Mercury Heat #2

Writer – Kieron Gillen
Artist – Omar Francia
Colours – Digikore Studios

Luiza’s first day on the job as a cop has not been an easy one as she has already had to kill multiple people that were out to kill her. Now she wants to investigate just who it was that sent the men and if it has anything to do with the case she was on or if it has to do with her and she is not going to let anything get in her way. Mercury Heat, the brand new science-fiction series by Kieron Gillen and Omar Francia from Avatar Press continues in this second issue and it turns out to be quite enjoyable. Gillen packs the book full of action and intrigue but also introduces us to a futuristic world with concepts new and old and often turns them on their head in the process. One of the biggest ongoing plots revolves around memory and how people are able to back it up, whether internally or externally making things for the individual either beneficial such as in the case of a divorce or detrimental, such as in cases where you really need to know something and no longer have the ability to do so. Luiza is a smart and strong female protagonist, a woman who is unlike others except for a few. This sets her apart and yet she tries to fit in as best she can, no matter how distasteful she might find it at times. While this is only the second issue in, Gillen has thrown us into the thick of things with little background material on why Luiza is the way she is and though there are glimpses, especially in this book, a little more history would be great at some future point. The great thing about this title is that everything is so different with only little things to keep them familiar. Whether it pertains to police investigations or sex or even the everyday type of stuff, in this particular future, Gillen makes it all seem just a little strange and considering this book comes from Avatar, it has to be expected. Overall, a good issue that hooks you enough to keep you coming back for more.

3.5 out of 5

Harrow County #4

Writer – Cullen Bunn
Artist – Tyler Crook

Emmy’s world is not what it once used to be. Everything has changed and she is finding it a little hard to accept. But with the townsfolk after her, a skinless haint protecting her and powers that she never asked for manifesting themselves, Emmy is going to have to get used to everything very quickly or she could end up finding herself taking an eternal rest. The end of Harrow County’s first arc takes place in this book and Cullen Bunn and Tyler Crook make it as fun and as exciting as the first three chapters. Thanks to Crook especially, he makes the book quite haunting as well with his pencils being especially moody and spooky at times. What was really great about the ending to this particular story was how unexpected and out of the blue it was. Naturally, you would come to expect the worst, and more than likely it was probably going to happen after having read the previous three issues. But Bunn does turn things around and leaves the book open for future storylines in a way that is really quite unique, especially when it comes to tales about witches and the like. Not only has Bunn and his partner in crime introduced a number of interesting characters like Emmy and her father, but also a whole new world filled with haints and haunts and all manner of creatures scary and frightening. How this story moves forward and how they all figure into it should be quite compelling as it progresses and if Crook and Bunn can make those forthcoming tales as good as this first arc, then the future should be pretty bright, or dark, depending on how you look at it.

4 out of 5