Devil's Highway #2 Review

by Nick Devonald on August 13, 2020

Writer: Benjamin Percy
Artist: Brent Schoonover
Colours: Nick Filardi
Letters: Sal Cipriano

The first issue of Devils Highway introduced readers to Sharon, a total badass, who following the death of her estranged father in the first issue is now investigating his murder. The first issue made for compulsive reading, even if we didn’t know too much about either Sharon or the presumed serial killer on the loose. While this issue doesn’t go filling in too many of the blanks, Benjamin Percy generously gives readers a single panel to give us a clue about Sharon’s background, which Brent Schoonover makes the most of, just enough information to follow along with the story. It’s nice that Percy doesn’t feel the need to take the readers by the hand and trusts their intelligence enough to be able to follow the story.

The first issue made it clear this is a series for mature readers, with snakes being inserted inside bodies as one of the more horrific examples. This issue continues that trend with some horrific scene’s, one featuring a captive prostitute standing out as particularly chilling. The investigation into the serial killer begins properly in this issue, but it’s still early days and it’ll be interesting watching Sharon put the pieces together as the tale continues. Of course the reader gets to see more than Sharon does, and each new clue that is shared increases the questions that the reader has rather than filling in any of the blanks.

Brent Schoonover does a fantastic job with the art. He manages to give each character their own personality before they’ve even uttered a word, bringing them to life in glorious detail. Even the background characters who don’t have a role in the story are brought to life exquisetly. He manages to switch from the horrific to the mundane in an instant. There is a scene which, without any text, appears incredibly mundane. But couple it with what has come before there is a sense of unease about it, with Schoonovers art juxtaposing nicely with Percy’s writing to create a real sense of horror. A fantastic artist who makes an excellent pairing with Benjamin Percy.

Nick Filardi is the last part of the creative team, who’s colours couple nicely with Schoonovers art to create a fantastic finished comic. One of more horrific scenes in the comic is made all the worse thanks to the red colours he lavishes the scene with.

An exciting second part in the investigation of the serial killer who murdered Sharons dad, it makes for some compulsive reading. The only thing which matches the quality of the writing is the quality of the art. Yet another incredible comic from AWA studios which readers are sure to lap up.

Our Score:

9/10

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