The Seeds #2
Dark Horse Comics
Writer: Ann Nocenti
Artist: David Aja
In my previous review of The Seeds #1, I took the entire creative team to the mat for wasting one-quarter of this series on throwaway, one-dimensional characters and a plot that was scattered and unfocused. David Aja didn’t get out unscathed either since his art was just bland and contributed to the lack of direction that filled the first issue. All of that aside, I’M BACK to review issue number two. Did the team pull itself from the muck and finally start moving the book forward in the second quarter of this short series?
In a word, yes. This issue finally starts to move the plot forward and give us some good narratives to follow. Astra is the reporter we are following, and in this issue, she buys her way past the guard to get into Zone B. We finally get to see some of the alien romance that was poorly teased in the last issue. There is still so much mystery in the panels, but I will say that this issue is miles better than the first was. There are people to follow now that have a mission and direction. They are running into conflict and everything is finally intriguing. I think what we perceive as questions are just narratives that will play out in the next issue.
Ann Nocenti should have led with this issue. I screamed about this series being a scant four issues and the first book wasting an issue. I stand by that. This story needs to move at a brisk pace and this issue finally does that. Her dialogue is good here and seems better than the first issue. We are now halfway through the series and it feels like we are just getting started and I don’t know if that is a compliment or not, but my interest is piqued.
David Aja is a great artist. I don’t know if I have said that before, but I’m willing to go on record as saying that. I don’t love the art in this series and I know it is very deliberate. I understand that Aja is probably matching Nocenti’s tone with this drab color scheme. I don’t blame him for the story not being coherent in the last issue, but I can’t help bit feel like a better art design would help the series; possibly be the strength and lift the book higher.
The Seeds #2 clearly does a much better job of actually giving us a story to follow and be intelligible. With issue #1 being fruitless, it feels that this series has to rely on this three issues to bring the readers on the journey it has planned. There are two issues left before this series concludes and I can say that I will be following this to the end. It is starting to ramp up now so there should be a good conclusion by the series finale.
The Seeds #2
After I failed launch with issue #1, I am happy to say this limited series is finally showing some traction in this second issue.
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