EDENFROST #2, by Mad Cave Studios on 1/17/24, finds refuge for Alex and Yuli with an unstable woman living alone in the woods. Will the siblings’ chance at safety turn out to be a nightmare?
The Details
- Written by: Amit Tishler
- Art by: Bruno Frenda
- Colors by: Bruno Frenda
- Letters by: Taylor Esposito
- Cover art by: Bruno Frenda
- Comic Rating: Teen
- Cover price: $4.99
- Release date: January 17, 2024
Is EDENFROST #2 Good?
Amit Tishler eases off the gas in this series about a brother and sister on the run from Russian Revolutionaries and something monstrous. Instead, readers get a lot of exposition and backstory to help explain the origin of the monster and lay the groundwork for what comes next.
When last we left Alex and Yuli, they ran through the snow-covered forests after their village was destroyed in a climactic battle between Russian soldiers and a stony giant. Suspecting the children had something to do with the giant, soldiers set out into the night to find the siblings. Now, Alex and Yuli are brought in from the cold by a woman with a shotgun who fears the children are spies. Through quick thinking and several well-placed lies, the children work out a deal for refuge, but their bargain may not be as simple as they hoped.
Although the timeframe isn’t explicitly specified, we know through dialog and costumes that this story takes place in Russia sometime after 1918, just after WWI and the death of Tsar Nicholas II. It’s unclear how Alex is well-versed in global events as a young boy from a small, remote village, but he knows enough to clue readers into their general place in history.
What’s great about EDENFROST #2? Golems are nothing new to fantasy stories, but this is the first time we recall a creator giving the concept a powerful, almost superhero-like, depiction that’s accessible and visually fascinating. Better still, Tishler infuses an element of legacy in Alex’s connection to the Golem that opens the door for the possibility of more stories set during different generations.
What’s not so great about EDENFROST #2? Much of this issue is spent with Olena, Yuli and Alex’s savior, a troubled, kept mistress who isn’t aware of what’s happening in the world outside her cabin. Frankly, Olena’s troubled ramblings stretch on too long and drag the story to a crawl.
How’s the art? Bruno Frenda’s art is fantastic. Further, the quality of Frenda’s art elevates Tishler’s script considerably, especially during the scenes where Alex experiences a magical occurrence.
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What’s EDENFROST #2 About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]
Check out our EDENFROST #1 review to find out how Yuli and Alex were forced to flee their village.
We begin with Alex experiencing a waking dream where he speaks with a specter who urges Alex to use the power of his blood to protect his bloodline and his sister at all costs. Alex comes to his senses when the woman with a shotgun leads the siblings into her cabin for questioning.
The woman, Olena, questions Alex and Yuli as possible spies, but Alex gives the woman a false last name and recounts how they came to be in the woods near Olena’s cabin. Alex notices in Olena’s ramblings that she isn’t aware that the Great War is over. Alex pleads for shelter until Spring, offering to do all chores, so the siblings can head to Kviv in better weather.
We conclude the issue with drunken revelations, a soldier, and a frozen behemoth.
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Final Thoughts
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EDENFROST #2 slows down the urgency in favor of an exposition-heavy issue to reveal the nature of Alex’s power and the predicament the siblings find themselves in with their “savior.” Tishler deserves credit for taking the legend of a Golem and giving it a magically fascinating twist, and Frenda’s art is some of the best to come of Mad Cave in a while. That said, the exposition dampens the pacing, and not all of it is worthwhile.
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