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Review: Lost Vegas #2

By | April 25th, 2013
Posted in Reviews | % Comments

The first chapter of this unusual sci-fi miniseries from the creators behind “Dapper Men” was glorious, if maybe a little predictable. But there are some interesting developments this month – not to mention some fabulous art – and in terms of the overall direction of the series, this feels like the continuation of a winning streak.

Written by Jim McCann
Illustrated by Janet Lee

The clock has started — Roland has 24 hours to make his move. But when he uncovers the darkest secret of LOST VEGAS, will that information help him…or will he be in even more danger? (Hint: let’s go with “more danger.)

The Eisner Award-winning team of JIM McCANN and JANET LEE reunite to create a universe filled with intrigue and a high stakes heist.

After very nearly being foiled in what was only the dry run of an escape plan, Roland, prisoner and slave in the futuristic/dystopian casino that is Lost Vegas, still manages to find a way to press on. Clearly there are some kinks in the plan to be worked out, and as he embarks on the real thing, there are certain to be some additional surprises.

Something about the structure of this issue feels a little off, although it may have had the odds stacked against it due to the forced cliffhanger that ended the first issue. While the escape plan does continue on in a feasible manner, Roland’s progress through it is sort of halting and awkward as he encounters and has conversations with various allies. The conversations themselves are of course interesting; McCann’s dialogue is on point, with an especially fun encounter between Roland and Kaylex bringing some mystery and intrigue to the table. But while it’s not enough to throw the whole issue out of whack, and may just be a question of too much information for one issue to deliver, the odd pacing does make an already high-concept story that much harder to absorb.

As for the plot itself, though, there are some interesting new developments at the end that hint at why Roland and Loria and Rinny and Ink are all friends, despite their different circumstances, and definitely serve to heighten the stakes. Some things may be more important than escape, it turns out, and this revelation gives a look at another side to Roland’s character than the vaguely smarmy one we’ve been seeing so far. With troubled guys like him, we’re used to expecting some kind of Dark Past to emerge, but the way that it links the disparate characters together is novel and lends the story a nice feeling of integrity.

Meanwhile, Lee’s art is absolutely filled to the brim with whimsy. From Kaylex’s fantastical attire to the futuristic-meets-Art-Deco mood of the casino itself, every element feels fresh and unusual. Then there are those wonderful (and various) aliens, particularly the looming presence that is Kaylex’s stag-like scientist/bodyguard, and each of them is visually interesting as well as grounded and believable in the context of the comic. At the same time, there’s something vaguely (or not-so-vaguely) sinister about everybody, our protagonist included, and this adds another layer of tension to the proceedings. In particular, it’s a lot of fun seeing Roland transition from his handsome disguise to his significantly more run-down self, and noting the characteristic elements to his movements and expressions that persist from reality to disguise.

But in an issue full of wonderful things to look at, the most striking aspect to the art here is the layouts. Patterning a large amount of dialogue and action across the page, Lee still manages to have fun with it all as well, laying down some nifty gambling-inspired motifs. The one with the roulette wheel shape dividing up the panels, and Ink’s “face” in the middle of it all, is worth the price of admission alone, and the overall diversity in terms of visual storytelling methods makes every page a joy to look over. Flesh it all out with a subtle but diverse colour palette – and Lee excels at these – and you’ve got one arresting read.

Overall, this series is proceeding along just fine – a few hiccups in the writing notwithstanding – and I’m sure we have a great second half to look forward to as Roland’s situation intensifies and we get to see more of this remarkable world. It’s too bad this is only a miniseries, though – with all the world-building going on, this would spread out nicely into an ongoing.

Final Verdict: 7.5 – Buy


Michelle White

Michelle White is a writer, zinester, and aspiring Montrealer.

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