THE OBLIVION TRIALS #2, from Source Point Press on July 27th, 2022, throws Kiko into the middle of the Trials that have one purpose – to kill him. Kiko’s forced to make friends and use weapons or become the Trials’ next victim.
The Details
- Written by: Brandon Chen, Fred Packard
- Art by: Anderson Carman
- Colors by: Anderson Carman
- Letters by: Zen
- Cover Art by: Anderson Carman
- Cover Price: $3.99
- Release Date: July 27, 2022
Is It Good?
Let the games begin. THE OBLIVION TRIALS #2 dispels some of the confusing bits of the first issue by jumping straight into the Trials with plenty of danger waiting around every corner. In most aspects, issue #2 is a step up as long as you don’t expect to have the rules spelled out for you… because there aren’t any.
The fun and games aspect of this issue is where Chen, Packard, and Carman shine. Kiko is thrown directly into the trials where it seems everyone and everything is out to kill him. Given the title of this issue, yes, it turns into an afterlife version of The Hunger Games, but there are enough twists and turns to keep the proceedings fresh. Kiko is forced to recognize traps, figure out weapons, pair up with allies, and identify enemies in a very short span. It’s all energy, pacing, and excitement.
The minor down point of this issue is the lack of clarity around the rules, particularly surrounding how Kiko is supposed to “win.” Kiko encounters monsters and other players, some of who claim to be working through the Trials for millennia, so it’s unclear what the goal is here other than “don’t die.” the rule may have been set up in issue #1, and we missed it, but it’s not clear here, and it creates a distraction when Kiko doesn’t have an apparent goal.
The art in this issue is fairly good. The character designs (people monsters, ghosts, etc.) are all unique and memorable, the linework is mostly clean, and the color is serviceable. It would help if there was more pop to the color instead of saturating the pages with flat pastels, but the colors get the job done.
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What’s It About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]
Check out our THE OBLIVION TRIALS #1 review to find out how Kiko wound up in this mess.
We begin with Kiko wading ashore into a jungle with a skull-line path. Before long, he’s confronted with the vision of the car accident that killed his mother, giant Forest Guardians, and other contestants.
Kiko bumps into Emily, the woman he tried to save on the train before he was killed. She explains she had to take the Trials, certain she would never get to Paradise. Kiko and Emily team up to help each other survive. The forest Guardian catches up to Emily, and the duo encounters a house as they run away.
The Forest Guardian refuses to approach the house, and they find an old woman inside who claims to be 70 thousand years old. Emily and Kiko take a minute to rest but rest time is over when they learn the old woman is now what she claims to be.
We conclude the issue with demons, young hunters, and ex-boyfriends.
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Final Thoughts
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THE OBLIVION TRIALS #2 is a high-energy read with plenty of traps and enemies lurking around every corner. The energy is high, the action is kinetic, and the story feels like it’s moving in a particular direction. However, Kiko’s direction lacks a clear destination, and the flat coloring dampens the energy of the action.
Related Information
What do you see after you die?
No one really knows for sure. Persons of religious, or spiritual, faith believe there’s a higher plane of existence that transcends the pain and suffering of mortal life. People who do not ascribe to any form of spiritual faith believe all we are is simply gone at the moment of death. Either way, you won’t know for sure until you get there.
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