Black Terror #2 - Dynamite Entertainment

BLACK TERROR No. 2, November 2019

It’s a real shame that Issue Two of “Black Terror” was only the three hundred and twenty-seventh best-selling comic of November 2019, for as an examination into just “how Golden Age ideals came up against such a morally ambiguous, crazy time” such as the Seventies goes, Max Bemis’ narrative involving “a young woman… in the midst of a cult” proves a rather surprisingly compelling read. In fact, considering the blockbuster ending to this series’ previous instalment, which saw the titular character busting out of a diner so as to face a squad of heavily-armed goons, a somewhat sedentary story set in the wilderness and crammed full of super-powered “Hippies” was probably the last thing many of this book’s 3,329 bibliophiles thought they’d be perusing.

Happily though, this seemingly ‘standalone’ script soon scoops up any doubts with the intriguing premise that the rather portly Father Kind can somehow harness Bob Benton’s tremendous abilities and project them upon his long-haired companions. In addition, this magical feat, which at times seems a little similar to the final harrowing scene of Robin Hardy’s 1973 British horror film “The Wicker Man”, is witnessed through the eyes of non-believer Christina, whose douche of a (new) boyfriend only manages to convince her of their newly-acquired traits by punching the woman into a nearby solid-looking tree; “Now, are you gonna just lie there like a lump, or sweat out those emotional toxins with me?”

The “primary lyricist of the band Say Anything” also does a splendid job of making this tale’s lead antagonist quite believable, courtesy of the self-confessed crook providing his ‘family’ with a little background during his opening eulogy, and then later revealing his significantly darker side when he threatens Christina for going near the Black Terror’s cell. These scenes really imbue the rotund, white-bearded Santa Claus-like figure with plenty of hidden menace, and as a result it comes as no great shock when the true, despicable source of his siphoning power is unveiled in a side tent.

Ruairi Coleman’s visually impressive contribution to this twenty-two page periodical cannot debatably be understated either, with the Northern Irish artist’s wonderfully clean-lined storyboards giving the action a rather jolly, bouncy feel which is both energetic and attractive to the eye. This pencilling style works especially well for Father Kind’s scenes, as well as those of the numerous hippies taking full advantage of the superhuman powers with which they have been temporarily blessed, and it’s a pity the book ends before we get to see what revenge Benton is going to bestow upon his former captor…

The regular cover art of "BLACK TERROR" No. 2 by Rahzzah