A story of food, an ancient demon, and a filmmaker who has everything to gain continues in Rare Flavours #5. The story has a whimsical sort of look at life and philosophy while detailing a demon’s long-lived life of loving food, eating humans, and wanting to catalog it all. After the enlightening fourth issue, it’s time to start to say goodbye as the penultimate issue reveals how Mo said goodbye.
Rare Flavours #5 opens with two eggs frying on the coast of the city of Mumbai. We read Rubin’s captions, talking about people and wanting to be seen by them. He clearly loves and appreciates them, even if his nature is to eat them. Soon, though, we learn the demon hunters are onto Mo and thus will be closing in on Rubin, who waits for Mo.
Similar to the last issue, this issue fills in past events to add context only this time it’s about the demon hunters. So far they’ve been rather creepy and strange, this issue reveals how they were taken in by a monster hunter and trained.
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There’s a more wistful nature to this chapter in the flashback, as well as Rubin’s captions. A character who has lived for centuries, it’s clear by this issue his adventure with Mo sticks with him much more than many other adventures he’s been on. In a surprising reveal, Ram V invokes Anthony Bourdain, which further connects this tale to saying goodbye and leaving behind a legacy. In this way, it sets up the finale well as we anticipate Mo’s final words on the film he created.
Unlike the last issue, which had deep meaning, this issue left me wanting. There are some philosophical sort of thoughts and ruminations on life, but they never feel too certain here. I’m not quite sure what it’s trying to say, although a reread may help.
Intercut with the flashbacks is the recipe for triple schezwan rice. Once again, Filipe Andrade captures the fun of cooking and gives us everything we need to know how to make the dish. The flashbacks are clearly marked with pinks and yellows by color artist Ines Amaro, which plays well off Andrade’s fluid style.
A somewhat sorrowful chapter, Rare Flavours #5 sets up its finale well. This issue feels like it’s saying goodbye to the reader, let alone the characters who also say goodbye, in a chapter that ponders endings in lives well lived.
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