While I really enjoyed the first issue of Memory Collectors, I thought this issue lacked some story telling. The art was gorgeous. I like how it is drawn with lots of brush strokes, and minimal color, like Mention3 always does, but the story was average. I found quickly that in order to enjoy the art to capacity, the story must be there. With our first issue, we run into Edith. She is a model but realizes her true potential as a warrior. She fights memory collectors. These collectors kill off people in order to survive. The token they seek; memories. Edith joins up with two counterparts; Magdalena and Beatrice in order to fight off these suckers. With only three issues, the comic has to do some massive storytelling. The story isn’t simple, so for the first issue and for this one, the comic takes about four pages full of text in order to cram in the story. It reads like a short story with pictures, instead of a comic. Not that I mind the reading, because if a story has a lot to say then say it. Memory Collectors seems to have a lot to say, but the text is filled with descriptions. I found it quite annoying, since isn’t that the job of comics. To describe the picture and the audience doesn’t have to read it. With issue one, the story it was telling was all relevant. This story just skipped around some.
Edith and the girls are in the middle of a fight when we enter this issue. Although the style of this comic is pretty raunchy and sexual, it doesn’t ever go down that route (if that makes any sense). Sometimes seeing comics of these women makes me feel like a prev, but Mention3 stays clear of the sexual devices. The story, during the battle, takes some interesting turns. Beatrice forces herself to make a great sacrifice. Edith is appalled by what Beatrice does, but it seemed like their only option. Beatrice will now have an even bigger role in bringing down these collectors. Then Edith meets this new player.
I don’t really know what his role is but he seems to be some ultimate collector that haunted Glamour. He is also inside of Beatrice right now. I never heard of this leader, so it was out of left field. Maybe I missed it. Anyway, we then get a long and descriptive page dedicated to Lapis. First, I am still not sure who this dude is. And secondly, I wanted to interpret him with my own eyes...not have to read about how creepy he was.
Again, the story has lots to cover, and the plot line just frankly didn’t flow smoothly. At some points it skips over key ideas and characters. Other moments, I was waiting for the art to take over and tell the story. It was an odd mixture. I hope that issue three will bring it all together for me. The story has some of my interest, and the art is appealing. A little more push in issue three will no doubt bring me back to my delighted state from issue one.
Score: 3/5
Writer/Artist/Creator: Menton3 Publisher: IDW Publishing Price: $3.99 Release Date: 12/11/13