Review: Punks Not Dead #2: LONDON CALLING

Punks Not Dead, on IDW“s Black Crown imprint, feels like a throwback to late-80s era comic books. It is that, but it is also so much more. Its imagery is gothic and at times horrific, with all of the gore and visual brilliance of an unavoidable apocalyptic nightmare. For Fergie and his ghostly sidekick ”“ Sid, the apocalypse is now. And in Punks Not Dead #2 it seems as if all of the secret agencies of the world and maybe even the world itself are closing in on them.

Fergie“s been framed for a murder he didn“t commit. But in PND #2 that seems like the least of his many worries. He and Sid are searching for his long-lost, or rather, totally absent father in order to get some sense of Fergie“s strange new abilities and the shadowy monsters that continue to dog him and Sid along their journey. In short, there“s a lot going on in this book. Even reading the “Story so Far”“ section after only one issue is a dizzying affair, making it clear to readers that David Barnett (writer), and Martin Simmonds (artist) have a treasure trove of stories to tell in this extraordinary version of the greater London world.

In one corner of this world, The Department for Extra-Usual Affairs, is organizing itself and figuring out how best to track and find Fergie and Sid. In another, Fergie and Sid, with the help of some historical visioning, are starting to piece together the fact that Fergie“s dad may have not been your average everyday bloke. Fergie“s also enduring his first pint. And in yet another corner, the Punks Not Dead killer is at the home of Fergie“s Mom. The suspense is real in this world, and the stakes always seem to be extremely high ”“ i.e. life or death by brutal mutilation.

Simmonds“ artistic style is irreverent and reminiscent. In general, the color tones of the PND world are dark, Simmonds craftily uses specific shades to wash certain pages and mark them as either flashing forward (red) or back (purple) in time. It“s a stunning artistic choice with great narrative effect for the reader. But even with all of these visual cues and the “story so far”“ set up, PND needs to be read in its entirety in order to be properly enjoyed. Lucky for you issue #1 should still be available at your LCBS so you can start from the beginning of this masterful tale. 5/5.

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(W) David Barnett (A/CA) Martin Simmonds