The first issue of If Destruction Be Our Lot has everything I love in a great science fiction story: a unique premise, a character you can root for (even if said character is an animatronic Abraham Lincoln), and a mystery that keeps you coming back for more. The second issue continues to build on these aspects, as Abe is taken to a factory to be “reprogrammed” after he caught a glimpse of a human in a world that’s supposed to be free of humans. Now the challenge is getting out…but Abe is going to need some help to earn his freedom.
He finds that help in “Speed”, a robot with a fast mouth and an extremely sour attitude. Part of the draw of If Destruction Be Our Lot #1 was the dynamic between the other bots and Abe; he’s trying to get along with them, and they hate him because he reminds them of humanity. If Destruction Be Our Lot #2 continues that dynamic, with most of the conversations between Speed and Abe consisting of Speed telling Abe to “shut up”. Matthew and Mark Rosenberg get extremely inventive with Speed’s insults, and it extends to the rest of the robots — a cat-like robot has some truly profane things to say before it’s “reprogrammed”.
The real meat of If Destruction Be Our Lot #2 lies in its visuals, which Andy MacDonald renders in beautiful detail. I cannot stress enough how unique MacDonald makes each and every robot, whether it’s a humanoid-looking one like Abe or a more boxy, metallic-looking one like Speed. There’s also a robot that looks like a walking mailbox, an “artist” bot with an intricately crafted mustache, and Abe’s driver-bot friend, who now has a very cold attitude. That’s not even covering the bots in charge of “reprogramming”, who are a Lovecraftian collection of heads and tentacles that wouldn’t feel out of place in The Matrix.
Such a wide range of characters wouldn’t stand out without Francisco Segala’s colors or Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou’s letters. Segala gives each robot its own unique color scheme, which stands out in the cold, white halls of the reprogramming facility. Even more of a standout is Abe, thanks to his black suit, signature stovepipe hat, and human mannerisms. Otsmane-Elhaou continues to prove he’s one of the best letterers in the business by crafting a unique set of letters for each robot. Some have softer, rounder letter balloons, while others are more jagged and hard-edged. Speed’s is the standout, thanks to his word balloons mostly containing lowercase letters (and a fair amount of profanity.)
Much like its predecessor, If Destruction Be Our Lot #2 ends on a massive cliffhanger. This time, it’s one that definitely will get readers to pick up the next issue, and one that also promises to answer the biggest question hovering over this series: what happened to humanity? Whatever the answers are, I hope that the series continues to keep the same mix of elements that’s made it a standout in Image’s current lineup of books.
If Destruction Be Our Lot #2 continues to flesh out its weird, wild, and wonderful world of robots, by offering plenty of visuals with personality and plot twists that will have readers talking. It also continues Image’s red-hot streak in 2026 and shows the appeal of creator-owned comics.
