ENDEAVOUR #2: All For One and None For All.

The seven children are now truly alone as their parents and crew are all dead. As lawlessness arises, alliances begin to form, as being lost at sea is leading to utter chaos.

Creative Team: Stephanie Phillips (WRITER), Marc Laming (ART and COVER), Tony Shasteen (ART Pg 31-34), Lee Loughridge (COLORS), and Tom Napolitano (LETTERS).

The Story:

Things are starting to get intense in this issue as the kids are left alone with the bodies of their dead parents and running out of food. There are periods of this issue when Stephanie gives heavy Lord of the Flies vibes, especially with Carson and Roy. An element I appreciate is how mature these kids are, for the most part, and seeing the various relationships begin to form for some of them. The beginning of the book is important for the characters as well, because we are given insight into each one, which explains their behavior a bit. I can’t say that Carson was exactly wrong either, as the cause of their situation was roaming the decks still, how quickly he was to suggest drowning the mysterious woman was still a shock.

The Art and Letters:

The artwork in this issue is extraordinarily detailed by Laming, as the subtle details, such as how wavy and flowing the kids’ hair is, are impressive. There are elements of rain and the waves, and so he captures the movement of these mundane details that someone may not think about in a comic, impressively. Lee brings heavy detailing with the colors, and it’s within the coloring that we feel the horror elements seeping through each panel. Whether it’s the Captain’s dead body or the sick woman, the paleish grey of the skin adds depth and invokes nausea at times. Tom’s lettering pulls the emotions out of us, and there is a lot of conflict amongst the group. The way he captures the voices and the art blends through these scenes makes a complete package.

Final Thoughts:

While we may still not know what is fully happening with this voyage, Endeavour #2 brings about conflict and character development for our core cast. It leaves you with an unsettled feeling in the pit of your stomach, and the ending drops a big cliffhanger on us in a way I’m not sure how I can wait until February!

Overall Grade: 10/10

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