Half-Past Danger II: Dead to Reichs #3
Writing and Art by: Stephen Mooney
Colors by Triona Tree Farrell
Published by IDW
A review by Stacy Dooks
As I mentioned in my previous piece one of the difficulties encountered in a sequel is that quite often the sequel has to work a little harder in order to both justify its own existence while at the same time juggling just how the proverbial band gets back together. Half-Past Danger II: Dead to Reichs has had two issues thus far chugging up that first rise on the roller-coaster, but with the third issue things finally start to get cooking. And gang, in Half-Past Danger II: Dead to Reichs #3 we are cookin’ with gas.
When last we left our intrepid band of Irish, Noble, Moss, and Monomoto, things were a bit confrontational. Thankfully, after cooler heads prevail (and Irish gets chased up a tree by a velociraptor) the band is truly back together. With a chance to talk our heroes decide that dissecting poor Spot (the aforementioned velociraptor) isn’t really something they want to do when it would be more efficient to just steal the vaccine being developed by the Axis in their hidden stronghold. Fortunately, their planning of the heist is aided by the fact that Monomoto’s sister Emiko is no slouch in the ninja department either. . .and just happens to be working for the Japanese government. During World War II. Needless to say, this raises some eyebrows with our allied band, but given they’ve already got one known double-crosser in their ranks what’s the harm in one more right? Right?
Good things come to those who wait, and now that we’ve reached the crest of the rollercoaster the slam-bang action of the previous installment of Half Past Danger can spring to the fore. Like Indiana Jones and Firefly, half the fun of the book comes to getting to know these characters, learning what they want, seeing them plan to get it, then watch as the plan goes utterly wrong. The art and writing from Mooney is a hoot as always, with some seriously funny lines from Monomoto’s father that puts a certain British spy in check. The mists around some earlier plot points begin to part while others get deeper, and the lingering suspicions and new uncertainties add a nice bit of almost Cold War spice to this World War II by way of Weird science slugfest. The colors by Triona Tree Farrell pop and add to the book’s overall cinematic feel. Simply put, this comic feels of a piece with Raiders of the Lost Ark, High Road to China, Jurassic Park, and The Lost World by way of DC’s Weird War comics.
Verdict:
Buy It! Half-Past Danger II: Dead to Reichs #3 is the kind of fun comics there should be more of. If you like high adventure, fun characters, thrills and chills with occasional spills, as well as a genuinely funny book you’d do well to add this mini-series to your pull list. Recommended.
