Review: Tartarus #2

The premiere issue of Tartarus, a space war unfolded between the Djinn who were a small colony of miners that found a game-changing substance called the liquid on the Plant Tartarus, and the Baxxans.Â The Djinn of course sold those weapons to other planets particularly the Jurians, effectively becoming sworn enemies of the Baxxans, Â Stuck in the middle of the conflict was Surka (the badass of the galaxy) who was being imprisoned in a maximum security prison. The main story takes place, 17 years later, with Surka“s daughter, Tilde, when all hell breaks loose, and a General has been assassinated.

In the current issue of Tartarus #2, the investigation into the assassination of General Kabe and 3 other Generals begins with a focus on Tilde, and her Djinn heritage. Meanwhile Tilde and her companion Klunzu must turn to an unsavory character for aid in escaping the station alive.

Issue #2 definitely has less of a narrative to it especially when you consider Tartarus“ premiere issue was a whopping 44 pages that sets up the past and the present.
Tartarus #2 seems to have lost some momentum in this issue, which is okay because issue #1 did go at an incredible pace. It moved from a family centered story with galactic scale implications, to being a personal journey punctuated with go with the flow action. Whatever the intentions it definitely feels like the narrative was slowed down in order to introduce Hanza Khars.

Surprising to me was that fact that Jack Cole’s incredibly intricate work continues to be an center of gravity for the book, but as can be expected some of the more psychedelic panels, even though there detailed were kind off distracting at times and may not be for everyone.

Final Verdict:Â Suspense filled writing by Johnnie Christmas and great art by Jack Cole are the anchors for this issue.Â Cole has driven the story to a tricky place though: the first issue of TarTarus it had an identity as a family centered story, with galactic scale implications; In issue #2 it is now an action packed personal journey filled with pirates and smugglers.Â Hopefully, Tildes legacy won’t just be tossed aside and thus its uniqueness otherwise it’s just another space saga.

Tartarus #2 Cover A Regular drawn by Jack T Cole Cover; Cover B Variant drawn by Johnnie Christmas.

SCORE: 2.8 stars out of 5.

Writer(s): Johnnie Christmas
Artist(s): Jack Cole
Letterer: Jim Campbell
By Image