Two Moons #6

Two Moons #6

Image Comics 2021

Written by John Arcudi

Illustrated by Valerio Giangiordano

Coloured by Bill Crabtree

Lettered by Michael Heisler

“GHOST WAR,” Part One

After years apart, Frances Shaw (now a medical doctor) and Virgil Two Moons (now a Pawnee shaman) are once again drawn to each other on the eve of an impending crisis.

Oh my goodness gracious, glory be, heavens to murgatroyd exit stage left. Whereas the first arc seemed to be finding its footing and establishing the characters, this one already starts off much stronger with a power and presence to it that I was expecting to see. Oh I was expecting a good story alright considering what we’ve already read but boy howdy, hot diggity what a difference a handful of years makes between meetings. Coming into one’s own and being comfortable in their skin does indeed make a world of difference. This issue was so much more than I could have hoped for and it’s great to see that these folks are at the top of their game with the ideas and how it is being presented. Also the opening was beautifully done and to see how both Virgil and the book got their name was an inspired thing to see and showcase.

I’m in love with the way that this is being told. The story & plot development that we see through how the sequence of events unfold as well as how the reader learns information is presented exquisitely. The character development that we see through the dialogue, the character interaction as well as how we see them act and react to the situations and circumstances which they encounter which does a magnificent job of showcasing their personalities. With the conversation between Virgil, Two Moons, and Dr. Hatlo or her daughter's interaction with Ike are perfect examples of this. The pacing is amazing and as it takes us through the pages revealing the story we’re enraptured by what we see and learn.

I really like the way that we see this being structured and how we see the layers within the story emerge, grow and evolve. I also really like how we see the layers within the story open up new avenues to explore and how these add such wonderful depth, dimension and complexity to the story. How we see everything working together to create the story’s ebb & flow as well as how it moves the story forward are impeccably achieved.

The interiors here are bloody phenomenal. The linework is exquisite and how we see the varying weights and techniques being utilised to create this level & quality in the attention to detail is sublime. How we see backgrounds being utilised as they enhance and expand the moments is bloody sensational. How they also work within the composition of the panels to bring out the depth perception, sense of scale and the overall sense of size and scope to the story. The creativity and imagination that we see and the historical accuracy of the lands are all brought to life beautifully. The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels show a masterful eye for storytelling. The various hues and tones within the colours being utilised to create the shading, highlights and shadow work shows a brilliant eye for how colour works and how to maximise their effects.

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This has this beautiful blend of historical fiction, western and horror to create something extraordinary! With the way that the Native Americans were with mysticism and their beliefs this feels like a natural progress for Two Moons and those he travels with as they are there to confront the newest evil that is brewing on this cursed land. I’m excited to see them encounter what those we see accosted were. This exciting new chapter is well underway here and if the trend continues where each issue gets better than the one before then watch out world this rollercoaster isn’t gonna slow down anytime soon! This is some exceptional writing and just phenomenal characterisation wrapped up in these brilliantly masterful interiors.