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‘Tommy Gun Wizards #2:’ Advance Comic Book Review

Previously on Tommy Gun Wizards: We met Ness and his colleagues, a bunch of cops with perhaps a few secrets of their own. Set in 1931 during the Lick Prohibition, Al Capone is involved, and their shady business has bled into the Catholic Church. Cue Issue #2.

In Issue #2, we get a glimpse into the pre-Prohibition world, where magic clubs are all the rage and we see Ness’ deeper involvement with magic. A surprising connection between the magic and Ness is revealed, and I think that’s going to be a source of much conflict moving forward. Cut to the present, when Ness and his men are facing down Capone’s henchmen, and some of them come pretty enhanced.

Christian Ward’s tale of mobsters and magic draws towards its climax in this issue, and it’s pretty nifty. Ward’s fictional take on Ness tells the story of a complex character with a complicated history, much like the actual Eliot Ness. Tommy Gun Wizards #2 is heavily action-oriented, and I think that the character development, especially that of Ness’s men, somewhat takes a backseat here. I’m hoping that we’ll see more character moments soon. Unlike Ness, his men aren’t fictional takes on real-life counterparts, though I’d guess that they’re amalgams of some real people. So, if one of them is introduced as “secretly gay,” I can’t help but think that the other brogue will need to drop at some point. Ward has, in my opinion, managed his page space really well, especially since this tale also has the backup comic that’s beginning to fall into context.

Sami Kivela does some fantastic work on this issue, especially during the big church fight scene. The panels are fantastically rendered, and the character designs for the Lick-enhanced henchmen are pretty unique. I do wish that Ness and Charlie Wilson’s designs differed more, so that it’s easier to tell them apart; both have dark hair and wear teal-colored trench coats and red ties. Other than that, Dee Cunniffe’s colors lend a wonderful vibrancy to the proceedings. Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou’s letters tell the story effectively, and aside from a glaring spelling error near the beginning, they really set the vibe and tone of the story. Particularly, I loved the sound effects that really pop!

Overall, things have gotten dramatically off the rails in the best possible ways, and I can’t wait for the next issue!

Creative Team: Christian Ward (writer), Sami Kivela and Christian Ward (artist), Christian Ward and Dee Cunniffe (colors), Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou (letterer)
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
Click here to purchase.

Wenxian Tan, Fanbase Press Contributor

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