Did you dig IDW’s Infestation last year? Well tomorrow kicks off the 2nd volume. How about not only a preview but also an advanced review too?
Infestation 2 #1
Duane Swierczynski (w) o David Messina (a) o Alex Garner, Livio Ramondelli (c)
Last year’s groundbreaking Infestation series, IDW’s first-ever event, saw many teams from multiple universes fight off a zombie invasion. Now, an even bigger threat has risen to threaten the growing IDW multiverse: Lovecraftian demons threaten to reach across time and space and destroy everyone everywhere and everywhen! Also featuring Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, this framing issue presents a threat that perhaps not even TRANSFORMERS, G.I. JOEs, Danger Girl, and others can surmount!
Read on for the preview and our advance review! Infestation #2
- Writer: Duane Swierczynski
- Artist: David Messina
- Prologue Artist:Valerio Schiti
- Ink Assist: Gaetano Carlucci & Federica Mandredi
- Colors: ScarletGothica
- Color Assistance: Eleonora Carlini
- Lettering: Robbie Robbins & Shawn Lee
- Edits: Bobby Curnow
- Cover A: Art by Alex Garner
- Cover B: Art by Livio Ramondelli
- Cover RIA: Art by David Messina, colors by ScarletGothica
- Cover RIB: Signed Edition by Duane Swierczynski
- Cover RIC: Sketch cover by Joe Phillips
Infestation 2 #1 kicks off with a prologue involving HP Lovecraft. Turns out that Lovecraft and a few sensitive others can hear beings trapped between time and space known as “Elder Gods”. Lovecraft had a following called “Oblivion”, which was actually a clandestine society which sought to prevent the Gods from ever returning to our world. Word of the Elder Gods spreads through mass media. Lovecraft’s collective influence, boosted by something called the Artillica(which is fueled by dreams), ends up freeing the Elder Gods from their prisons.
With the Elder Gods free, they basically invade other other continuities within the IDW universe, setting the stage for Infiltration 2. As with the 1st Infestation, the book starts with Covert Vampiric Operations(CVO). I’ll be honest, I don’t remember much from the last Infestation, but I didn’t feel lost exactly. This issue could be a good starting point for new readers, but of course, it helps(but isn’t necessary) to know what happened in the 1st volume.
The art in the prologue is done well in a flashback sequence with sepia tones. It also blends quite well with the art by David Messina since the style isn’t too dissimilar. Perhaps this is just the style of Valerio Schiti, but the lack of spot black inks actually helps the prologue sequence. It shows a definite distinction between what occurs in present time(present time sequences are drawn by Messina). Not sure if this was intentional but it works.
The art stands out overall, it’s consistent throughout the issue. There aren’t any random missteps or areas which look rushed/unfinished. This is fortunate because there was a lot for the artists to illustrate in this issue. The CVO team basically takes on sentient monsters including a giant worm and sentient slime.
This also includes the team taking on innocent bystanders who are possessed. Which also means the artists had to draw numerous crowds. There is a lot going on in this issue, and it’s easy to make the art cluttered. Yet there’s nothing obtrusive and even the word balloons had ample space for clarity.
Since Infestation includes all of the properties IDW has licenses for, you’re probably looking forward to the inevitable teamup. Unfortunately this has to wait for subsequent issues, as this issue is all CVO. There’s only a glimpse of other groups but they don’t really play a part in Infestation 2….yet.
I’m pretty impressed by the artwork, I imagine it was a challenge for the art teams involved. Honestly, this is some of the best artwork I’ve seen from an IDW comic.
Infestation 2 #1 is a recommended read, just be aware that the inevitable teamup doesn’t happen until later. CVO is the focus of issue #1.
Shin Densetsu says
http://www.hisstank.com/gi-joe-news/...-review-11009/
IDW Infestation 2 #1
Fox says
You know how sick I am of Cthulu or Ca-ca-cho-cho crap?
I'll tell you. Very - Been so overdone.
King Kahn says
I am actually looking forward to this!
Full Thread: HISS Tank Previews And Reviews Infestation 2 #1
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