Lucas Stand: Inner Demons #2
Writers: Kurt Sutter, Caitlin Kittredge
Artist: Jesús Hervás
Colorist: Alex Guimarãs
Letterer: Jim Campbell
Publisher: Boom! Studios
Review by Michael Farris, Jr.
When we last left Lucas Stand, he was stranded near a Viking village after running from a mysterious demonic force with no way of returning to the present. The situation doesn’t appear to be getting any better—hostile Vikings and a language barrier don’t mix very well—when Lucas finally is saved by a former military friend of his. But how and why is she here? Lucas tries to blend in to his ancient Nordic surroundings while getting zero answers to the questions he asks Dylan, but the forces of hell don’t appear to have given up on him yet.
Compared to the previous issue, this next chapter of Stand’s life is a lot slower-paced after the vast amount of time jumping that happened before (of course, he can’t time jump anymore, so we only get one historical period this time around other than a flashback). That’s not to say that Lucas Stand: Inner Demons #2 doesn’t succeed in progressing the story. The introduction of Dylan’s character brings a whole new layer of intrigue to keep the reader guessing what might be going on. Is she working with the demons? Why is it better for the both of them that she keeps her mouth shut?
One of my (very mild) complaints from the last issue is that we didn’t actually get very many demons, and that doesn’t get totally resolved here. However, we do get some good horror elements with creepy raven raids and possessed Vikings, so you won’t be lacking in the fright department.
The artwork continues the gritty, dark themes of the story overall, and yet it is also able to give us a fairly clean and arguably cozy Viking village. And the last couple of pages in Lucas Stand: Inner Demons #2 where Lucas is searching for the mysterious Gudrun are almost worth the price of the book alone.
Verdict: Buy it.
People who aren’t fans of word-heavy comic books might not be quick to jump on this, but I myself thought there was just enough to engage us in the story without being too overwhelming. This has been a series worth keeping an eye on, and the ever-growing questions in Lucas Stand: Inner Demons #2 will have me reading up to the conclusion.
