ANIMAL CASTLE (VOL. 2) #2, from Ablaze Publishing on 6/14/23, finds Azelar the rat teaching the rebels that all their actions have strengthened them for the battle to come. Meanwhile, Miss B learns about Silvio’s weak spot.
The Details
- Written by: Xavier Dorison
- Art by: Félix Delep
- Colors by: Félix Delep
- Letters by: Nathan Kempf
- Cover art by: Félix Delep
- Comic Rating: Teen+
- Cover price: $3.99
- Release date: June 14, 2023
Is It Good?
ANIMAL CASTLE (VOL. 2) #2 slows down the pace of the series, much like the calm before the storm, to prepare Miss B and her allies for the fight of their lives. Xavier Dorison’s latest entry in the phenomenal variation of Orwell’s Animal Farm uses the breather to explore Miss B’s heartbreak over choosing to become a reluctant leader rather than stay with her children, and the value of this issue comes from its greatest lesson – freedom comes at a price.
When last we left Miss B, Caesar, and their animal allies, their non-violent acts of rebellion succeeded in helping the rebels gain confidence in their bid to overthrow Silvio. In exchange, No. 1 was sacrificed as a scapegoat to keep the dog soldiers in line under Silvio’s control. Now, Miss B leads another show of non-violent force that causes the dog soldiers to question their loyalties, and the toll of leading a rebellion weighs heavy on Miss B’s children.
Although this is a quieter issue than any other in this volume so far, Xavier Dorison infuses every panel with weight, meaning, emotion, and drama. Miss B learns first-hand the cost of freedom when the non-violent protests force the animals to take extra measures to protect each other and endure greater pressure from Silvio’s forces. Still, the cost separates loved ones, strains relationships, and creates an air of tiredness that only a coming-together can overcome. You can feel every emotional beat in your bones.
The quiet issue is elevated exponentially by Félix Delep’s glorious art. Every panel is a masterpiece of detail, lines, and color. Delep’s simple glances and nuanced shifts in body posture communicate volumes to make this one of the best-illustrated comics around.
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What’s It About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]
Check out our ANIMAL CASTLE (VOL. 2) #1 review wot find out how No. 1 paid the price for Silvio’s power.
We begin with Miss B making her way through a narrow gulch to save time moving stones to the construction site. The dogs sense an opportunity and follow Miss B for an attack. Suddenly, Miss B greets the dogs with a shower of daisies from all the animals waiting on the ledges overhead. The dogs suspect the animals had the opportunity to kill them but didn’t.
Later, Silvio recognizes the shows of force are weakening his dog soldiers’ loyalty to him, so he decrees anyone wearing a daisy will be arrested and thrown in the dungeon. The animals decide to view the arrests as a badge of honor in support of their fellow animals, which helps keep spirits up.
Later, Azelar meets with Miss B to discuss the wolves that Silvio warns about but has yet to be seen by anyone. Realizing the dogs are necessary to maintain Silvio’s control, Azelar hatches a plan to turn the dogs away from Silvio’s control.
We conclude the issue by following the kibble and with a heartbreaking goodbye.
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Final Thoughts
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ANIMAL CASTLE (VOL. 2) #2 slows down the plot to deal with the emotional consequences of leading a rebellion. Unlike most breather issues, Xavier Dorison pulls you into the story with thought-provoking insight about the rebellion to come and the heartbreaking consequences of the past.
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