Review: The Bequest #2

 

 

I had trouble procuring The Bequest #2, as Diamond shorted my local comic shop (LCS) two weeks running. I saw it in another shop, so I figured it would eventually arrive. But either it sold out right away, or my LCS ordered fewer copies than the first issue, because I never saw it there. 

Eventually, I checked it out at another shop. The cover didn't attract me like the first issue had. Nor did it feature a dragon. I also think that the darker colors didn't show off well in the shop. 

Doing a casual flip-through, I was also put off by a few things, such as the characters just lounging around, hanging out in bars, or fighting with a bouncer. Nor did this issue feature any back-end extras, such as the bonus character sheets in issue #1. 

Still, I had enjoyed The Bequest #1. I had enjoyed writer Tim Seeley's run on Bloodshot. I had enjoyed a series titled The Infinite Adventures of Jonas Quantum drawn by Freddie Williams II several years ago. So in the end, I bought The Bequest #2 from my non-local comic shop, and took it home.

The excitement starts right away, as an old woman is awakened by noises. Marshall Dillon gives each utterance a different appearance. This makes sense when we realize that the woman keeps a collection of creatures in her castle.

 

Unfortunately, the woman faces a worse threat than the ire of her hungry animals. In comparison to the organic appearance of the sound effects in the previous panel, the all-too-regular POK POK POKs exploding out of Freddie Williams' panel suggest that something foreign to the realm of Tangea is occurring.

 

Ah yes. Orcs with guns. Every animal-keeper's worst nightmare. But why would they kill an old woman? Or did the orcs storm her castle for another reason?

 

In The Bequest #1, four renegade adventurers were conscripted to guard our world against those who use magic to transport themselves between Earth and Tangea. Lacking a threat, Billi Uft-Imp and Warlock Garthodd may not make the best use of their time. But Jerril of the Rose uses his abilities to learn about this strange land called Chicago.

He's surprised that he can entertain a child merely by summoning a spark of light, or the odd card behind the child's ear. Apparently, she doesn't need a fireball or a wraith to be delighted!

I don't know if colorist Jeremy Colwell darkened the interior of the Ferris Wheel, or if Freddie Williams inked it in. Whatever the case, I find the way Jeremy colored the scene--with the bright lights, the fading colors in the background, and gradations of blue in the sky--tremendously appealing.

 

 

Tim Seeley indulges in a lot of humor in The Bequest #2. After spending her evening listening to a woman playing the blues, Sharmae discovers that the beer the bar serves doesn't agree with her. Her conversation after the show, as the musician takes a break between sets, is delightful. 

 

 

I also liked this exchange between Billi Uft-Imp and Relikiquarfex. The latter usually goes by Relik, and should the need arise, can transform into a red dragon.

Also, after years serving as a guardian on Earth, he's still fascinated by the lyrics of the song "Puff the Magic Dragon." 

 

Relik and his new helpers face two dangers in The Bequest #2. One comes from the creature featured on the cover. It's somehow traveled to Chicago from Tangea, and is preying on those who venture into the underground. 

The second danger comes from the one-eyed monk Epoch Craev, along with renegade caster Diedree Dohl, and his followers. They don't belong here, and they intend mischief. Perhaps worse.

 

 

There's a lot going on in The Bequest #2, even if the issue seems to get off to a rocky start, and at times feels like a middle chapter. Freddie Williams II and Jeremy Colwell create very appealing scenes. Tim Seeley's story, artfully transcribed by letterer Marshall Dillon, makes me even more intrigued to continue on with this series. 

The series features coarse language that may turn off some readers. The mature tone of The Bequest may warrant parental supervision for younger readers. But if you're intrigued by the direction of this series from Aftershock Comics, with its back-and-forth between Earth and Tangea, and its mixture of magic with the mundane, you may want to pick up The Bequest #2 and give it a try.

 

 

The Bequest #3 comes out today. As you can see, Relik returns to the cover in full-on dragon mode. I need to know what will happen to Relik, Sharmae, Billi, Jerril, and Warlock Garthodd in issue #3. Have I fallen under the spell of The Bequest?

Time will tell...

Dragon Dave

 

Review: Orphan and the Five Beasts #2

 

Orphan and the Five Beasts #2: Virgin Art

In writer, artist, and letterer James Stokoe's new series Orphan and the Five Beasts #2, Orphan Mo combats a powerful adversary. We don't know his given name, only the name by which he is now known: Thunder Thighs. From the virgin art for issue #2, you can see why.

Before little Mo takes on this Goliath-like combatant, she remembers what her beloved Master told her about him.

Before he took in Orphan Mo, her Master once trained five apprentices to safeguard their land against the ravages of an invading warlord. Of the five, Thunder Thighs was the Master's most powerful. He trained harder and longer than any of his fellows.

 

 

Due to his inclination toward lower body strength, the Master gifted Thunder Thighs the supreme leg aspect. With this and his rigorous training, Thunder Thighs became the living embodiment of the "Two Trees Bearing Heaven" style.

Unfortunately, the warlord then ravaging the valley caused too much suffering. Like his apprentices, Thunder Thighs didn't have time to complete his training. He lacked the mental, emotional, and spiritual disciplines necessary to temper his insatiable physical drives. He and his fellow students were rushed into the battle.

 

 

After achieving victory against the warlord, he and his fellows assumed the danger was over, and they needed no more of their master's training.

Nonetheless, Thunder Thighs had a conscience. Unlike his fellows, who went their separate ways, and did not return to their master, Thunder Thighs worried about the defeated army. If he left them to their own devices, what would prevent the soldiers from becoming bandits, and causing even more suffering in their land?

So Thunder Thighs took on the responsibility of becoming their leader. He started off with the noble goal of mobilizing them as a Robin Hood-like figure. Instead, over time his unprincipled followers influenced him, and his overwhelming physical prowess eventually dominated him.

There's a lot to like in Orphan and the Five Beasts #2. In addition to learning Thunder Thighs' origins, you'll also enjoy Mo's incredible battle with him. James Stokoe's penciling and inking are beyond par, and his coloring style is refreshingly unique. 

 

 

I also like the little touches, such as the mazes behind Thunder Thighs (with icons of trees and a pillar) pointing to his upper legs, as well as the way he obscures the identities of the master's former apprentices. 

 

We don't learn anything of Orphan Mo's past in issue #2, but the fact that she's been a patient student becomes obvious. While Thunder Thighs relies on bluster and brute force from his legs, Mo fights a thoughtful, innovative battle. Even when the fight takes a wild and unexpected turn, she doesn't lose focus or hope. She adapts, and battles on.

 

 

As to lettering, I wish James Stokoe had made his narrative boxes a little bigger, and spaced out the lines a little more. Still, his dialogue balloons work well, and become especially fun when Thunder Thighs starts bullying poor Mo. And then, there are his expressive sound effects.

Orphan and the Five Beasts #2 serves as an cautionary tale of the danger inherent in rushing to achieve success before you're really ready for it. It features an intense and mind-blowing battle. It could easily serve as the basis for the most incredible martial arts fantasy movie you might ever see. 

Thankfully, we can look forward to two more issues in this short series. I wonder how  Orphan Mo can possibly vanquish the other beasts her master's former apprentices have become. Even more important, can she find a solution that doesn't create another future danger to her land?

 

The projected release date for Orphan and the Five Beasts #3 is June 2, 2021. This gives you plenty of time to hunt around your local comic shops, and pick up the previous issues, if you have not yet done so. 

I recommend asking your local comics shop to order your copy of Orphan and the Five Beasts #3 before this coming Monday, May 10th, which I believe is the FOC, or Final Order Cutoff. This is the final day your shop can order copies before Diamond ships them. That way, in case your retailer naturally scales down his orders for later issues in a series, you can make sure you'll get a copy.

 

Orphan and the Five Beasts Issues #1 & 2

 

After all, in addition to James Stokoe's story, you wouldn't want to miss out on what promises to be a beautiful four-part interlocking cover, would you?

Dragon Dave

P.S. Orphan and the Five Beasts #2 is in shops now, and available from Dark Horse Comics. The Previews World order code for Orphan and the Five Beasts #3 is MAR210286.