After hitting the stands in June with a stellar debut, Weird Detective returns this week for its second issue. There’s no doubt that the opening chapter would be a tough act to follow, especially considering that second issues are usually a bit of a let down.
But is it still good?
Weird Detective #2 (Dark Horse Comics)
Observations
- Either Innsmouth people are terrible fighters or Detective Fayez is a total badass.
- Pretty sure phony badges don’t work on other cops–even in the movies.
- Wish Fayez and Greene trusted each other more, but their distrust makes for some great interactions.
- Nice to see that time traveling aliens can have severe anxiety about public speaking, too.
- Gotta love that cat.
- Greene’s powers are cool, but I’m not sure how much help they’ll be in this predicament.
Is It Good?
Bad news: Weird Detective #2 isn’t as good as the first issue.
Good news: Weird Detective #2 is still great.
Let’s get the negatives out of the way first.
The resolution to last issue’s cliffhanger was pretty weak. Not only was the level of danger revealed to be greatly overstated, but the conflict fizzles out with one of the lamest plot devices imaginable. There’s also a random scene thrown in the middle of the book that is apparently supposed to be important, but we’re given no clue as to why.
Also, much of the tension from before seemed to be missing, particularly with regard to the issue’s sparse moments of horror.
Aside from that, however, we do get some great moments with Greene attempting to navigate the perils of human anxiety and interaction. Just like last time, the dialogue between him and Fayez is a joy to read. Combine that with a very cool ending (that brings back the horror in a big way), and you’ve got a second issue that recovers from the loss of narrative momentum to still be a good read.
I also can’t say enough about Guiu Vilanova’s art. It somehow manages to vacillate between clean and abstract line work without ever feeling uneven–all while consistently looking beautiful. Vilanova also does some really cool paneling, particularly on one page that takes place over multiple floors inside a building.
There’s also a great piece of pinup artwork in the back by Rafer Roberts that alone is worth buying the book for…but you should be getting it anyway because the story and art are great.
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