The Peril of the Brutal Dark: An Ezra Cain Mystery #2

Creative team – Chris Condon, Jacob Phillips, Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou

Published by DC Comics

Catch up with The Peril of the Brutal Dark: An Ezra Cain Mystery #1!

The Story

Chris Condon continues to knock it out of the park with The Peril of the Brutal Dark: An Ezra Cain Mystery #2! Somehow, the second issue was even more compelling than the first, and that’s saying something. Ezra Cain is in the depths of two different mysteries, and he knows they’re connected somehow. The mysteries involve a man going missing, who worked at the museum that housed the powerful anvil that’s gone missing, and they both seem to have gone missing at the same time. To add even more to the mystery, the anvil isn’t just some relic, but it’s actually something so powerful that it could impact the entire world! What seemed like a couple of normal and grounded cases are starting to seem like something so much more.

What I really enjoyed about this second issue was getting to see Ezra at work. Ezra goes to visit an old colleague, Dr. Morris, to discuss the anvil and pick his brain about the Brutal Dark. Leaving with more questions than answers, it’s clear that this isn’t just another investigation job, but a chance to save the world from an ancient, forgotten power.

The Art

The artwork of the comic is just as compelling as the story itself, thanks to Jacob Phillips and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou. Philips does beautiful work with setting the tone and matching the tone to the story as things start to heat up. Whether it’s a dark and shadowy setting when Ezra is talking to Mrs. Meyer or a vibrant and sinister look at Dr. Morris’ flashbacks, you can easily feel the emotions of the story.

Otsmane-Elhaou handles the lettering and really went above and beyond with having a perfect flow of dialogue throughout the comic. Another thing Otsmane-Elhaou excels at is the sound effects of the comic, which play a big role in parts of the story. All in all, both artists continue to thrive with The Peril of the Brutal Dark: An Ezra Cain Mystery #2.

Final Thoughts

The Peril of the Brutal Dark: An Ezra Cain Mystery #2 is proof that the first issue was much more of a strong start, but an example of the high-quality work we can expect in this run.

Overall Grade – 9/10

Let me know in the comments what you thought of The Peril of the Brutal Dark: An Ezra Cain Mystery #2!

This review was written by Megan from the Vigilante Vibes Podcast. If you liked my review, be sure to check out my other reviews! Let me know what you think of The Peril of the Brutal Dark: An Ezra Cain Story #2, or tell me what comics you’d recommend me trying out! Find me on my socials, and check out my Marvel podcast, Vigilante Vibes, by clicking here!