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Published by: Image Comics
Released on: Mar. 4, 2015
Writer: Joshua Williamson
Artist: Mike Henderson
Cover artist: Mike Henderson
Purchase at Amazon
Click HERE for the write-up on Volume One.
Volume Two collects issues 6 through 10 of the monthly series, bringing more mystery and violence occurring in the small town of Buckaroo, Oregon…home of well over a dozen of the most prolific serial killers in human history. Buckaroo's most famous resident, the acquitted Nailbiter, is the focus of an investigation into the disappearance of the man who captured him. He's also the focus of some angry and loony townspeople who blame him for a rash of murders occurring in their beloved town.
After the exploits of volume one, (issues 1 through 5), the story takes a bit of a break in chaos with volume two starting with some character development regarding a certain purple-haired young lady who keeps popping up in the comic, Alice. Previously it was eluded that Alice is perhaps the next Buckaroo-born killer, and chapter one focuses on her journal writings, specifically one about a pregnant woman who strolls into town. This woman, Mallory, is obsessed and insane, wanting to give birth in Buckaroo so her kid would grow up to be a serial killer and she would in turn become famous as the mother.
The two discuss her plan in the local choke 'n puke over some coffee, and contractions start making an appearance. Alice takes her to the emergency room, which results in stabbing pain for one individual, and Mallory's whacko brainpan leads her to believe people are after her unborn baby. Everyone want to the little doll from her as soon as she has it, and that won't work well with her plans of fame. So, she bolts. Alice enlists the help from Sheriff Crane and they work to locate the insane dingbat, finding her in a barn about to pop any second.
Comic book creator and Marvel Comics heavyweight Brian Michael Bendis guest stars in the second chapter, and by guest star we mean he is actually in the book as himself. Not sure whatever wall that is that a writer breaks when putting actual living people in a comic book story, but it rarely ever equals much to get excited over. Bendis makes the trek to lonely Buckaroo, Oregon to research the mysterious serial killer manufacturing town for a story he is researching, aiming to make a comic book on the subject of serial murder. Once there he meets the sheriff, gets the bum's rush from her, and sets out to eaves drop on people, listening for some good lines. He interviews townsfolk looking for info, and a trip to a kid's playground puts him right in the sight Edward C. Warren, the Nailbiter. Turns out Warren is a huge fan of Bendis and comic books, and wants some signed, but instead feeds Bendis with a lot of talk about how they are both killers. He also slips in that there is a serial killer graveyard, knowing Bendis won't be able to stay away.
Back to the actual characters in the tale…based on a single word written on a page of the near-death Detective Carroll's notebook, Finch makes his way to a local keeper of bees looking for whatever information he can find. And what he finds is a crotchety beekeeper who doesn't know a thing about Carroll. He's just a bee keeper. It's a good for Finch that he's got a real knack for getting information out of people and his persistence pays off. Well…sort of.
On the other side of town Sheriff Crane has some trouble of her own to contend with, aside from the media and the snoopy FBI agent who's keeping tabs on Finch. One of the murdered teenager's dads has a beef with the way things are being handle concerning bringing the guilty to justice and with bible in hand gets some townspeople to rally behind him.
Finch's visit at the bee-keeper's house turns into a fight for his life as the old fart in the basement that lives among the bees lets some loose to chase down the investigator. But they chase the madman's grandson Roger at the same time, which wasn't something the kook had thought off. Another thing he wasn't expecting was the arrival of another visitor, one with leather gloves and who isn't happy with the bee-man.
Finch of course makes his escape and ends up underground somewhere familiar before getting topside again, only to bump into familiar purple- (or is it pink-?) haired young lady. As to why Alice was in that spot at that moment, we do not know. But she has a phone so Finch calls the Internal Affairs lady who's been his shadow to come see what he found at the bee-keepers. Meanwhile, over at Sheriff Crane's place, she has a couple uninvited guests of her own, and one of them outright threatens her. The other visitor...not so sure what he's up to, but he certainly is less-than-conventional in the way he makes his social call.
More mystery unfolds in the town of Buckaroo, more questions arise, and the introduction of a new character sets up the cliffhanger for the chapter. Mr. Crowe has been the school bus driver for decades, bringing many of the blossoming serial killers to class year after year. But this day is different. This day he wakes up and makes a decision, not a very sound one, but a decision he feels is the right one for him to make. Maybe he should ask the children on his bus their opinion about it first. They might differ.
Crowe the bus driver has finally lost it. Decades of driving kids to school, kids who sometimes turn into serial killers, has finally taken its toll on him and he feels it is his duty as a man of God to save the souls of his current busload of kids. Water washes everything away, so that's what he decides needs to be done. The souls of the kids on the bus must be saved, and driving the bus into a manmade lake is the solution he thinks God has given him. Of course Finch and Crane don't agree with that, nor would anyone else in their right minds. With some fast and reluctant help from the local priest, who is not a very nice person himself, they locate Crowe but it might be too late.
The two crime-fighters make their heroic moves (killing a busload of kids is going too far for Joshua Williamson perhaps?), but not everyone leaves the water alive. And while Finch was under the water he saw something, and although it deepens the mystery even further, it's pretty damn cool. And he's not the only one who saw something at the lake. One of the children ran off into the woods and was met by someone or something, a being that obviously has a secret, but that is left for another day.
Although a couple of chapters feel like they are time wasters and are disappointing, the creative team makes up for it in the second half of the volume. Finally it feels like the story is back on track starting in chapter three and it doesn't let up after that. Williamson and Henderson re-affirm to the reader that they indeed do have an excellent series here and if you also found the first couple of chapters to have been a disappointment don't worry. Things get weirder and they will no doubt progress in that direction. Can't wait until (if) Carroll comes out of his coma.
Henderson's artwork puts this book on the top shelf, as he has a knack for capturing facial expressions and creating creepy moments. One scene in particular involves someone hiding under a bed, and you'll know it when you see it. It's a cinematic moment that is highly effective, but there are more than just that scene where his work shines. And the writing by Joshua Williamson is anything other than predictable, and his cliffhangers are usually really good ones. The way volume 2 ends is an excellent example of that ability.
After the five chapters are over with, each beginning with the cover art used for the issue that housed the chapter, we get a pinup gallery from the likes of Adam Guzowski, Joe Mulvey, Jim Towe, and Matt Fletcher. Following that is a 4-page story “Midnight Snack†with art by Dennis Culver, and an unused alternate cover. A nice bit of extras to get you to buy the trade paperback if you're a completist, but nothing required for understanding the story any better. But whether you read the single issues or the TPBs, make sure your reading this series one way or another. It's well worth it.
