going into the back stories of the coven witches, because it’s an image book the series never finished. It’s been five years, since the last issue was put out and I doubt it that it will finish. As a reader, it’s just frustrating and disappointing of a read the volumes and get no resolution to the story.

[Villain E · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, there's actually a bit of a plot in this one. Bridgett has been possessed by a ghost. She's powerful enough to expel the ghost, but chooses to help her instead. And the demon who gave the witches their power returns for a visit. Of course, he wants something. None of these plotlines comes to a resolution. The artwork is the same: rough and moody.

[Elena Varg · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series is like AHS season 3, but consistently great!! I like it so much actually I’m a bit scared by the lack of information on the next issue... Please, gods of comic books, don’t let this book get cancelled!!!

[Johan · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story is ok, it’s even getting better, but I am not a fan of the artwork.
I had hoped that the end of this volume would also be the end of the story, but it isn’t. How long will I have to wait for volume 3?