Klaus #2
Written by Grant Morrison
Art by Dan Mora
BOOM! Studios
I happen to have just written my review of Huck #2 (you can check it out elsewhere on this site), and frankly I could almost substitute the word Huck with Klaus and cover issue #2 of this title too.
Klaus #1 was something I wanted to read because it was by writer Grant Morrison. I’ve liked a number of his titles in the past, so something new came with pedigree.
The read was — well less than hoped for.
The action is a bit more this time, and there is a splash of humour, but it never quite rises above being generally mundane.
Nothing about Klaus makes him particularly exciting, a sword wielding Santa while sounding cool, hasn’t elevated in the first two issues of this mini-series.
Nothing about the story suggests more than run-of-the-mill, at least so far, and now post the holiday season for the remaining books, this is going to feel out-of-sync with the calendar.
Overall that is not exactly the level you want if you are shelling out limited comic book bucks. There are many better choices than this one for those hard-earned dollars.
Will Eisner’s The Spirit #2
Written by Matt Wagner
Art by Dan Schkade
Dynamite Entertainment
Writer Matt Wagner stays on pace with the storyline which has The Spirit being MIA for months.
That has had ramifications with The Spirit’s support crew, the police, his girlfriend, all of whom deal with the loss in different ways.
It is a bit unusual to be two issues in the new series and the main character is still but a memory, but Wagner does use the issue well as he lays out the foundation of The Spirit’s world, and at least some of its denizens.
Dan Schkade’s art continues to support the flavour of the classic character with a clean style that works well.
If you have gotten to this issue you are likely becoming a fan, and the ride ahead in what is to be an initial 12-issue story arc to launch the new ongoing series, and that’s a good thing. I’m expecting a few twists, and more old-fashioned action to be just around the corner.
