Publisher: Image Comics
Writer: Jimmie Robinson
Artists: Jimmie Robinson
Colourist: Jimmie Robinson
Release date: OUT NOW!!!
Price: $3.50/$2.99 Digital

 

The Empty #2, three travellers trek across a barren wasteland on a mercy mission is to save the poisoned vegetation and its inhabitants.

The mission in, The Empty #2, brings together three very different beings: Lila, a 500-year-old farmer who can heal with a touch; Tanoor, a native-American whose multi-purpose metal tools can be used as wings for gliding or as weapons; and Ghark, a Mool—giant anthropomorphic bunny rabbits. It sounds ridiculous, but trust me, it works.

The Empty #2 is a pretty poem. And like good poetry its design provokes thoughts. On one level The Empty #2 is an adventure story about surviving. On another level it is an allegory in which the three unlikely comrades represent mother nature (Lila), natural man (Tanoor) and nature itself (Ghark). On yet another level it is about the encroachment of technology and civilization on nature. When Lila discovers a piece of advanced technology she immediately labels it “unnatural.”

The dialogue drives the narrative in The Empty #2 but it never feels stilted or false. Jimmie Robinson allows each character to express themselves individuality. Both Lila and Tanoor wax philosophical but do not always understand each other’s point of view. Lila is horrified to learn Tanoor kills and eats animals, but must consider her reasonable answer: “Do not think less of my kind that we survive this way…Death is not murder when it is used to give life,” Tanoor tells Lila.

Jimmie Robinson’s artwork compliments the story. Faces are rendered extremely well for expressions and feelings, and the pacing moves along quickly. The figures are graceful and the lines tight.

The Empty #2 is not a childish fairy tale devoid of meaning, nor an unappealing fantasy hack by the numbers; far from it. The Empty #2 hits all the notes and this time, in the right, readable, order.

Reviewer: Joe Lovece
Review Editor: Steve Hooker