Published on December 9th, 2017 | by Chris O'Connor
Sunstone, Volume 2 HC Comic Review
Summary: Rubber and rope, leather and lace, the joy of reading this book is written on my face.
5
Love Bound
Come for the kink stay for the heart… ok so I’m clearly not good at writing “copy” but that could well be the way some people end up with Sunstone. I’ve read a few of these now and the art work is always stunning (and yes, quite provocative)… but the thing I always end up with is a warm gooey feeling inside because of the relationship (in case any of you were thinking something else when I wrote gooey… inside… you naughty readers you). The world of BDSM is opened up to the reader but so are the hearts of the characters and for that it is hard not to get drawn in and tied to the story.
Writing
Stjepan Sejic has a real knack for dialogue. Reading the Sunstone series is like watching your favourite sitcom or drama… or any great entertainment really… the dialogue seems to flow naturally. There are the quirky, goofy moments that the characters acknowledge, the emotionally draining ups and downs of self doubt and elation of love. Stjepan has noted that when writing the characters more or less take on a life of their own and it’s very easy to believe that’s true, they each have their uniqueness and they all let their individuality fly. They aren’t simple one dimensional stereotypes of what the mass public might think a BDSM enthusiast would be… they all go much deeper and are fleshed out as people beyond their “kink”. The downside is that indeed you will go on an emotional roller coaster when reading Sunstone… it’s hard not to get attached to the characters and so it can be a bit draining (but in a good cathartic way).
Artwork
This is probably what will draw most people in to start with. The notion of attractive people dressed in some very sexy clothes and being “intimate” with each other. Sure there are some erotic images… but much like BDSM they only play a small part in the whole story. As impressive as Stjepan’s ability to artistically recreate leather and latex (the light play on the fabric is something that can flummox lesser artists)… one of the things I really enjoy is the attention to emotion that is written across the character’s faces… little eccentricities (biting of the lip) or contortions of the forehead as someone goes into “don’t F@$@ with me” mode. The art really does add extra layers of character to the story and there are plenty of panels that would not be out of place displayed proudly on a wall.
Final Thoughts
Everytime I delve into a Sunstone story I know I’m in for pleasure and pain (how fitting)… the artwork and story are top notch but I know I will find that connection again with the ladies (and other characters but especially Ally and Lisa) and going through their emotional ups and downs with them can be a hard road… but as is often said, “it’s not the destination but the journey that matters”. If you like a bit of romance, a bit of kink and some well written characters all rolled up into one… I can’t think of any better option than Sunstone. Establish your safe word, test your restraints and dive head first into this wonderful world.
Publisher: Image Comics
Writer: Stjepan Sejic
Artist: Stjepan Sejic
Colourist: Stjepan Sejic
Cover Artist: Stjepan Sejic
Genre: Erotica, Romance
Format: 466 pgs, FC, HC
Release Date: 22nd November, 2017