Something very strange is going on in Red Roots as the stories of a highly trained killer and a schoolteacher somehow connect. Thrown into the mix are severed heads popping up, and red blood-like roots consuming a character. Oh, and a giant ogre. Red Roots #2 may not have answers about what is going on, but it does lean into the weird as both stories converge.
Red Roots #2 opens with our trained killer knocked out on a beach. Closing in on him are two dog-like creatures hungry for a free meal. This leads to an intense, fast-thinking action scene and the appearance of our ogre from the end of the last issue. Soon, our two main characters are plopped on a sled, being dragged by a six-legged creature towards a strange fantasy-themed city.
What makes this strange setup work is the casualness of our ogre, who speaks to the main characters as if they shouldn’t be alarmed about what is going on. The school teacher wakes up, logically in shock, and yet the ogre dude reminds her he already explained that the severed heads were his.
With all that established, the main thrust of this issue is our characters being healed and awake enough to stage an escape. This leads to some rushing through markets with strange creatures, and some fast thinking. That fast-thinking move is quite surprising, adding ample danger.
Quick thinking, even though he’s close to death!
Credit: Image
While answers remain scarce, Lorenzo De Felici keeps you guessing. Thankfully, you’ll never feel annoyed by the lack of answers, as the main characters act and react in natural ways. The traveling they do also leads them directly to a major conflict that may hold answers, making the events of this issue feel important as they move closer, literally and figuratively, to whatever they are being called to do.
De Felici’s art is strong, with good action in the opening, magical elements midway through, and an intense chase scene. The final full-page splash cliffhanger offers up mystery and danger all in one. The loss of the dual story structure does make this feel less exciting and original overall, but the more subdued fantasy world certainly feels fresh. Colors by De Felici do feel a little too subdued, like we’re in a desert wasteland rather than a colorful, vibrant world. It makes for a muddier, less interesting visual world, like Tatooine.
Red Roots #2 doubles down on mystery and bizarre fantasy elements while keeping readers invested through believable character reactions and inventive world building. Lorenzo De Felici skillfully balances unsettling horror, strange humor, and escalating danger as the story shifts into a more unified narrative. While the issue loses a bit of the experimental energy that made the debut stand out, it replaces it with stronger momentum and intriguing fantasy exploration that leaves plenty to unpack moving forward.
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