Written by: Xavier Dorison
Illustrations: Ralph Meyer
Coloring: Ralph Meyer, Caroline Delabie
Publisher: Dargaud
Undertaker #2 De Dans van de Gieren – Comic Book Review
Being an undertaker in the wild west was probably not the most prestigious job, but in certain areas it would mean a rather steady income. Of course, you’d have to keep in mind that the rest of the town would probably hate you, seeing you’d earn money thanks to their dead friends or relatives, and the occasional hoodlum that raided your town. Being hated is something undertaker Jonas Crow has been quite used to, and thus he tends to help his own business along from time to time, by disposing of those who stand in his way.
Cusco, one of the world’s biggest assholes has passed away, but not before stuffing his face with all his gold, making sure nobody would be able to acquire it – easily that is. Jonas Crow has been charged with disposing of the body in one of Cusco’s mines, but fate is whimsical and made sure that Rose and Lin, both former employees of Cusco, tag along. Both women have their own motives, but it’s strange that they wish to see that Cusco’s last wish is granted, as their hate for Cusco burns more fiercely than all circles of hell combined. Nonetheless, this trio will have to make do, but there are more pressing issues to take care of first.
Seeing Cusco was not loved by his own staff, the miners that also worked for him have been treated like slaves, and thus they feel they are entitled to a small cut of the gold, somewhere around 100%. While the authorities try to interfere, by keeping the miners in check, it seems the miners are ready to lay down the law themselves, if the authorities don’t look the other way. Of course, as expected this turns into a bloodbath, where the miners come out victorious, but in the meantime Jonas Crow, Rose and Lin have made a run for it. They’ll have to keep going, without rest, if they wish to survive the trip.
Overall, even though there a reasonable amount of text to plow through, the pace is quite fast, making sure a healthy dose of action is always present. While you receive more than enough information, things are still very exciting and in a way surprising until the end. Xavier Dorison is quite able to write up a rather thick plot, while there are still plenty of action sequences going on, offering the best of both worlds.
Ralph Meyer provides gritty and detailed illustrations, with a rather grim tough to them. While some drawings might have less details than others, everything is still a very pleasing whole, which fits right into the Western genre. Colors used by Meyer and Caroline Delabie emphasize the overall wild west feeling and create the right atmosphere.
Conclusion
Undertaker #2 De Dans van de Gieren is a great second volume of the series, which also serves as a conclusion of the introduction of ‘Undertaker’. You’ll be able to pass some time by reading the rather elaborate story, whilst enjoying the authentic Western action portrayed in the album. Certainly an exciting series, which might put you six feet under with suspense.
Undertaker #2 De Dans van de Gieren - Comic Book Review,
No Comments