The Cull #2 – Image Comics

Creative Team: Kelly Thompson, Mattia De Iulis, and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou

Welcome to another New Comic Book Day review from the N.I. Bullpen!

Image is at it again with the latest entry from their newest (sure to be) hit series The Cull. What is in store for this group of friends after discovering another world inside a cave? Kelly Thompson is showing off her writing chops yet again and the art of Mattia De Iulis is on another level. 

Let’s stop wasting time and get into The Cull #2 from Image Comics!

**POSSIBLE SPOILERS AHEAD** LAST ISSUE REVIEW

We left the group of Cleo, Katie, Will, Wade and Lux as they had just discovered a mysterious other world inside a cave off a beach near where they live.  

Katie and Cleo are in a relationship, but the disappearance of a boy named Jakey has strained their relationship. Cleo has been depressed and distant, solely focused on trying to find the missing child.

The group had gone to the cave in order to shoot film footage for a school project, but upon entering the cave discovered a whole separate world within. While the rest of the group turned back to leave, Cleo remained where she stood. Katie had asked if Cleo thought she was going to find Jakey inside, to which Cleo said yes. This is where we left off in issue 1.

A Decision Needs To Be Made

Cleo is still standing on the edge, about to venture into this other world by herself. Her friends are realizing that there is nothing they can do to prevent it. So they have a choice to make.

Katie, Cleo’s girlfriend, almost immediately says that she is going with Cleo. The others try to talk her out of it at first. Even suggesting the option of helping her convince Cleo to leave with them. She says that for her, because she loves Cleo, there is no way she can let her go off on her own.

Lux is the next to choose to go with Cleo. After another short debate, Will and Wade also choose to remain and help Cleo look for Jakey. They all realize the fact that there is very little chance that they will find Jakey alive, if at all. They all decide to go anyway. Cleo is surprised and overwhelmed that her friends are willing to go with her into the unknown.

Venturing Forward

After a quick water test from Cleo by stepping into the strange pink water, the group discuss their next move.

Katie begins getting everyone ready to film. Not because she still wants to make a movie, but now they are in a place no one has ever seen. According to her reasoning, this is an opportunity to get footage that will change the world. After getting the others on the same page, and Cleo checking her watch to document the time they began their adventure, Cleo checks a compass. What she sees is concerning. 

The needle of the compass is continuously spinning. They have no way of telling what direction they are traveling. Meanwhile, Lux and Will are filming and marveling at their surroundings. The group starts to debate on whether they are in a parallel Earth, or have traveled through a wormhole of some kind to another planet altogether. Wade has another theory. Wade believes they are in Liminal Space, a place that is a sort of transitional plane between dimensions or worlds. Though obviously they can’t be certain of that.

The first signs of something bad start to show themselves. The thing Wade had in her hand while speaking, suddenly grew legs and a face as she placed it back in the water. The odd creature swims away. Was it a mistake for the group to come here?

The Shores Of A New Land

The group crossed the water from the rock they entered from to a beach on the edge of a forest. Cleo says they should be on the lookout for anything that resembles signs of a child, or some kind of sentient life that they can ask for help. The group then agrees that finding sentient life is what worries them more than anything at this point. 

Just then, a small blue creature resembling a Red Panda appears out of the tree line. Will tries to give it a bracelet from his jacket in an attempt to befriend the animal. It grabs the gift in its paws, stands up on its hind legs and heads off into the trees. They decide to follow the small creature into the forest.

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Into The Forest

The creature seems to stop and go again as if it’s waiting for the group to catch up to it before continuing on. 

As they follow along behind this strange little animal, the group decides to stop a moment so they can all use the restroom. They agree to stay within earshot and visual range so no one gets lost.

Cleo and Katie go to one area, and Cleo heads behind a tree to change her shirt. Katie is watching so that she doesn’t lose sight of Cleo, and notices the scars and cuts on Cleo’s arms, which devastated Katie. Upon touching a tree for balance and removing her hand, there is a bright, glowing handprint left on the tree.

“What Is ‘God’?”

After confronting Cleo about the fresh cuts, Kaite reassures her that they are going to get through everything together. At the same time, Lux and Will are hooking up, reasoning that they might as well, given the fact they have no clue if they are getting home or not. While all this is going on, Wade is investigating the environment.

Wade notices a bright pink light coming from under the leaves on the ground. After lifting one, there are brilliant pink particles floating around beneath the leaves. Just then, the creature they had been following reappears looking rather different than it did moments before. The creature is now tall and humanoid like in its appearance. It stands before Wade, looks down with the bracelet still in its hands and asks, “What is “God”?”

Check Out “The Cull #1” Review HERE

Story Review

Things are only getting more mysterious in this latest issue. Thompson is crafting one heck of a story here intertwining themes of science fiction, mental illness and friendship. 

Katie is willing to do anything in order to support and protect Cleo, even if that means dealing with all her baggage and venturing off into the unknown with her. Lux and Will have what appears to be a budding romance happening and Wade has just been asked a question that has plagued mankind for millennia.

Was it a wormhole that brought them here? Will they find Jakey and make it back to their world? What exactly is this creature they have encountered? Issue 3 will give us more information and personally I can’t wait for it to drop!

Artwork Overview

Iulis’ artwork continues to amaze in this run. The realism and detail combined with the fantastical environments and color makes for a comic book that is a pleasure to read through. 

The colors of this strange new land are still as vivid as ever with a brightness and glow to nearly everything around the group. The environment feels both familiar and alien with plants and animals that resemble things from the real world with fantastic otherworldly variations.

The raw emotion that comes off each character’s face is so well captured you would think this comic is made with photographs and an ai filter. Readers are in for a real visual treat with The Cull.

Overall Score: 9.5 OUT OF 10 – “Must Pull”

This is turning out to be a unique character driven adventure. The relationships between the characters are well written and feel real. There is a sense of urgency as the group searches for clues to Jakey’s location. The mystery of the world they have found themselves in is only growing and with the introduction of a shapeshifting being with the ability to communicate raises the stakes. 

This is a series on par with anything Image has put out in the past. If the story continues at the pace and depth it’s currently at then I foresee this being “the next big thing” in comic books. You will not be disappointed with The Cull #2 from Image Comics on new comic book day.

As always everyone Be Safe, Be Kind, and Take It Easy!

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