Publisher: Image Comics
Writer: Jonathan Hickman
Artist: Ryan Bodenheim
Release Date: 1st April, 2015

After the brutal first issue that was somewhat setup heavy, the second issue of Hickman’s newest series is far more story driven. While this may seem like a negative for some, if there’s one thing I’ve learned about Mr. Hickman it’s that he knows how to write a good goddamn story. At its core, this is a story we’ve all heard before; man’s wife is sick, so he makes a deal with a god of sorts and has to get his old team together to do it. However, with equal parts East of West, Manhattan Projects and classic Clint Eastwood, it still feels like something new.

The art style of Ryan Bodenheim is one that is instantly familiar to anyone that reads Hickman’s Image books. I don’t mean that as a bad thing either; his work is so clean and effortless it flows across the page and character’s emotions scream at you, instead of feeling like an afterthought.  I also have a theory about Michael Garland’s color work on the series and it tying into the emotional side of the story.  With red showing anger and blue a more serene and calm scene, and a more muted tone when it’s not needed, all giving Bodenheim’s art more of the light to shine.

The series so far has been Hickman by numbers, and that’s by no means a bad thing either, the man is untouchable right now. If, like me, you’re a fan of gritty,  intelligent and brutal storytelling, go get it. If you’re not, then we’re not friends anymore.

Rating: 5/5.

The writer of this piece was: Chris Bennett
Article: And Now For Something Completely Different
You can also find Chris on Twitter.