- Writer: Max Bemis
- Artist: Eryk Donovan
- Colorist: Cris Peter
- Letterer: Taylor Esposito
- Designer: Tim Daniel
Thanks to Vault Comics for the review copy!
I dubbed issue 1 of HEAVY ‘Bill and Ted meet the Punisher’ because the book is about a time traveling hitman who has to correct history. Bill is dead, and he is trying to work off his debt to be reunited with Sharon, the woman he loves. The end of the issue sprung a twist – Bill’s new partner is the guy who killed him. Hence, Bill and Ted now get to meet [insert movie where partners hate each other but have to work together here].
Issue 2 dials back the time travel and ups the buddy cop dynamic as Bill is forced to work with Kyle, the man responsible for his death. Kyle is a bloodthirsty, violent jerk, which creates a lot of ‘buddy cop’ style conflict. There’s even a nice Lethal Weapon reference! Most of this issue is focused on the uneasy partnership between them. There is a quick montage of time travel missions that show how Bill and Kyle’s styles clash, but the featured mission of the article is a doozy of a climax. I don’t want to spoil it, but I will say it is so over the top and gross that it made me laugh out loud. Like the end of the first issue, the book ends on a cliffhanger that promises to take the series in a whole new direction.
The writing is excellent. For a dead guy hitman, Bill continues to be a likable, relatable character. Kyle is expertly given a roguish personality. He is not a good guy, but like Tony Soprano, you find yourself captivated by him. The dialogue is often hilarious, and the missions continue to be creative. Kudos to the art team for clearly depicting the action in all its gory (and sometimes uncomfortable) glory.
While issue 1 had plenty of violence and cursing, this installment adds a lot (emphasis on lot) of nudity. This book is definitely for mature readers. For reals. There is enough detail in there to figure out what the deal is, but I do recommend starting with the first issue if possible.
HEAVY #2 is now available
Check back in a few weeks for my thoughts on the third issue of HEAVY.
Are you going to pick up the issue? Have you already? Feel free to chat with me on Twitter or leave a comment below!
