THE ENFIELD GANG MASSACRE #2, from Image Comics on 9/13/23, brings the bloody wrath of the law down on the Enfield Gang.
The Details
- Written by: Chris Condon
- Art by: Jacob Phillips
- Colors by: Jacob Phillips, Pip Martin
- Letters by: Jacob Phillips
- Cover art by: Jacob Phillips
- Comic Rating: Mature
- Cover price: $3.99
- Release date: September 13, 2023
Is THE ENFIELD GANG MASSACRE #2 Good?
Short, sweet, and to the point. Chris Condon’s latest comic, THE ENFIELD GANG MASSACRE #2, recounts what happens when the townsfolk conclude that Barley Enfield and his band of ne’er-do-wells are responsible for the bank manager’s gruesome murder. Condon attacks the material with the methodical precision of a top-tier documentarian and the dramatic nuance of a top-tier film director. You feel like you’re watching history unfold before your eyes, and history never looked so good.
When last we left Barley Enfield and company, the townspeople, shocked by two deaths, decided the Enfield gang was behind it all. Determined to mete out justice as quickly as possible, a posse enters Enfield’s camp and begins to lay waste in a sneak attack. Now, Barley Enfield comes face-to-face with the posse, leading to much bloodshed, explosions, fear, and flight.
In fairness to potential readers, the plot honestly doesn’t move so much as it takes shape. The totality of the issue spans three scenes, but each scene is chock full of emotional beats, twists and turns, and deadly consequences. Fewer scenes can work as long as each scene is meaningful on multiple levels, as Condon proves here.
What’s great about THE ENFIELD GANG MASSACRE #2? Nearly everything. Several characters get a moment to shine to add weight to the massacre as it unfolds. Every panel is designed to grab you with a chokehold of tension for what comes next, and the cliffhanger ending bursts with anticipation. What continues to make this story unique is the mystery surrounding the bank teller’s killer, particularly because you don’t know if the Enfield Gang is responsible or not. Condon’s tension is elevated further because you don’t know who to root for, so you feel helpless being forced to sit back and watch the disaster play out with mixed emotions.
What’s not so great about THE ENFIELD GANG MASSACRE #2? Nothing besides a minor nitpick or two. With all the players running around in a state of chaos, there isn’t enough time to give each supporting player a name to go with the face, so some of the deaths don’t hit as hard as they could.
How’s the art? Phenomenal. Phillips leans heavily on the hellfire imagery so prevalent in Spaghetti Westerns that you can’t help but imagine an Ennio Morricone soundtrack playing in the background. Better still, Phillips doesn’t pull any punches with the violence and death, which gives the massacre weight.
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What’s THE ENFIELD GANG MASSACRE #2 About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]
Check out our THE ENFIELD GANG MASSACRE #1 review to find out how and why a posse was formed to get Enfield.
We begin with Barley Enfield waking up Amy after an unsettling dream, ordering her to leave immediately. Barley’s covered in somebody else’s blood, so he quickly recounts what happened only a few minutes prior.
The posse killed two of Barley’s men and calmly walked into the saloon to demand Barley’s surrender with a deadly warning shot. Barley refuses, leading to a barroom gunfight, flying dynamite, and a hasty retreat.
We conclude the issue with suspicious night riders, a crowd of refugees, and a “shoot to kill” order.
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Final Thoughts
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THE ENFIELD GANG MASSACRE #2 amps up the violence, death, and tension for a brisk but satisfying fight for survival in the middle of the night. Condon keeps readers on the edge of their seats non-stop, and Phillips’s brutal art is phenomenal.
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