SWAMP DOGS #2 – Review

SWAMP DOGS #2, from Scout Comics on March 2nd, 2022, follows Ayana’s and Violet’s blooming romance when they decide to venture into dark places during a day trip.

The Details

• Written By: J.M. Brandt, Theo Prasidis
• Art By: Kewber Baal
• Colors By: Ruth Redmond
• Letters By: Steve Wands
• Cover Art By: Robert Sammelin
• Cover Price: $3.99
• Release Date: March 2, 2022

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Was It Good?

SWAMP DOGS #2 is a solid entry in the series about members of a band encountering Cajun zombies after a late-night Halloween party gig. We praised the first issue for its spiritual parallels to one of the greatest brain-munching zombie films in cinematic history – The Return of the Living Dead – combined with Bayou flavor and a scorching love story between two of the lead characters. It was a potent mix of music, Southern charm, lust, and monsters. Does the second issue hold up to issue #1? Mostly, yes.

I say “mostly” because the “heat” of the first issue is turned down a few notches in this issue. That’s not a down point, but issue #2 doesn’t grab your attention as insistently as the first. Issue #2 focuses on setting up Ayana’s bandmates as well as reveling in the afterglow of Violet’s and Ayana’s first night together. In a way, issue #2’s focus on setup and introduction almost makes it feel like a prologue, and perhaps that was intentional or perhaps it’s intended to lull readers into a false sense of security before things go South (*ahem*).

In other words, issue #2 is more sedate – less raw – but there’s still plenty to like in this issue. The blossoming romance between Ayana and Violet is charmingly sweet. The introduction of the bandmates presents the characters as a lovable group of misfits, which is a smart choice because the introduction gets the readers on their side, making the horror awaiting them more impactful. And, the setting where the horror starts is a pristine example of Antediluvian Gothic horror.

So much of the atmosphere in this issue is a result of the excellent artwork by Baal, Redmond, and Wands. Swamps have a way of infusing everything in it (living and dead) with growth and rot at the same time. The artists capture that constant push-pull of decay and overgrowth realistically. The visuals in this book “feel” Southern, and that’s a testament to the effort put in by the art team.

Keep scrolling for a closer look at the covers, or Click Here to jump right to the story description with some spoilers.

What’s It About?

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

If you want to relive the blistering heat that kicked this whole story off, first read our SWAMP DOGS #1 review.

We begin with an introduction to Ayana’s bandmates through a playful morning scene as the members try to rouse themselves to get ready to head out for a video shoot. The Halloween party gig helped fund the video shoot, and some band members partied harder than others.

Elsewhere, Ayana and violet are spending the day alone out on the Bayou on an airboat. During their frolicking, they spy an abandoned mansion and decide to go exploring. Once inside, Violet is amazed at the library containing hundreds of books; some rare and valuable.

As the band heads to their video shoot, they stop when they see two underfed and creepy boys poking at an alligator that’s had its guts torn out. A foreboding of things to come.

Meanwhile, Violet wakes up from a brief nap in the abandoned mansion to an unpleasant sight. We conclude the issue with Ayana making an unpleasant discovery, lots of crows, and a horrific realization.

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