MONSTROUS: BOOK OF THE DEAD #2, from Source Point Press on July 20th, 2022, finds the father/daughter mummy team of Ramses and Tia in a race to get back to Egypt after an unscrupulous archaeologist steals the Book of the Dead.
The Details
- Written By: Gregory Wright
- Art By: A. Shay Hahn
- Colors By: A. Shay Hahn
- Letters By: Justin Birch
- Cover Art By: A. Shay Hahn
- Cover Price: $3.99
- Release Date: July 20, 2022
Is It Good?
MONSTROUS: BOOK OF THE DEAD #2 continues the quest of a mummy family to find the Book of the Dead so they can resurrect the family’s matriarch, Samira. The heart of this issue is the tag-team relationship between Ramses and his daughter, Tia, as they fight their way through numerous obstacles created by the ruthless archaeologist, Sir Nigel Ponceberry.
The heart of this issue is also its greatest strength. Wright infuses charm and wit into the relationship between Ramses and Tia that feels fresh in a modern context. Ramses stops just short of cracking dad jokes, but the eye-rolling dad joke rapport between the two mummies is palpable. Wright has created a father-daughter team that feels authentic and charming.
However, the dad-joke rapport is one of the two down points of the issue. Ramses and Tia’s dialog feels very modern and doesn’t fit the period of the story or the urgency of their dilemma. The ribbon-wrapped duo almost appear to be having fun when the fate of their matriarch’s existence hangs in the balance, and the tone feels off.
The second down point is the “out of nowhere” appearance of Sir Nigel Ponceberry and his robotic henchmen. There’s no setup, the character isn’t named until page ten, there’s no hint of the motivation behind his actions, and he keeps hinting that he’s responsible for the mummies’ existence but doesn’t explain how. Ponceberry is successful in that he’s an imminently punchable villain, but so far, he simply appears for no other purpose than to create trouble.
The art is generally good. The character designs are cartoonish, but that’s by design. However, Hahn excels at elevating the cartoonish designs with phenomenal coloring. Visually, this comic is much better looking than a reader might expect at first glance.
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What’s It About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]
To catch up on how Ramses and Tia grabbed the Book of the Dead, first read our MONSTROUS: BOOK OF THE DEAD #1 review.
We begin with Ramses and tia celebrating their victory over surviving the realm of the gods and acquiring the Book of the Dead when a portly archaeologist and his robot henchmen suddenly ambush them. The archaeologist wants the book for himself, and he wants Ramses and Tia to accompany him back to Egypt.
Chained and coerced by armed robots, Ramses and Tia are forced onto a train headed back to the desert. Determined to get the book back and resurrect Samira, Ramses and Tia escape their chains and lay waste to every robot they encounter using magic weapons that appear from their necklaces… for some reason.
We c conclude the issue with a “train vs. magical creature” race back to Egypt, a library with dangerous books, and another godly test.
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Final Thoughts
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MONSTROUS: BOOK OF THE DEAD #2 is a fun, family-friendly adventure – monster style. The action is exciting, the main heroes have a relatable charm, and the art is better than expected. That said, the main villain lacks sufficient setup, and the modern dialog doesn’t fit the timeframe.
Related Information
What are the powers of a mummy?
Mummies are almost always described as immortal and immune to most forms of physical damage. Depending on the storyteller, mummies are also shown to possess control over lesser creatures such as insects and superhuman strength.
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