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geekwayne's review
4.0
'The Damned, Vol. 2: Ill Gotten' by Cullen Bunn with illustrations by Brian Hurtt continues the story set in the world of demons and gangsters in the prohitition era.
The story starts with Eddie dying from a cut throat, then backtracks to the events that let to that event. Eddie is part of the cursed group of gangsters that can see the demons as they are. It seems everyone is hunting for an odd key, and folks will do anything to betray and backstab once they find out who has it.
This is a cool concept and world. I like the concept and characters, even if the story feels strangely familiar. Brian Hurtt's art and character design are really good, and one reason I am glad I came back to this dangerous world.
I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Oni Press and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.
The story starts with Eddie dying from a cut throat, then backtracks to the events that let to that event. Eddie is part of the cursed group of gangsters that can see the demons as they are. It seems everyone is hunting for an odd key, and folks will do anything to betray and backstab once they find out who has it.
This is a cool concept and world. I like the concept and characters, even if the story feels strangely familiar. Brian Hurtt's art and character design are really good, and one reason I am glad I came back to this dangerous world.
I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Oni Press and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.
ellelainey's review
5.0
Book – The Damned, Vol 2: Ill Gotten
Author – Cullen Bunn, Brian Hurtt
Star rating - ★★★★★
No. of Pages – 136
Cover – Perfect
Would I read it again – Yes!
Genre – Comic, Crime, Demon, Paranormal, Noir
** COPY RECEIVED THROUGH NETGALLEY **
I was thrilled when this came up for review, because I absolutely loved Volume 1. This volume picked up from the end of the previous one, continuing the story without repeating all that had previously happened. The plotting, as with Volume 1, was brilliantly arranged, well explored, and combined with some beautifully noir-inspired illustrations.
This Volume introduced new, intriguing characters, while continuing with old characters, who made it feel familiar. The characters were well explored, following the story arc and developing with each new revelation. The story arc moved along nicely, both in the individual Volume, as well as continuing the overall story arc of both Volumes.
I loved the addition of showing that innocent humans could see demons as humans, not as their demon form. It was great to see the panels that showed them as first demons, from Eddie's POV, then as humans from the humans POV.
I can't wait to read more of this series. I'll definitely be buying the volumes in paperback.
Author – Cullen Bunn, Brian Hurtt
Star rating - ★★★★★
No. of Pages – 136
Cover – Perfect
Would I read it again – Yes!
Genre – Comic, Crime, Demon, Paranormal, Noir
** COPY RECEIVED THROUGH NETGALLEY **
I was thrilled when this came up for review, because I absolutely loved Volume 1. This volume picked up from the end of the previous one, continuing the story without repeating all that had previously happened. The plotting, as with Volume 1, was brilliantly arranged, well explored, and combined with some beautifully noir-inspired illustrations.
This Volume introduced new, intriguing characters, while continuing with old characters, who made it feel familiar. The characters were well explored, following the story arc and developing with each new revelation. The story arc moved along nicely, both in the individual Volume, as well as continuing the overall story arc of both Volumes.
I loved the addition of showing that innocent humans could see demons as humans, not as their demon form. It was great to see the panels that showed them as first demons, from Eddie's POV, then as humans from the humans POV.
I can't wait to read more of this series. I'll definitely be buying the volumes in paperback.
jmanchester0's review
5.0
What?? I can‰ЫЄt believe I passed by this so many times!
I read volume 1 years ago - I think when the black and white trade first came out - and loved it. The story was great, and the art was amazing. But then I lent it out, lost track of it, and haven‰ЫЄt been able to figure out what it was called or who published it. But I remembered it. Then I saw NetGalley offer the color version! I thought to myself, ‰ЫПThat‰ЫЄs the comic I‰ЫЄve been looking for!‰Ыќ
I finally got it, and re-read it, and loved it all over again. But I thought NetGalley had volume 1 in 2 separate parts. So I kept passing over this just thinking it was the second part. Dummy! OK, so I got it.
And, OMG! Thank you for writing some back story! The first page talks a bit about what we learned and what happened in volume 1. Why doesn‰ЫЄt everyone do this with every book? Even prose novels! I can‰ЫЄt stand picking up part 2 of a series 6 months after reading part 1 and trying desperately to remember what happened in the previous book, and how it ended.
And the story is fantastic! I‰ЫЄm really enjoying this. And this art makes you want to look at it, take a deep breath, and really imagine the environment. Hear and feel everything going on. In the club with the music playing, the dice hitting the craps table, the old Model Ts driving on the dirt road through the woods.
I guess the moral of this story - same with the moral of every story about demons - is don‰ЫЄt mess with demons.
You play with blades, somebody‰ЫЄs going to get cut. Sometimes, everybody bleeds.
(Ooh! And there‰ЫЄs a set up of for more! Volume 3? I can‰ЫЄt wait!)
Thanks to NetGalley and Oni Press for a copy in return for an honest review.
I read volume 1 years ago - I think when the black and white trade first came out - and loved it. The story was great, and the art was amazing. But then I lent it out, lost track of it, and haven‰ЫЄt been able to figure out what it was called or who published it. But I remembered it. Then I saw NetGalley offer the color version! I thought to myself, ‰ЫПThat‰ЫЄs the comic I‰ЫЄve been looking for!‰Ыќ
I finally got it, and re-read it, and loved it all over again. But I thought NetGalley had volume 1 in 2 separate parts. So I kept passing over this just thinking it was the second part. Dummy! OK, so I got it.
And, OMG! Thank you for writing some back story! The first page talks a bit about what we learned and what happened in volume 1. Why doesn‰ЫЄt everyone do this with every book? Even prose novels! I can‰ЫЄt stand picking up part 2 of a series 6 months after reading part 1 and trying desperately to remember what happened in the previous book, and how it ended.
And the story is fantastic! I‰ЫЄm really enjoying this. And this art makes you want to look at it, take a deep breath, and really imagine the environment. Hear and feel everything going on. In the club with the music playing, the dice hitting the craps table, the old Model Ts driving on the dirt road through the woods.
I guess the moral of this story - same with the moral of every story about demons - is don‰ЫЄt mess with demons.
You play with blades, somebody‰ЫЄs going to get cut. Sometimes, everybody bleeds.
(Ooh! And there‰ЫЄs a set up of for more! Volume 3? I can‰ЫЄt wait!)
Thanks to NetGalley and Oni Press for a copy in return for an honest review.
thebibliophilegirl's review
3.0
The Damned graphic novel series is actually the first graphic novel series that I have ever requested from Netgalley. I thought that it would be weird reading a graphic novel on my phone/laptop as illustrations are a massive part in the storytelling process. However, it turned out to be not that bad!
In a prohibition-era world where demonic entities pull the strings that make the crime families dance, Eddie is a mortal with two things working for him. First of all, he can't die. Well, he can and does, quite often, but he doesn't stay that way long. Second, Eddie runs the Gehenna Room, a nightclub with a strict "no demons allowed" policy.
But blessings and curses don't look all that different these days. When one of Eddie's old pals shows up seeking sanctuary, Eddie knows he's in for a double-cross. That means walking the line between salvation and damnation once more.
Collects the 5-issue "Ill-Gotten" storyline from The Damned.
Volume two is definitely better than volume 1. We learn more about the characters and Bunn delves deeper into the storyline which is very very interesting. I am loving the whole demon gangsters/mobsters plot with the fantasy twist of Eddie keep coming back to life. Whilst volume one was definitely a backstory and Bunn building the foundations, this volume dug its teeth into the underbelly of the city and the demons running it. The art and writing style were more gritty, dark and gruesome, with the world becoming more clear and developed, and we also learn more about the curses.
The one thing that really annoyed me about this graphic novel was that there was only one woman. And that woman was used for a love interest. She was just a prop, used as a background 'thing' for the men to talk about. And that REALLY annoyed me.
Moving away from the negatives though, one thing that I could praise Cullen Bunn on FOR DAYS is how he recapped volume one at the beginning of volume two. I was lucky, because I read two straight after one, but for those of you who had to wait aaaggggeeesss for this volume to come out, then at least you got a handle little guide at the beginning giving you a recap. I will never understand why all publishers don't do this if they are publishing a sequel. It's such a good idea.
Anyway, I am very much looking forward to volume three as I do want to find out what happens next and I want to learn more about the underworld, the demons and the curses. Yet again, the artwork was AMAZING, so props to Brian Hurtt and Bill Crabtree.
In a prohibition-era world where demonic entities pull the strings that make the crime families dance, Eddie is a mortal with two things working for him. First of all, he can't die. Well, he can and does, quite often, but he doesn't stay that way long. Second, Eddie runs the Gehenna Room, a nightclub with a strict "no demons allowed" policy.
But blessings and curses don't look all that different these days. When one of Eddie's old pals shows up seeking sanctuary, Eddie knows he's in for a double-cross. That means walking the line between salvation and damnation once more.
Collects the 5-issue "Ill-Gotten" storyline from The Damned.
Volume two is definitely better than volume 1. We learn more about the characters and Bunn delves deeper into the storyline which is very very interesting. I am loving the whole demon gangsters/mobsters plot with the fantasy twist of Eddie keep coming back to life. Whilst volume one was definitely a backstory and Bunn building the foundations, this volume dug its teeth into the underbelly of the city and the demons running it. The art and writing style were more gritty, dark and gruesome, with the world becoming more clear and developed, and we also learn more about the curses.
The one thing that really annoyed me about this graphic novel was that there was only one woman. And that woman was used for a love interest. She was just a prop, used as a background 'thing' for the men to talk about. And that REALLY annoyed me.
Moving away from the negatives though, one thing that I could praise Cullen Bunn on FOR DAYS is how he recapped volume one at the beginning of volume two. I was lucky, because I read two straight after one, but for those of you who had to wait aaaggggeeesss for this volume to come out, then at least you got a handle little guide at the beginning giving you a recap. I will never understand why all publishers don't do this if they are publishing a sequel. It's such a good idea.
Anyway, I am very much looking forward to volume three as I do want to find out what happens next and I want to learn more about the underworld, the demons and the curses. Yet again, the artwork was AMAZING, so props to Brian Hurtt and Bill Crabtree.
clwojick's review
5.0
This was amazing! I’m not sure what else to say. I was completely immersed in the story, and felt like this series is truly going to blow up in the graphic novel scene soon. I hadn’t heard of it before seeing it on NetGalley, however I’m sure I’ll be hearing about it all over the internet soon. The illustrations were beautifully drawn, and I felt that they were the perfect amount of dark, gorey boldness. I simply cannot wait to read on in this series.
I received this ARC on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I received this ARC on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
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