“I’m sorry… I didn’t mean to…
But I saw him… The Prophet… I saw Doctor Hancock…
And I… I watched him die.”

After the chilling revelations of Issue #1, Ranger Scout trainee Kit makes their way back to the compound, burdened with the knowledge uncovered there.

But the revelations waiting at home for young Kit are more immediate and imperative than what was previously uncovered.  Scoutmaster Thomas wants Kit to enter the Trials of the Eagle, even though he knows that his own Dez desperately wants to win them and become a full-fledged Ranger Scout.  But Kit’s about to learn that Dez’s need for his father’s approval goes deeper than anyone knows… and that Dez has secrets of his own that threaten their friendship.

And the Highwaymen are not far behind…

Issue #2 of Scout’s Honor serves as a refreshing breather after the fireworks of the premiere issue.  But this is no filler.  Every page serves to pull us deeper into the story, following Kit’s journey into discovery and temptation. With a deft hand, the talented team only reinforces what’s at stake here for Kit and everyone else.

The artwork and story work flawlessly, hand in hand, to draw you into the aptly cinematic story.  Moving from point to point without ever feeling labored or forced, Pepose and Casalnguida guide us deeper into this fantastic realm they’ve created, not only in terms of the physical aspects of the wastelands their people inhabit, but deep into the characters themselves.  A nighttime battle in the compound recalls some of the best work done on Frank Miller’s early Sin City comics, while a rebellious twilight trip to the Eagle’s nest overlooking the compound gives us a glimpse of some of the potential beauty in this world.

I’ve already called this the best new comic series of 2021.  Issue #2 does nothing to change my mind from that. For pure storytelling power and talent, I can’t recommend this series enough.  

“You can boil down our laws to just a single word… Survival.
Doctor Hancock taught us survival comes from preparation — but nowhere do I see that lesson more than the proving grounds.
It can be brutal to watch… but sometimes the perspective can mean the difference between life and death.”

VERDICT: FIVE Fully Functioning Webelos out of FIVE

Creative Team: David Pepose (writer), Luca Casalanguida (artist), Matt Milla (colorist), Carlos M. Mangual (letterer)
Publisher:    Aftershock Comics
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