That’s right it’s time to dive back into the world of Man vs. Rock. It took me a little longer than I would have liked to cover this second issue, but it’s worth it just so I can talk about it. I’ve had a ton of fun with this series and have to say how rare it is that an indie comic is actually funny. I’ve read some attempts in the past and… well you either have it or you don’t. Man vs. Rock has it in spades. The issue opens with a recap of the first issue which really serves to put you in a great mood to read this issue. The recap has all the hits from the first issue like, “That rock hath laid with my wife.” From there we pick up with Buck Stone as he drives his semi-truck towards Washington D.C.

He passes by a BMW playing Queen’s “We Will Rock You” and decides that the person is a rock sympathizer that needs to be taken out. He does this by rocketing a beer can through the wind shield. There’s a great visual gag that I won’t spoil, but make sure you read the beer can. The car blows up and Buck Stone continues driving.

Buck gives his ex-wife a call and in a funny twist of fate… she’s the Vice President of the United States. Their interaction is hilarious and proves that Buck is one of the greatest comic book characters ever created. I’ll leave you with this to ponder… the rocks act in this issue and it’s pretty fucking nuts.

Writers Victor DeTroy and Kevin Bieber continue to craft a story that is funny, makes sense in its own way, but entertains from beginning to end. When I say “makes sense in its own way” I’m mean that in actuality the story has no logic in the real world. In the terms of the story they’ve created though everything does work, but it’s ridiculous because of that. It definitely doesn’t keep the story from being enjoyable though.

The key to this series success is going to be consistency. That means that artist Jared Lamp needs to be a part of it from beginning to end and thankfully he’s still here for the second issue. There’s less detail on this issue than the first issue, but Lamp’s style remains intact. It just gives this issue a softer look than the last. It continues to be in all black & white, which is honestly a good thing for how much detail Lamp’s style has. The visual gags continue to shine just as much as the written gags making for a balanced comedic story.

I don’t expect everyone to love or appreciate Man vs. Rock. Not everyone is going to like the humor and others are going to be rubbed the wrong way, but I just can’t take this story very seriously so I find it amusing. It’s rough around the edges still, but that’s part of its charm. It’s an indie darling for sure!

Score: 4/5

Writers: Victor DeTroy & Kevin Bieber Artist: Jared Lamp Website