I couldn’t rave enough about this comic with its first issue explosion. It was great to see a post-apocalyptic story that one made sense and two didn’t seem to repeat other stories. But what is always difficult is to get the next issue just as right as the first. So let’s see. Don’t be lazy. My first piece of advice when reading this comic. If you blink for a second or if you get distracted for three, you will miss something. And not just something insignificant. You will miss this incredible story. This comic is better than anything I have read lately. It makes me wonder what the hell other comics are doing. Alex Paknadel is insanely talented in this issue. He constantly throws curveballs, but when it is the bottom of the ninth, bases loaded, 2 outs, you hit a homeroom.
I want to explain so much of this comic but explaining it doesn’t do it justice. So unlike most of my reviews, this review is for people who read the comic to come back here after they have finished the issue.
Paknadel jumps around a lot of stories once again. I felt like the whole issue was on the brink of falling apart at every new story I read. So let’s get some quick reactions from these stories. Giacoma is strange but my first thought wasn’t that he was a computer program but that he somehow was a blend of the two. But as quickly as we get introduced, we get pulled away from his story.
Then we jump into Lee’s story. The computer programed one. He helps people download their memories and probably the occasional reversal of that. We still don’t know why he was created since the real Lee never died. Although computer Lee thinks he died. So now that begs the question of why both exist. In issue #1, I thought both the Lee’s knew about each other, but the real Lee was banished or something similar to that for whatever reason. Again, I am confused as to why these two sides hate each so much. And what is the real Lee’s intentions. Is he trying to bring real humans back or what? If someone could clear that up. Or maybe I just need a reread.
Of course after the computer Lee, we go the real Lee who is still with the President. Not much to report on him except that he is now being blackmailed by one of his men. Lee is talking with his daughter which is totally off limits and also makes you question him. This goes back to my original question of what Lee is doing? His daughter is one of these computer programs yet he can’t seem to let her go.
And the last place we move to is Coral. Her character is interesting as well, and although her plot was the most confusing this time around, Coral seems to be at the confusing stage in every person’s life where they question everything around them.
The story then jumps around all these stories above giving a well balance amount to each. Each story has something to give but some are more hidden than others.
When you can spend $3.99 on a comic and know that it is worth the full price and that you won’t just read it one time and throw it in some pile, then you have got an awesome story that deserves more credit than it is getting. Arcadia is brilliant. I continue to think about the questions this comic raises through the night. Paknadel has got something special here and I am digging every word of it.
Score: 5/5
Arcadia #2 Writer: Alex Paknadel Artist: Eric Scott Pfeiffer Publisher: BOOM! Studios Price: $3.99 Release Date: 6/3/15 Format: Ongoing, Print/Digital