MONOMYTH #2, from Mad Cave Studios on 6/21/23, follows the surviving wizard initiates when monstrous creatures confront each student with the traumas of their past.
The Details
- Written by: David Hazan
- Art by: Cecilia Lo Valvo
- Colors by: Marissa Louise
- Letters by: Lucas Gattoni
- Cover art by: Cecilia Lo Valvo
- Comic Rating: Mature
- Cover price: $2.99
- Release date: June 21, 2023
Is It Good?
MONOMYTH #2 takes the confused collection of drafted wizards-in-training through a gauntlet of pain and despair for a solid character-building issue in David Hazan’s sophomore issue. MONOMYTH #2 isn’t a perfect issue, but if you’re invested in getting to know these characters, pick this one up.
When last we left the would-be wizards, they were confronted by Homunculus, who warned them not to wave their wands around recklessly. So, one of the would-be wizards waves his wand around recklessly and accidentally turns himself into a gold coin machine, leading to a painful death. Now, Homunculus beats a hasty retreat to attend to other duties, and the surviving would-be wizards search the castle for information that could help them escape. They find more than they bargained for.
Since this is a character-building issue, strongly focused on establishing the past traumas that motivate each character’s present actions and attitudes, Hazan does a fine job creating memory vignettes to inform the reader. Each character encounters a “monster” that shows them important moments of their past, twisted to amplify the personal hang-ups spawned by those moments. Taking this approach, Hazan smartly dispenses with lengthy exposition to flesh out the characters and give them more depth.
That said, be prepared for the mystery surrounding the students’ abduction, their location, and the magical force behind their abduction to remain a complete mystery. In other words, the plot barely moves an inch. If you don’t mind a leisurely pace to let the world form and take shape, you’ll be fine. If you need a comic to fight for your attention among a sea of other titles by relentlessly grabbing your attention, this issue may be a tough sell.
How’s the art? It’s dark and creepy, which is (probably) the intended goal. Cecilia Lo Valvo gives readers the equivalent of a rundown, haunted, dangerous Hogwarts, so the mature nature of this wizarding world comes through loud and clear. That said, Lo Valvo’s art loses significant detail in the darker panels, so there are a few spots where it’s tough to tell what’s happening.
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What’s It About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]
Check out our MONOMYTH #1 review to find out where each would-be wizard was when they were warped away.
We begin with the death of the first student, still spewing gold coins from his mouth. Homonculus repeats his warning not to wave their wands around recklessly, but the big Russian is fed up with riddles and approaches Homonculus with murderous intent. Homunculus waves him away and quickly departs.
The would-be wizards decide to split up in pairs and search the castle for clues about where they are ad who’s running the show. When each pair enters a room or finds a lonely alcove, they’re approached by monstrous, spider-like beings who connect to each student’s mind. Each student witnesses a distorted version of a past, painful memory to remind them of what they endured to become the person they are.
We conclude the issue with forced acceptance, another reckless wand wave, and Homonculus’s final act.
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Final Thoughts
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MONOMYTH #2 is an emotionally-deep character study that brings readers up to speed on each of the would-be wizards and what they endured to become the people they are. Hazan’s character work is excellent, and the art is creepy. That said, the plot doesn’t move much, and none of the first issue’s questions get answered.
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