If Britannia #1 was full of magic and myth, this one is a closer view to politics and military service. It’s fiction and history dancing together, which seems to be the norm for this comic and is something I can really get behind. It’s not your normal comic fare to be sure, but it works.
“The dirty look really comes in handy for this issue too, as it’s wilder and less sophisticated than before in terms of the style”
This time around we go deeper in Roman politics, military service and the duties these men had to perform for their country. Antonius becomes a very accurate portrait of this, a very human man that needs to do what’s right, with some fun liberties taken in order to create a light and enjoyable read.
Britannia #2 is built much more like an action comic than before, with a little more of blood and corpses strewn throughout its many pages. You may even consider this issue to be a gore comic if you like to think about it that way. It’s an idea even easier to accept if you take in consideration the warm tones we have in the issue.
I miss the role of the vestals (characters with a great potential and a strong presence on past issue), but considering the structure that seems to be taking place, we’ll probably be seeing more political roles from the ancient Roman Empire. I could be wrong, of course, but that’s what I’d like to see.
To guess how this is all going to end is becoming harder, and even a little frustrating, if you ask me, but a good challenge. I could say that many comics out there have predictable plot lines, and even if there are wilder element you could have guessed where things were going after careful reading. There’s something mythical about this book that just keeps me guessing.
The dirty look really comes in handy for this issue too, as it’s wilder and less sophisticated than before in terms of the style, more focused on “men’s matters,” and I like that change of look. It’s natural while not being too different from what we have already seen, but the slight change is necessary to give Britannia #2 a new face. It all really helps creates balance.
Speaking of wilder… As I said, we have warmer colors on almost every page, which matches the tone of the story and the nature of the characters we see in this new chapter. The reds and grays used were a risky combination that could look strange for some, but I think it works nicely.
I have some problems with the small papyri the book uses for the name of the locations. They steal more attention than what they should, but there are only a couple of them within the book, thankfully. Maybe something less cartoon-ish looking could have worked better, but it’s really just a nit-pick.
Britannia #2 sure makes for an entertaining read as well being quite educational thanks to the final, short notes about the real history. If you’re a history geek, then you should give Britannia a try as it’s a ton of fun.
“Britannia #2 Is not your normal comic fare to be sure, but boy does it work!”
4.5/5
“Great”
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