You would think that in this age of comics in which the market is still dominated/mostly superhero titles and with the genre arguably at its best in terms of writing and art, that there would be more stories about super villains. Perhaps creator Ken Krekeler turned to the industry and said, “I got this” and they let him proceed on his own awaiting the results. Those results are the series Dry Spell, which has been amazing after just two issues. If you didn’t read the first issue then please, I implore you… go out and purchase the issue and read it right now. Don’t do anything else, just read that comic… and then this one.

After a quick check in on Tom’s painting we’re off to a dinner with a mix of co-workers and co-workers that are supervillains. What unfolds are four pages of conversation that are some of best in comics. Now granted we’re just seeing the dialogue for the most part, but even still I think it was on par or better than anything Bendis has written and he’s known for his lengthy dialogue issues.

After that Mel stops by to see Tom. It’s an interesting interaction as she coaxes Tom out of his shell and back into the supervillain spotlight. It works as Tom takes the drugs left for him and finally takes the first strokes on his empty canvas.

I would love to go on and on about the rest of the issue because there is so much to say and cover, but you really need to read Krekeler’s masterpiece for yourself. His writing and dialogue is phenomenal. The characters are rich and deep and really the only character you don’t get a feel for is Stacy, Tom’s girlfriend. There’s something about her that hasn’t been revealed yet.

The change in Tom is wonderful. He’s still the same character as the first issue, but different. It’s not that he went through character growth, but this new side of him has opened up and yet he’s still recognizable. He is a fantastic character and Krekeler continues to make him more and more interesting.

The art plays a large role in the success of this series and this issue. The four pages of conversation have splashes of the scene and they look like an oil painting. It’s the perfect follow-up to the scene with the blank canvas that the comic opens up to. Krekeler’s style is gritty and realistic which makes this story feel very grounded. Because of that it’s almost scary. It really makes the villains and their abilities feel real and a part of our world.

There are a lot of great books out right now, but for my money Dry Spell is the best. Sure that could change next month, but it’s impressed me not once, but twice with this fantastic story that pushes the boundaries of sequential storytelling. The hardest part of this review is not telling you more because all I want to do is talk about it and examine every detail. Pick the issue up and leave me a comment so we can do just that.

Score: 5/5

Writer/Artist/Creator: Ken Krekeler Publisher: Danger Zone Price: $3.99 Release Date: 8/1/14 Format: Mini-series, Print/Digital