Dune: House Corrino #2 - BOOM! Studios

DUNE: HOUSE CORRINO No. 2, April 2024

Neatly bookending this “brand new thirty-three-page, oversized” comic book adaption with a traumatic look at the near-fatal fortunes of Emperor Elrood IX’s bastard son, Tyros Reffa, there’s plenty of political machinations inside Issue Two of “Dune: House Corrino” for any fan of Frank Herbert’s science fiction franchise to enjoy. In fact, there’s so many sub-plots, narcissistic intrigues and diabolical double-dealings contained within this publication that many a bibliophile will probably be hard-pressed to decide just what the narrative’s central storyline actually is; “I must strike fear throughout the great and minor houses of the Landsraad.”

Undoubtedly grabbing a fair amount of ‘screentime’ though, is the “renowned authors” obsession with any and all events transpiring on the seemingly settled Castle Caladan, where for once the Duke of House Atreides appears to be momentarily enjoying his rule. This rather poetically-penned piece concerning the marriage of Prince Rhombur Vernius proves a genuinely heart-warming moment for Leto in an otherwise dark universe, and quite wonderfully contrasts with all the death, destruction and assassinations occurring throughout the rest of the galaxy.

Indeed, despite this comic also catapulting its audience to the Imperial Palace on Kaitan, the Taligari Estate on Zanovar, the Tleilaxu Research Facility on Ix and other less than hospitable worlds under Shaddam IV’s governance, almost everything said and done on these planets appears to somehow link back to Caladan, and the Emperor’s 'out of favour' cousin. So massive a ‘spider-web of schemes’ genuinely proves a mouth-watering experience for any onlooker, with plenty of anticipation slowly being built-up as to just how the Red Duke is going to outmanoeuvre his numerous opponents – when some, such as Lady Anirul, Leto doesn’t even know he’s directly competing against.

What most readers should all agree on however, is just how well House Atreides’ trials and tribulations are pencilled by Simone Ragazzoni, with the “acclaimed artist” from the Power Rangers Universe doing a sterling job in depicting all the explosive catastrophes occurring within this book. Of particular note is the Italian illustrator’s deeply disturbing images of pregnant Ixian women having their wombs unnaturally harvested by Master Ajidica for a more “intense, superior formulation” of his substitute spice – a truly harrowing scene which will most assuredly stay in the mind well after this book has been finished.

The regular cover art of "DUNE: HOUSE CORRINO" #2 by Raymond Swanland