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Creative Team
Written by: Phillip Kennedy Johnson; Illustrated by: Som; Colored by: Patricio Delpeche; Lettered by: Becca Carey; Cover by: Andrea Sorrentino with colors by Dave Stewart; Variant Covers by: Andrea Sorrentino with colors by Dave Stewart Anand Rk.
Crocodile Black by Boom! Studios
Mystery, murder, and family drama. Crocodile Black leaves you wondering what is going on, and wanting more at the same time. This comic kicked off last month with a troubled kid just trying to take it one day at a time. It’s 2021, we’re still in a pandemic. His family is up his ass, while his therapist is asking if his meds need to be upped. Issue one leaves you getting to know a bit more about our mysterious main character, Danny, as it ends with Danny finding a body in a house he’s delivering groceries to. However, what he does next is beyond disturbing, yet hooks you into the story.
Check out Ken’s review of Issue #1.
The Story for Issue 2
Issue 2 kicks off with Danny is sleeping at his new dead BFF’s house, while Danny’s family is blowing up his phone. Leo Black is his new friend and roommate. While Leo may be a corpse now, as Danny investigates his house he finds Leo’s life absolutely fascinating. All the while he’s wearing Leo’s crocodile skin boots, and slowly becoming more Leo than Danny. As the story continues we go back and forth between local law enforcement discussing a drug/cartel issue they’re dealing with, and to Danny showing another side of himself. A side which makes you wonder even more what happened to his little brother. Also, a side that puts more mystery on the murders in issue one.
The Art
Throughout this comic, we see more than one side to Danny. However, it’s not just metaphorical. The art shows the literal monster inside, making this character more of an enigma, while beautifully portraying his dark side. From the cover of the first issue I could see this art was going to be something special. Crocodile Black is a gorgeously detailed story portrayed with surreal art that makes you wonder and admire at the same time.
Crocodile Black #2 Rating 9.5/10
If you’re looking for a mysterious thriller with some absolutely fantastic art, this comic should be added to your pull list. While Danny’s father seems incredibly toxic, his mother and sister seem to want nothing but good for him. Is it nurture or nature that makes one break bad? Mostly likely a combination of the two. Maybe, we’re all just waiting for a moment to trigger us, or maybe Danny just wants to be anyone but Danny.
All in all, this is a fantastic story with so much going on, on multiple levels. A pandemic, crime, mental illness, family issues, a missing brother, and a pair of crocodile boots. As this story continues I can’t wait to see how dark Danny goes, and what’s truly going on in his mind (as terrifying as that may be).
Lauren is half of Hops GEEK News: a weekly podcast that discusses all things geek pop culture, while enjoying a craft beer of the week. They also interview many different people from the comic book world and beyond.
