MERLIN & HECTOR #2 – Review

MERLIN & HECTOR #2, available from Red 5 Comics on November 24th, 2021, puts Merlin, Hector, and Alana on the trail of Alana’s missing uncle when they encounter a town under siege by a gang of were-beasts.

The Details

• Written By: Rodolfo Santullo
• Art By: Jok
• Colors By: Mey, Jok
• Translation: Chris Ortega
• Letters By: Altercomics Studio
• Cover Art By: Dexter Wee
• Cover Price: $3.95
• Release Date: November 24, 2021

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Was It Good?

The first issue in this series was a solid introduction about a swineherd named Merlin who befriends a thief, creating the foundation for a strong story about friendship. MERLIN & HECTOR #2 builds on that friendship when Merlin and Hector help a mysterious woman, Alana, find her missing uncle, creating opportunities for the two to get to know each other and work together to solve the challenges at hand.

I like the development of Merlin as a character by getting to know him as a person before he becomes the legendary wizard. You get a very strong sense of his heart, his good nature, his willingness to help, and his courage. Santullo is building out characters you can root for with a completely original story behind the legend.

In this second issue, Santullo peppers in hints of Merlin’s magical potential. You can see hints of his capabilities, and through Alana’s mysterious background, more hints are dropped that the universe already knows big things are in store for Merlin. Santullo’s writing does an excellent job of building anticipation for what’s to come. It may seem strange to want to know what happens to Merlin when you already know how his journey ultimately plays out, but it’s hard not to want to see how he learns magic and how he helps build (eventually) Camelot. Prequels work best when you can find the story within the story, and it works very well here.

Regarding the art, Joy and Mek have a design aesthetic that’s wholly unique but feels familiar. When you look at the characters with slightly oversized heads, long faces, and too-large noses on the males, it’s reminiscent of the original character designs from Rankin and Bass. Animated works such as The Last Unicorn and Frosty the Snowman come to mind once you see the similarities. That’s not to say this is a style copy but there are enough similarities to elicit a feeling of nostalgia that I enjoy quite a lot.

What’s It About?

[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]

To learn how Merlin and Hector become friends, first read our Merlin & Hector #1 review.

At the end of issue #1, Merlin helped Hector escape prison (and execution), and the two ran off into the dark woods where they encounter a mysterious woman named Alana. She seemed to know them, expect them, and she asked for their help to find her missing uncle. Unable to return home, Merlin agreed to move forward and help Alana with Hector’s aid.

When the trio arrives at Alana’s uncle’s cabin, they find a little blood and not much else. Hector has acquaintances in the nearby town of Grimgrass and they agree to go there to look for clues. During their travel, Alana tells Merlin he’s known among magical beings as someone destined to do great things. Merlin is unsure of his importance but he eventually admits he can hear and see things others cannot, indicating he’s aware of his own power.

Hector finds a merchant he’s done business with in the past, and it’s then we learn Hector used to belong to a gang of notorious thieves before he parted ways with them over an ill-advised kidnapping. Before Hector can get any useful information out of the merchant, the town is invaded by the Beasts, a gang of were-people known as slipskins. One of the Beasts, a were-bear, barges into the merchant’s shop and tries kill or capture everyone inside. Merlin manages to help them escape by intuitively using magic to break down the back door, but Alana goes missing in the chaos.

We conclude the issue with Hector,Merlin, and the merchant running into old friends of Hector’s, the reveal that Alana didn’t exactly run away from the Beasts, and the setup for a gang fight.

Final Thoughts

MERLIN & HECTOR #2 continues to build out the backstory behind one of legend’s greatest wizards with a genuine, human story about a young man coming into his own through trials and friendship. The pacing is excellent, the character interactions feel incredibly natural (for an unnatural story), and the creative team has constructed a character you can’t help rooting for.

Score: 9/10

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