Having an interview with writers DJ Kirkbride and Adam P. Knave gave me some great insight to what this book is all about and the writing process behind it. I was excited to see how superhero Chuck and his arch nemesis Archie would work out the details of Chuck’s death now that he has put himself in the hands of the mad scientist. Is it good?
Never Ending #2 (Dark Horse Comics)
Five years after his son’s death Chuck Baxter is just sick of life. He no longer views his invulnerability and immortality as gifts but rather burdens as he watches all of his loved ones die. This issue revolved around the theme of loss as the two authors weave the tale through multiple different times all the way up to the point where Chuck is trying to lose his life.
As I said, this is a story about loss, and the writers are sure to point it out. While last issue we got the general idea that Chuck’s family had died around him as the years progressed, here we get a much better understanding of who his family was before they all died, adding in yet another layer of emotion. A very personal retelling of Chuck and his wife’s relationship was both good at filling up the issue with content but also gave his wife’s inevitable passing more emotional resonance.
While there is a good amount of recounting the events of Chuck’s life in terms of he and his family there is also a good amount of pulpy superhero drama. Chuck starts out fighting because he truly cares about ridding the world of crime but ends up just slogging through his days because he feels he is obligated to. Also understanding the fact that all he wants to do is go home to his family for the remaining time he has left with them can make us sympathize with him even more.
Again, the organization and work around the timeline of this comic is stellar. The story is easy to follow and understand and the sequence of events is well laid out and ordered so that we can get the most possible story in a way that is both simple to follow and entertaining.
I run into a slight problem at the end when Archie attempts to steal Chuck’s power for himself. The notion that this brilliant scientist would hatch a scheme to be able to steal superpowers but once acquired wouldn’t be able to handle them seems a little forced and pretty unrealistic.
On a more positive note, however, I really liked the nod to the unborn storyline of Chuck fighting a lion. In my interview with the writers they mentioned how there was a whole span of time in Chuck’s life when he had some involvement with a zoo and in this issue we get the tiniest of glimpses at that. I don’t think that a lot of people will recognize it, but if you watch the interview, it will have a nice amount of significance.
Art by Robert Love continues to be high-quality. Great, obviously unrealistic anatomy keeps the book from taking itself too seriously but doesn’t shy away from portraying strong emotions. A good mix between the serious and silly that is so fitting to this comic.
9.0
- Art is a nice blend of tones that keeps the book both friendly and able to be taken seriously
- Story progression and character themes are both strong suits of this series
- Consistently great writing
- Plot twist at the end seems questionable
Is It Good?
I liked it. It’s a really good book for cramming a lot of related content into one issue and spinning it around a consistent theme. It’s definitely a fun read and for $12 for the entire series, you shouldn’t miss it.
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