Nameless #2 - Image Comics

NAMELESS No. 2, March 2015

Whilst it would be easy to criticise “Image Comics” for purposely printing the “Rated M/Mature” warning on the back cover of this issue instead of the front where many would expect it to be, Chris Burnham’s grisly depiction of a headless human torso complete with Threescore Stone dripping blood onto the neck stump clearly illustrates that this book is going to prove to be a disturbing read… and “The Double Headed Horror At The Door” genuinely is too, as Grant Morrison replaces the numerous vague dreamscape meanderings of this mini-series’ first instalment with an entirely more horrific, solid and relatable terror, in the form of a homicidal woman on the loose within a lunar space base.

Indeed any reader who missed this brilliantly bizarre title’s previous edition could easily ‘pick up’ the story here instead, as the foul-mouthed occult specialist Nameless lands at Serenity Base and encounters the white chalk-lined scene of “the first murder on the Moon.” 

Admittedly there are an awful lot of new characters thrown at the reader towards the start of this magazine, but as the stony-faced adventurer forgets “half the names after hearing them once” himself, it soon becomes evident that the Scottish writer never meant for anyone to know all of Paul Darius’ crew anyway. Especially as the psychopathically deranged Andrea Blackstone swiftly starts to stalk those astronauts who remain behind to staff Mission Control as opposed to boarding the spaceship White Valiant.

In doing this Morrison creates a genuine dual atmosphere full of foreboding and suspense as the reader becomes torn between wanting to know what mysteries are to be uncovered by Nameless and his team-mates as they approach the structure built onto the surface of asteroid 626000, and what horrific spine-tingling deaths lie in store for the unsuspecting technicians coordinating the space landing, once Blackstone get her murderous blood-drenched hands upon their necks.

The Number One New York Times Bestselling Artist of “Batman Incorporated” really appears to be at the top of his artistic game for this issue with his terrifically dark and detailed drawings only amplifying the ominous feeling of dread and menace. Whether Burnham's pencils are depicting space missiles launching, Nameless feverishly ranting about the primal conflict between Angels and Demons, or the clearly cannibalistic madness of Darius and Blackstone, all are troublingly pleasing to the eye with bucket loads of blood intermittently thrown into the mix for good measure.

Words: Grant Morrison, Art: Chris Burnham, and Colors: Nathan Fairbairn