By Dustin Cabeal

Doctor Crowe #2 came out a month or so back, but I’m just now getting the time to catch up on the series. If you’re unfamiliar, and you likely are, it’s a series of short stories that are all written by Corey Fryia and illustrated by different creators. It’s a lot like Hellboy or Baltimore in that the stories connected, but don’t rely on you having intimate details of each tale. It's revealed as you read and so really all you have to do is start reading.

This issue includes three stories that range from good to best. Each tale is progressively better than the last until you reach the conclusion of the issue. The first story is a simple tale, but it continues Crowe’s fight against the Necronomicon. The second shows his continued battle with an enemy of the story and again was a good reminder of the scope of the world. The third story contained a lot of heart which is why it’s the best of the issue. It ends on a low note, but a much-needed one given how cheery the previous two stories were.

There are a lot of parallel’s I could make between Doctor Crowe and Baltimore. I won’t, but they are there. The biggest thing that Crowe suffers from is the need for longer stories. While the shorts are entertaining, they never really give enough insight into the character. There’s no deep character moments, but instead just adventures. That’s entertaining for a bit, but even strong adventure stories have character moments. The only other knock I have for the writing is that the dialogue is too cheesy at times.

All three artists manage to deliver unique and yet fitting artwork for each of their stories. Even though the style changes there is still a sense of consistency to the world. There’s a great bit of detail to each story with talented line work. The coloring maintains the look of the story even with there being two different colorists as well. Overall the artwork is very strong and a solid fit for the story/world.

With this being my second review for the series I’ll be quick to point out that this review is short. There’s not a lot left to say about this series. I have the gist of what the rest of the series will be like, but without a long story to break up all the short stories, there isn’t going to be much to talk about. It’s entertaining and a quick read, but it’s yet to sink its hooks into me.

Score: 3/5

Writer: Corey Fryia
Artists: Tony Gregori, Dann Franco, Bruno Letizia
Colorist: Sean Burres, Joshua Jensen
Letterer: Taylor Esposito
Publisher: 215 Ink