By Laramie Martinez

After an outstanding first issue, Ted Naifeh is back with Night’s Dominion #2! Picking up right where we last left our odd bunch of thieves, this issue is, on top of being a great heist issue, another well paced introductory issue, with some twists and turns for good measure. We get to see a little more of each character’s abilities and personalities as they traverse the strange cathedral brimming with cultists. Great sword and sorcery action from start to finish.

Naifeh continues to add to the stakes of his story while supplying readers with insight into the motivation of his characters. In this issue we learn what drives “The Night” to steal and we uncover a mystery that escalates this story from a mere heist issue to an introduction of something much larger. I enjoyed that almost everyone got a little moment to shine, each character displaying a portion of their talents in order to get through a certain part of the adventure. It very much felt like a dungeon crawl in that respect, but a good dungeon crawl. Since this is only issue two there is still a lot of questions being posed. We see the addition of a not only a new character, but a whole new army of potential enemies for Night and the gang.

In terms of art this issue is well done. The layouts are simple yet effective, allowing the action in the issue to appear kinetic and graceful. The atmosphere, just as in the last issue, is palpable. I really like the gloomy setting of world and the purples, greens, and yellows give the location a wonderful sense of dread. I did have a slight problem with the designs of Night and the Assassin being a little too similar, but for the most dramatic parts of the issue, you could tell who was who. I don’t imagine it will be a problem for later issues, but in a setting where every character is shrouded in darkness, character silhouettes are key for understanding who is doing the fighting or talking.

If you haven’t picked this one up, I urge you to do so. It’s a great comic with a lot to offer any fan of fantasy.

Score: 4/5

Night's Dominion #2
Writer: Ted Naifeh
Artist: Ted Naifeh
Publisher: Oni Press