A.GUARDIAN #2, from Source Point Press on November 30th, 2022, turns up the heat on the escalating war between Sul, Kanoc, and Thirio. Meanwhile, the secret of the Tomb of Livia is closer to being revealed.
The Details
- Written by: Eastin DeVerna
- Art by: Kay Baird, Grim Wilkins
- Colors by: Kay Baird
- Letters by: Shawn Daley
- Cover art by: Kay Baird
- Cover price: $3.99
- Release date: November 30, 2022
Is It Good?
A.GUARDIAN #2 is a serviceable entry in the series about a trio of kingdoms at war and a mysterious tomb that keeps the King of Kanoc in power. We were impressed with Eastin DeVerna’s first issue due to the expansive and efficiently-crafted world created. Now, more world- and character-building gives greater depth to the story but at the expense of pacing.
As with the first issue, DeVerna puts in the effort to craft a fully-realized world with different kingdoms and different species, and distinctive histories. The first two issues have enough source material to build out an entire fantasy epic that could last several volumes. If you’re into rich lore in your epic storytelling, this issue has a lot to like.
That said, the down point of this issue is a dramatic dropoff in pacing compared to the first issue. DeVerna spends so much time juggling multiple characters and multiple kingdoms in multiple threads, all relayed through conversation, that you’re spending most of your time reading and taking notes to remember who’s who and what’s what. Part of the struggle lies in the number of names and places referenced in those conversations, with difficult-to-pronounce names, and some names with similar spellings, that it’s easy to get lost. If you have to stop your reading to go back and figure out who a character is talking about, the exposition is too much.
Because there is so much dialog and exposition, there isn’t much action to hold your attention. However, Baird and Wilkins manage to hold your attention with excellent art. The characters’ designs are unique, the backgrounds are distinctive, and the interesting use of color saturation makes a memorable set of visuals.
Keep scrolling for a closer look at the covers, or Click Here to jump right to the story description with some spoilers.
What’s It About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]
Check out our A.GUARDIAN #1 review to find out how this war began.
We begin with a recap of the beginning of this world’s recorded history, starting with the kingdom of Sul. A splinter of Sul’s people eventually migrated North to form the kingdom of Kanoc, a kingdom that would form this world’s capital. Now, the King of Kanoc stands among a field of massacred Sul soldiers, anticipating the next strategic steps in the war.
Elsewhere, Delyth, the King of Kanocs wife, washes the blood from her hands after slaying the Kanoc soldiers who came to kidnap her back to her husband. Delyth is content to remain with her lover among the people of Thirio in the far North. The King, however, sends a special night to retrieve his Queen.
Later, a Sul General finds his slaughtered soldiers and gains confidence that the King of Kanoch could only have achieved his victories due to the secret that lies in the Tomb of Livia. We conclude the issue with death, new life, and a confrontation.
Keep scrolling for a closer look at preview images of the internal pages, or Click Here to jump right to the score.
Final Thoughts
(Click this link 👇 to order this comic)
A.GUARDIAN #2 continues the tale of three kingdoms at war with an impressive volume of world- and character-building. However, the sheer volume of information leaves little room for visual action, and the pacing takes a big drop down in this issue.
We hope you found this article interesting. Come back for more reviews, previews, and opinions on comics, and don’t forget to follow us on social media:
If you’re interested in this creator’s works, remember to let your Local Comic Shop know to find more of their work for you. They would appreciate the call, and so would we.
Click here to find your Local Comic Shop: www.ComicShopLocator.com
As an Amazon Associate, we earn revenue from qualifying purchases to help fund this site. Links to Blu-Rays, DVDs, Books, Movies, and more contained in this article are affiliate links. Please consider purchasing if you find something interesting, and thank you for your support.