Review by Ian Keogh

Carter Brooks is one of very few gay teens in a Vancouver suburb, although his sexual inclinations are a relatively recent discovery, and this comedy drama begins with his desperate search for sex. He’s not subtle and he’s not successful, first propositioning newcomer Adrian in a bookshop, and then at school.

Creative team Hazel & Bell prefer anonymity, although their website notes Bell as the writer and Hazel as the artist. Their initial focus on Carter is disturbing as he lacks boundaries, and what’s being passed off as comedy will transmit to many as stalking. It seems as if these concerns are going to be addressed as the attention shifts to Adrian’s viewpoint in the second chapter, but there’s just more of the same, so the uncomfortable feeling remains. Thankfully Carter develops a conscience when it’s most required.

Always Raining Here ran as a webcomic between 2011 and 2016, so a print edition manifesting ten years later is a surprise in itself, and roughly half the book betrays the origins. Pacing that works by building suspense as pages are loaded online can seem glacial in print and that’s the case here. Scenes drag on and kill the drama. By midway, through, Bell has a better idea of how to make scenes work and when to call a halt and move to the next subject.

The art also improves as the story continues. It’s noted Hazel redrew many of the early pages, but they have the look of material produced in a hurry, with the focus on the figures and little else included (sample spread left). Far more effort is made with locations later in the story (sample spread right), and Hazel is more comfortable with the characters.

Beyond the stalking in the early sections, Always Raining Here is a generally good-natured suspenseful romance. The general path is one of predictable uncertainties between two people attracted to each other, but the supporting cast have personalities and once past the initial pacing problems Always Raining Here becomes a convincing, if not compelling teenage drama.