Monkey Meat: The Summer Batch came out of the gate swinging with a great first issue, and the anthology keeps delivering this week with issue #2. The anthology delivers a lot in every package, including two stories, ads set in the world, games, and more. In issue #2, writer and artist Juni Ba takes us to heaven and does a little time travel.
The first tale is about a sullen man who wants to be with his wife. He’s an inventor and holed up in a room at the Monkey Meat Hotel. A scattered note says, “Soul juice as fuel,” and a piano hooked up to a mirror shows he’s got something cooking. Maybe this next test will send him back to his departed wife.
From there, the story delves into some surprising places, including an emotional one for the scientist. Ba explores how our perception of a relationship isn’t necessarily accurate, which is disheartening but also true. The fact that the end leans into the capitalist themes of the series only makes it work even better.
A lot of cool visual storytelling going on in this page.
Credit: Image
This tale uses much white space to explore heaven, with nice glow effects. Ba’s cartooning shines with the mirror device. He also uses the page creatively when the character enters Heaven.
After some fun side articles further reveal the tragic nature of Monkey Meat Corp, the second tale opens up what seems like a prehistoric time. Soon, they are visited by a time traveler, as conveyed through a pretty nifty clock effect. Soon, he’s teaching and training them to fix the past, but a harrowing twist changes his demeanor. Once again, we’re reminded there’s no defeating capitalist superpowers.
This story plays with a few themes, such as “alienation of civilization,” but never quite hammers home a singular point. I was left pondering what it all meant, which made the story feel like a one-off that didn’t quite work.
Juni Ba’s Monkey Meat: The Summer Batch remains a fascinating, thought-provoking anthology, packed with creativity and biting commentary. While the second tale stumbles in delivering a clear message, the issue as a whole showcases Ba’s unique storytelling prowess, making it a worthwhile read for fans of offbeat, socially aware comics.
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