Title: East of West Vol. 2
Author: Jonathan Hickman
Illustrator: Nick Dragotta
Publisher: Image Comics
Publication Date: April 2014
ISBN: 9781607068556
Synopsis from Goodreads
The second volume of the most exciting new book in the industry is here! “We Are All One” follows our cast around the fractured future-scape of America as we learn more about a world that’s rapidly coming to a end. Collects EAST OF WEST #6-10.
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This series started off really strong. Vol. 1 was fast paced, intense, and visually stunning. Vol. 2 picks up with the same beautiful artwork and the same intensity, but it slowed down a bit. There wasn’t the same shock factor that the first book had. It’s still an excellent story though, and I definitely encourage you to pick this series up.
In Vol. 2, we find Death on the hunt for his son. His journey takes him into the depths of the Earth to an oracle who takes from him something precious in exchange for information. The citizens are rising up in the face of the cities’ leaders. The adopted son of one of the Four Horsemen is becoming a creator foretold in the message. The world is descending into chaos. There’s a lot of plot development in this issue. The action dies down a little bit. Hickman takes the time to develop the story, filling it with detail and suspense. Although things are a bit slower, it’s still a lovely book to look at, a unique blend of genres with complicated and highly motivated characters. Dragotta’s illustration epitomize the exact style of graphic novel that I love to curl up with.
I’m still looking forward to Vol. 3. A blend of sci-fi and Western, it’s interesting to see this story unfold.
Worn Pages and Ink 