Publisher: Image Comics
Writer(s): Michael Moreci, Steve Seeley
Artist: Emilio Laiso
Release Date: 6th August 2014

The second instalment of the return of Cassie Hack has us delving a little further into the backstory of both her and her current partner, Delroy. Monster-hunting Cassie Hack lets us see why she’s returned to the gig, and it’s none to cheery, but in an angsty, Buffy kind of way. There’s always going to be overtones of that here (and the Nosferatu style baddies certainly add to that), but it’s not intrusive: rather, along with the glorious technicolour, it adds to knowing sense of self-awareness, without being smug or self-satisfied – a difficult line to tread. It’s vaguely reminiscent, in that sense, of Whedon’s follow-up, ‘Fray’, rather than some of the very weak Slayer tie-ins.

The lettering also deserves a mention – whilst it’s not by any stretch a novelty to see different characters lettered differently, it’s smoothly done and helps the narrative flow well (especially at one otherwise jarring sequence frame).

Complaints? Linking Cthulhu mythos and nazis has been done so many times, and whilst it’s only fleeting, it jars slightly. There’s also a somewhat vague section against the villain’s narration, but it is (largely) resolved. It’s a very strong issue, and I look forward to more – a hearty recommendation!

Rating: 4/5.

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The writer of this piece was: Sam de Smith
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