Publisher: BOOM! Studios
Writer: Dan Abnett
Artist: INJ Culbard
Release Date: 23rd September, 2015
One of the most anticipated sequels of 2015, for me at least, the second series of Dan Abnett and INJ Culbard’s Wild’s End picks things up a couple of weeks after the razing of Little Crowchurch by the frenzied alien invasion. Our heroes – Clive, Fawkes, Susan et al – are being held for questioning (or interrogation, depending on how you look at it) as the military struggles to come to terms with the events of the previous series as well as ascertaining whether the threat is actually over.
This first issue is a bit of a slow-burn to begin with, but takes its time during the first half to introduce us to a couple of new faces; Cornfelt and Runciman, two prolific science fiction writers at opposite ends of the creative spectrum. The latter’s disdain for the former’s “fanciful juvenilia” gives the pair an intriguing dynamic as they share a train carriage together on the way to a ‘sci-fi conference’, blissfully unaware of what they’re really about to be dragged into.
I said this about the previous series, and once again it feels almost patronising to say, but you almost forget that you’re reading with talking animals here. That’s exactly what happens for the most part though, as Abnett’s note-perfect dialogue and well-crafted mystery rapidly suck you in. That’s not to say that the visual side of the book is an afterthought by any means – in actual fact it’s Culbard’s distinctive aesthetic and wonderfully illustrated humanoid animals that give the book its unique ‘hook’ – but it’s more meant as a compliment to the strength of Abnett’s dialogue that you find yourself so drawn in that the whole ‘talking animal’ thing almost feels normal.
Once again, Culbard knocks it out of the park with his deceptively straightforward artistic style. Packing emotion and expression into the simplest of figures, he does a tremendous job here with the subtle digs and shock of the Cornfelt/Runciman exchange, as well as the growing tension and stress of our ‘imprisoned’ heroes. One of my absolute favourite artists at the moment (and writers too, for that matter, as Culbard is no slouch in the writing department either), he does a truly fantastic job here in painting an utterly vivid picture, with his rich colour work complementing his distinctive style beautifully throughout.
Some may be frustrated by the slow paced opener, but for me, this is exactly the first issue that a six-part miniseries needs. The creators establish the setting, introduce a new dynamic, and lay the groundwork for what promises to be another riveting genre mash-up series. Simply put, Abnett and Culbard are a match made in creative heaven, much like the pairing of anthropomorphic animals and ‘Invasion of the Body Snatchers’-esque sci-fi they have created here. The highest of recommendations for this one.
Rating: 5/5.
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The writer of this piece was: 
Craig Neilson-Adams (aka Ceej)
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