Alright full disclosure, I already reviewed this Mad Cave series called The Last Session. The only reason why I’m doing it for the full trade is because people assume I just reviewed the first issue. Don’t ask for the details, that’s between Mad Cave and me. Instead I’ll elaborate on what strikes me the most on this series. Well everything not already on the other review.
The Last Session: TTRPGs and Self-Expression
TTRPG comics are quickly starting to get popular with Dungeons & Dragons at IDW and Critical Role adaptations. So how does The Last Session stand out from them? By going into the parallels between the players and their characters.
For the cast, their campaign was an escape from their exhausting lives. Relationship troubles, career aspirations, induced body issues, and homework that’s not any fun. But the escape isn’t just a power fantasy, it’s one of the only ways the party can express themselves. Lana is probably the one who stands out the most to me. Along with an uncertain future ahead, she has to deal with a mother pressuring her to be… body conscious. So when one of her friends designs her half-elf character to her body type, readers can genuinely feel Lana’s sense of sanctuary.
Self-Expression and Creative Differences
But that sense of sanctuary and escape is also what leads to the central conflict. The empathetic connections to the characters of The Last Session. When Lana’s best friend and the game master Jay lets their partner Cassandra into the game, the party dynamics are disrupted. With the party already having their own issues, having this outsider mess around with the roles they put their souls into feel at risk. But this isn’t fair to Cassandra who is only expressing herself and is genuinely trying to bond with the party.
Not only that, but their failure to communicate feels authentic. How often have you been distracted after a long day and not talk about it? I’ve had days like that where I don’t want to think and just do the stuff I like. And the consequences, they’re incorporated very well both in life and fantasy through big dramatic moments. Obviously, saying anymore spoil the follow throughs. I’m not sure where Jasmine Walls got the inspiration form, but it’s top notch.
Get The Last Session!
At this point I’m just going to repeat what I did in the other review. So I’ll just leave the review score of 9.5/10.
Thanks for coming to the end and as always, remember to look between the panels.