Release date: 22 April 2015
Writer: Wes Locher
Artist: Eduardo Jiménez
Publisher: Alterna
Cover: full-color
Interior: full-color
Synopsis: Agents Gibson and Hatch catch up with Chester and Ike, the men who purchased the contents of unit 44, but the items have disappeared once again. Just what was inside the locker and why is Senior Agent Ballard so desperate to get it back? In the midst of the chaos a new threat reveals itself.
The Deal
Wes Locher sent me a link to the second issue of Unit 44 and I was delighted. The first issue is still fresh on my mind so the timing is perfect. I am pretty excited and my expectations are high so I'm just going to dive straight in just like with the first issue.
The Story
As with the first issue the second issue is fun and a bit silly. There's a real story being told and it's a good one. It had me in stitches by the third page. I found myself laughing out loud on several occasions and had to look around to see if no-one noticed. There are so many different ways this story could go it's difficult to predict what will happen next. In the second part we get to see more of Senior Agent Ballard's past and some of the Area 51 mysteries we've all been brought up on are cleared up.
The Look
The manga influenced artwork is spot on for this story. I like that there's a very clear difference between present day life and the past. The blended backgrounds really make the art come alive, especially on the last page. The different scenes and places all have their own unique color schemes. It makes for a relaxing read because its always obvious where you are straight away. The lettering is easy to follow and flows to exactly where you'd expect the next bubble to be. Like I wrote in my review of issue one, you need to keep an eye out for the facial expressions as they are funny all by themselves.The Conclusion
The story and the art have a real symbiotic relationship. Separately they wouldn't be half as good as the sum of both of them. If you enjoy the artwork and a good laugh then this is definitely the comic for you. I'm not sure how all this will end in part four I'm already longing for more right now. I just don't want it to be over after just these four issues.
How to get a copy
You can get this second issue as a digital copy from Comixology for just 1,99 US$. Issue number one should also still be available if you're just tuning in to this story. If you're unsure if this is the right comic for you then read the first five pages of the first issue for free right here. The TPB has since been released and it is available trough Amazon USA. If you'd like to keep up to date on all things Unit 44 related then you can follow them on Twitter.
