Samurai Jack continues his search for a way home. This brings him to a bar with some rowdy patrons, warning him of the haunted empty village down the road. That happens to be the path Jack has to take and he’s never been afraid of ghost stories. He’s faced far worse, after all. Can Jack fight an enemy he can’t even see? What kind of secrets does the village hold?
There is something so quintessentially cool about Samurai Jack. He’s a stoic warrior who gets into all kinds of insane adventures, yet maintains his composure. Samurai Jack: Lost Worlds #2 is another great example of this. From the very beginning, when the bar patrons are trying to get a rise out of him, he stares them down despite their intimidating nature and tall tales of trouble. If anything, they make him even more determined to investigate the empty village.
Artist Adam Bryce Thomas captures the signature Samurai Jack look perfectly. The character doesn’t say much, but you can tell that he’s always thinking. Jack is five steps ahead of anyone around him, prepared for just about any obstacle. You know those old western movies where there’s a super tough guy at the bar you just know you’re not supposed to mess with? Jack is that guy. He’s just a samurai instead of a cowboy.
Thomas casts the empty village in an eerie light. It’s like Jack has entered another world when he shows up in this abandoned place. The village is illuminated by a creepy red glow. This changes when Jack is attacked, shifting to dark blues. This is an interesting choice as reds usually coincide with violence while blues are traditionally seen with calmer scenes. This adds to the uncomfortable nature of the setting and plays up the idea that all is not what it seems.
Just as with the best episodes of the Samurai Jack cartoon, this comic has some nice twists and turns. Writer Paul Allor shows the tough choices Jack faces sometimes. More importantly, we see how he always does what’s right and that’s only done when he has all the information. We can learn a lot from him regarding approaching problems and evaluating data before making a decision. Jack doesn’t jump to conclusions.
Letterer Christa Miesner has some control over the tone of Samurai Jack: Lost Worlds #2. The opening pages in the bar go from jovial to deadly in a flash. This is emphasized by how the other patrons speak to Jack. At first they’re offering to buy him a drink and then they’re warning him of the horrors that await him down the road.
Samurai Jack: Lost Worlds is a great complement to the classic and beloved TV show. It matches the same tone, mixing drama and action with a pinch of humor. You don’t need to have seen every single episode to dig into this comic either. Anyone even casually familiar with Samurai Jack will love this book.
Samurai Jack: Lost Worlds #2 from IDW Publishing is currently available at your local comic shop and digitally through ComiXology and Amazon Kindle.
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