Spell On Wheels #2 Comic Book Review
Summary: The witches first stop on their road tripping adventure will have them staying the night but their host isn't as nice as he seems to be.
4
Magically Enjoyable!
Witches and best friends Jolene, Claire and Andy are road tripping across the country to retrieve their magical items which were stolen from them. But when their first stop turns into an unplanned overnight stay the girls soon learn that their host is up to something far more sinister than even they can imagine, in Spell on Wheels #2, written by Kate Leth and with artwork done by Megan Levens, Marissa Louise, and Paulina Ganucheau.
Knock knock! Who’s there? Three angry witches that’s who… After tracking the first of their stolen items (a magical orb) to the house of a famous painter (known as Arthur Boldram), the girls discover that the orb is yet to be delivered. So as not to upset the girls, the apologetic Arthur promises the arrival of the orb the next morning, and invites them to stay the night and attend his house party.
But the house party isn’t exactly what it seems to be…
Full of people, music and free flowing drinks (so far so good), everyone looks pretty happy (and a little inebriated) and having a good time. Except for Claire that is, whose suspicions of Arthur’s intentions (and his ever growing fascination with their magical talents) continue to grow.
But then out of nowhere Andy mysteriously disappears. And Arthur is nowhere to be seen. Can Claire and Jolene use their magical abilities to find their friend before its too late?
Writing
Spell on Wheels is developing into fun and engaging series. The story is full of content but the pacing never leaves the reader feeling rushed. With so much story I do wonder how Kate Leth will wrap up the story with only three issues left in the series, but let’s wait and see. As in the previous issue, the focus is not entirely on magic, but highlights the characters, the development of their personalities, and the girls friendship. Whilst Claire is the standout in this issue, taking on the role of the ‘big sister’, more detail of Jolene’s technopathic abilities and Andy’s vulnerabilities are welcomingly explored. I also really enjoyed the portrayal of Arthur as the creepy…old…lecherous…failing…artist.
Artwork
The representation of the characters are enjoyably consistent with the previous issue, individualising each character with their own style, body language, and identity that mirror the story well. The individualisation of facial expressions for each character also is also detailed, which is valuable in such a narrative driven story. The panels flow smoothly and include well placed splash pages to draw your attention to important aspects of the story. Different colour palettes are used to depict night and day, and are cleverly used to add mood to the story. The style of the cover art is different to the previous issue as they have been done by different artists. I am not entirely sure which one I prefer as they are very different to one another, however they are both beautifully presented.
Final Thoughts?
With only three issues left, this story has a lot of potential and I can’t wait to see the journey that Kate Leth has in store for the series. Spell on Wheels #2 is out now so go and grab your copy today!
Comic Details
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
Writer: Kate Leth
Artist: Megan Levens
Colourist: Marissa Louise
Cover Artist: Paulina Ganucheau
Genre: Crime Fantasy
Publication Date: November 16th, 2016
Format: FC, 32 Pages: Miniseries
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