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Derek Kirk Kim’s fantastic tale of a mermaid searching a apocalyptic desert world in search of water continues in The Last Mermaid #2. The stakes are raised as The Mermaid and Lottie learn that not all that glitters is gold.
- Story and Art by Derek Kirk Kim
- Published by Image Comics
Read My Review For The Last Mermaid #1 Here!
What Happened To The Last Mermaid?
When we last left The Last Mermaid, things were dire. The Mermaid’s H.A.V.C. (Hybrid Aquatic Vehicular Chamber) was busted, leaving her vulnerable to the dry desert conditions. As she struggled to breath, she had a quick glimpse of a single green plant sprouting from the sand, leaving her, and the audience with a glimmer of hope.
Issue 2 picks up with the same final panel. I was really curious as to where Kim would go from here, and the idea to have The Mermaid fire off a “Hail Mary” and have it pay off was awesome. From here we get to see a another side of this post apocalyptic world as she falls into an underground cave.
The Last Mermaids Character Growth
By introducing a peaceful and serene underwater environment, The Mermaid is able to regroup and we get to see another side to her. She’s not just some damsel in distress. She actually has many valuable skills including applied mechanics, critical thinking, and some surprising survival tactics. With abilities like cloaking, and extendable claws, The Mermaid goes from vulnerable and cute to an intimidating predator.
Derek Kirk Kim’s Show and Tell Method
Derek Kirk Kim’s The Last Mermaid is driven trough visual story telling. It’s hard to speak on the writing and story of this book without simultaneously discussing the art. Each panel drives the action and is actively moving the story. Nothing Kim does is just for the sake of aesthetic. The Mermaids facial expressions, her physical actions, and written sound effects each tell you how she feels and how the environment is effecting her.
It’s hard to have dialogue when the characters is alone in this world, but that doesn’t mean that there is no dialogue. Once The Mermaid finds water, she’s more vocal in her descriptions and situations with her cute little sidekick Lottie, the Axolotl.
While speaking to Lottie, It’s revealed to us that The Mermaid has found various underground water sources. She’s also surprised that this source hasn’t been swarmed by a gang of mutants. Finally, she asks Lottie if she should give up her insane quest and just call this home. All of these subtle points are used by Kim to reveal more to us and build out The Mermaids world.
Art Done With Purpose
I find the artwork in The Last Mermaid to be beautifully simple. The color palettes for the desert land and the underwater cave are really only 2-3 colors, but they are used in a way to create an impressive amount of depth. Now, simple may seem like a detriment to most, but the simplicity is deceptive. There is a ton of work put into the designs, and the panels do a tremendous amount of story work. I found myself in awe at times and I’m constantly impressed by The Mermaid and her H.A.V.C.
Everything Points To 9/10
I’m constantly impressed as I go from panel to panel. The pacing of the story great, and the story continues to impress. As Kim slowly builds out the lore and the world in subtle ways, the action keeps moving and The Mermaid reveals more of who she is and what she is capable of. It’s a slow burn story moving page to page like a freight train and reminds me so much of Japanese Manga, but with so much more visual depth.
