Terror Inc. – Apocalypse Soon #2

By David Lapham (Writer), Koi Turnbull (Pencils), Scott Hanna & Mark Pennington (Inks), and Sotocolor’s C. Garcia (Colors)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: The character work in the first issue of Terror Inc. impressed me far more than the plots being developed.  I hope things get more exciting and less predictable in the second issue because it’d be a shame if such a fun character was held back by a weak story.

The Story: It turns out that the young kid rescued by Terror last issue is a “typhoid mary” capable of spreading the deadly virus Terror was sent to retrieve.  Now that very kid is back in the hands of the terrorists that planned on using him, it’s up to Terror to find and return the kid so that a cure can be found for those infected by whatever it is that “Kid A” is carrying.  The issue also advances Terror’s story about The Duque he dealt with quite some time ago and it seems that it has some times to the present situation….

What’s Good and  What’s Not So Good: Terror Inc. #2 is a solid step up from Terror Inc. #1 in almost every way.  The artwork is a bit more dynamic, the storylines become more exciting, Terror becomes even more interesting, and lastly, things come together in a more satisfying manner.

I’m particularly fond of the way that David Lapham weaves the story he’s telling into the story that Terror tells. It brings some interesting twists into a plot that initially felt pretty generic.  In addition, credit is due to Koi Turnbull and the rest of the art team for being able to keep up with a fairly wild story that is headlined by an even more wild character.  It calls for some challenging scenes and the art team pulls them off extremely well.  While a few panels are a bit cluttered and some things look a little rough, the book, as a whole, is quite nice looking considering the material.

Conclusion: Terror Inc. continues to impress.  In fact, I would go as far as to say the series is almost as awesome as the covers for the series.

Grade:  A-

-Kyle Posluszny

Terror Inc.: Apocalypse Soon #1 – Review

By David Lapham (Writer), Koi Turnbull (Pencils), Scott Hanna (Inks), and Edward Bola & Sotocolor’s C. Garcia (Colors)

The Story: Mr. Terror is immortal, has a big armored left arm, looks like a zombie, and has the ability to attach new body parts (head, arm…you name it) from willing and unwilling donors as needed. He runs Terror Inc. and gets paid by taking on jobs that no one else will. In Apocalypse Soon #1, two stories begin. The first takes place during the spread of the Black Death (A.K.A. The Plague) and is about Mr. Terror’s very first job. He is hired to get revenge and honor the dying wishes of a rich woman wronged by her husband. The second story that begins is about Terror’s latest job, where he is hired to get a sample of a bio-terror weapon and then destroy the facility it is being tested at.

What’s Good: Surly, crass, grotesque, and a lover of sex, Mr. Terror is, quite simply, a blast to read about in a MAX title. David Lapham scores the most points, however, for managing to find a sweet spot between revolting and likeable thanks to Mr. Terror’s soft spot for kids and the less fortunate. It’s a fairly delicate balance, but Lapham pulls it off in a way that seems almost effortless.

The visuals in Terror Inc. #1 are quite nice. The art team deserves a lot of credit for working with two very different settings without sacrificing consistency. Also, Koi Turnbull and his crew do a great job of bringing out both sides of Terror through detailed, busy settings, impressive character work, and brutal, slightly disturbing violence.

What’s Not So Good: The weakest part of the first chapter of Apocalypse Soon is the main story being developed. While it isn’t exactly boring, it feels a bit too predictable. It does show some promise though thanks to a fairly strong finish, so it’s not all bad.

Conclusion: In short, Terror Inc. #1 is a well-written, good-looking book that isn’t afraid to take advantage of the MAX label. The main character rocks and one of the plots being developed is a lot of fun.

Grade: B+

-Kyle Posluszny