Rob reviews The Magic Order 2 #1...
Mark Millar is no stranger to the comic world. From writing epics such as Marvel's Civil War, Jupiter's Legacy, and even a stint as a regular writer for 2000 AD. To most Millar is a legend and as such, there's always an air of anticipation around the writers next work.
This opening issue serves as both a catch up to Cordelia and her family, as well as introducing the next big threat. For the most part, the issue takes a fairly dark tone, but it does have some lighter tones too. If anything this opening is certainly an eye-opener to this world and Mark Millar's imagination.
The issue opens with an introduction to the Korne family - a group of magic-users based in Bucharest. They're certainly the bad guys of the issue as we get to see just how they use their "gift", and what exactly their future plans are. We then switch perspectives as we catch up to Eddie and Regan, who have arrived at the scene of a massacre. The twist here is that it's been performed by a child's imaginary friend that's been brought to life. Then to close the issue out, we're in the bizarre world of Cordelia. Not only do we find that she's living inside a painting, her one night stand isn't going to remember a thing.
The Magic Order 2 #1 is Mark Millar at his best. It's a gorgeous looking, fast-paced and action-packed opening that's not afraid to go to some dark, dark places. The script is full of violence and imagination as Millar takes the art of magic and adds a horrific spin to it. Everything comes at you at lightning speed and you've got no time to recover from what's just happened before you are thrown into something else. The pace does slow down somewhat when it comes to the birthday party as we're re-introduced to Cordelia's family and their traits. But in true style, the ending then ramps up the foreboding with the introduction of someone who's certainly going to bring trouble.
Stuart Immonen and Sunny Gho both do a grand job in bringing this tale of light and dark to life. Both aspects have their styles that work well with the script. The scenes with the Korne family are bathed in dark shadows and cool tones which helps build the tension and atmosphere. This is quite a contrast when it comes to Rosie's birthday. The scenes are awash with bright summery colours and tones that give off an almost playful nature. There's a lot of beauty here, even though the majority of this comic is incredibly dark.
All in all, The Magic Order 2 #1 sets this sequel off to a flying start. There's plenty of exposition to get you up to speed on past events, as well as setting up its future. Each cell is awash with detail as Immonen brings plenty of context to every scene. Gho also works wonders with an excellent colour pallet that ties the light and dark sides together.
Mark Millar is certainly a master of his craft. And if this issue is anything to go by - we're in for one almighty story!
Rating 10/10
Rob Lake - For more comic book and video game chat why not follow Geek Culture Reviews on Twitter and Facebook @GeekCultureRev
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