UNIVERSAL MONSTERS: CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON LIVES! #2, by Image Comics & Skybound on 5/9/24, pulls Kate into the depths of obsession when her hunt for a serial killer gets reckless.
Credits:
- Writer: Dan Watters, Ram V
- Artist: Matthew Roberts
- Colorist: Dave Stewart
- Letterer: DC Hopkins
- Cover Artist: Matthew Roberts (cover A)
- Publisher: Image Comics
- Release Date: May 29, 2024
- Comic Rating: Teen
- Cover Price: $4.99
- Page Count: 36
- Format: Single Issue
Covers:
Analysis of UNIVERSAL MONSTERS: CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON LIVES! #2:
Plot Analysis:
When last we left Kate Marsden in UNIVERSAL MONSTERS: CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON LIVES! #1, her hunt to find a serial killer, Darwin Collier, who strangles his victims led to a small town in South America with a curious legend about a creature who lives in the nearby waters. When Kate assumed a recent body was the work of the serial killer, she followed the couriers paid to take the body away. Unfortunately, Kate got lost in the jungle, and she encountered more than killers in the water.
In UNIVERSAL MONSTERS: CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON LIVES! #2, Kate wakes up in the care of Dr. Edwin Thompson, the scientist who encountered the Creature in the original Universal film. Kate suffers from a mild amount of head trauma after nearly drowning at the end of the last issue, but she stubbornly refuses to rest.
In the adjoining lab, Kate finds Dr. Thompson performing an autopsy on the latest victim of the Creature. Kate challenges Dr. Thompson’s belief that a creature exists, instead offering that Darwin Collier is responsible. Dr. Thompson finds silt in the victim’s lungs, which point to the location where the murder took place.
Later, Dr. Thompson, Kate, and Thompson’s assistant, Christiano, guide a small boat upriver to reach a lagoon where the black silt is found in abundance. When the trio land the boat ashore and work through the jungle to the lagoon, they find a squad of Narcos mercenaries searching the area. The mercs call out Collier’s name.
Collier appears nearby. The mercs demand to know why Collier killed one of their own. Collier explains that death is part of the rigorous training process he was hired to provide to the team. Kate, realizing the man she’s hunted is within reach, sneaks around the clearing to get a better view, but she passes out from her injuries.
The mercs respond to the sound of movement in the jungle and begin a search. Suddenly, the Creature emerges from the jungle and kills at least one merc. Meanwhile, Dr. Thompson and Christiano spirit Kate away in the chaos.
Later, Kate wakes up in the middle of the night to consider what she’ll do now that Collier’s presence is confirmed.
Character Development:
Kate’s quest to find and expose Collier takes center stage, but the strain of her predicament sends Kate into an increasingly reckless spiral. She pushes beyond her injuries, potentially creating harm. Kate ignores evidence of a creature, potentially showing signs of obsession beyond reason. Kate’s final moments show she’s willing to cross the uncrossable line, potentially overshadowing justice with revenge.
Artwork and Presentation:
Matthew Roberts gives readers and eyeful with lush jungle scenery, a slightly updated creature that gives it a more aquatic look, and grounded character acting for the human players. Overall, Roberts gives the story a veneer of realism to maintain the surreal presence of a creature in a human scenario.
Art Samples:
Pacing and Structure:
Watters and Ram V maintain a steady, reasonably energetic pace to the story. The linear progression of Kate’s journey makes sense, scenes transition well from one to the next, and moments of tension give the story an ebb and flow to keep the readers engaged.
That said, the comic suffers from two competing points of focus that have yet to converge. On the one hand, Kate is obsessively focused on finding a serial killer. On the other hand, a legendary creature’s presence overlaps Kate’s hunt. Halfway through the miniseries, readers shouldn’t be asking, “Which story is the most important and why?” especially when the creature’s name is in the title, but his plot appears to be secondary.
Thematic Exploration:
Thematically, Kate’s quest to get Collier represents “the consequences of obsession.” The harder Kate pushes herself, the more she risks greater injury or worse. In her effort to see her quest end, Kate is willing to take actions contrary to the basic morality of justice. In effect, Kate is becoming as bad as the man she’s hunting.
The Bigger Picture:
Historical Context:
This issue gives readers the timing and context lacking in the first issue via Dr. Thompson. We now know this story takes place several years after the events of the first film in 1954. Ram V and Watters may have shifted the timeline forward to accommodate more modern technology and resources, but this story at least ties to the players and events of the first film.
Final Thoughts:
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UNIVERSAL MONSTERS: CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON LIVES! #2 presents a unique character study about a woman whose obsession with catching a killer bears destructive fruit. Roberts and Stewart’s art is on point, and the script’s pace has an engaging ebb and flow, but Watters and Ram V’s script is conflicted over which plot is most important.
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