Dark Ages #2

Hell's bells...or, more accurately, hell's eerie silence.

Writer: Dan Abnett
Artist: INJ Culbard
Publisher: Dark Horse

Our knight's descent into hell continues. Is this the beginning of the end for them or will they make it out alive? Issue 2 of Dark Ages gives reason to believe that these men may have a fighting chance afterall. 

These knights, led by Sir Lucifer (fitting, as he confronts what may be the forces of hell itself) in the stead of their usual commander, who is getting a well deserved rest after losing an arm, confront not only aliens, the dead, hell's forces and things from beyond but also the strange and quiet group of monks that harbored them in a way that greatly advances the intrigue and story of this issue and the overall idea of this book.

Abnett's writing continues to be suspensful and time accurate and his careful treading of this story keeps it from being painfully similar to other dark fantasy outings. The same issue that was present in issue 1 is present here unfortunatley, the first few pages are too wordy and especially hard to read and absorb because they rely so heavily on that old-timey speak which is, of course, appropriate but also...lofty. Thankfully, the latter pages of this issue which are also wordy avoid that same failing and the book ends on a fantastic cliffhanger. One so good in fact, that I wish I hadn't read this issue until 3 was already out because I want to know what's going to happen that badly.

Culbard's art continues to be great fun. His monster design is absolutely impeccable and inspired in a way that rivals Mignola. The character design in this issue also makes it vastly easier to tell characters apart which was a bit of a problem in the first issue. The direction taken here, dark, brooding, clear and crisp is simply fantastic. The simplicity of the action makes it easy to follow but also incredibly enjoyable to see and the presence that both characters and monsters have in these panels make the terror feel appropriatley real. 

Dan Abnett's tale of intrigue continues here, helped greatly by Culbard's poignantly dark and crisp art and frankly, I think issue 2 is even better than issue 1 even if readers are left with a painfully indulgent cliffhanger. Issue 3 can't come soon enough.