REVIEW: Apocalypse Kinda #2 Deals with Absence of Relationships

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Apocalypse Kinda #2 – Review

Apocalypse Kinda Issue 2 is an obscure indie comic about the coming of the end of the world. It is written by Luke Wehner with art by Enrico Orlando, art by Reed Hinckley-Barnes and cover by Val Halvorson.

Synopsis:

Following on from Issue 1, Tobe dreams of when his mother is still alive and they adopt a stray cat. Pretty soon, this sad introduction turns into an odd Paranormal Activities story when a cat dies which Tobe buries years later. Somehow giving the opportunity for an otherworldly deity to take possession of Tobe’s body. 

A moustache twirly villain by the name of Appomattox. When Tobe realised what’s going on, he decides to take himself and the deity he’s inhabited back to the dead cat’s body only to discover it’s disappeared. This leads to carnivorous squirrels attacking Tobe and Appomattox before they are both saved by Appomattox’s servant, Burp, who then ventures off with Tobe to find the lost cat body of Appomattox.

Apocalypse Kinda Issue 2 is self released by writer and co-creator Luke Wehner.

Apocalypse Kinda #1 Strange Comic Book Front Cover
Apocalypse Kinda #2, courtesy of Luke Wehner

Apocalypse Kinda #2 Story 

Apocalypse Kinda continues the obscure angle of Luke Wehner’s signature style. Here’s a kid, Tobe, dealing with the a world that’s on the cusp of self implosion. Whether it’s through political, racial or societal upheaval remains to be seen. 

Issue 2 cranks up the weird to Rick and Morty levels of strange and absurd. Despite the strange elements, there’s a degree of sadness in how Tobe views the world: a child on the verge of adolescence dealing with the world on a micro basis. 

Tobe is absolutely haunted by the loss of his month and the antagonistical scenes with his dad and need to run away from home heightens his emotional state. There’s a feeling that Tobe’s trauma is deep seeded in such a way that Wehner is only just starting to elaborate and gently peel back the depressed veil. 

Apocalypse Kinda #2 Art

Enrico Orlando’s is childish, adventurous and with a hint of darkness. He approaches the art in a way that personifies the tone of the issue. Wide eyed and inquisitive. Exactly how Tobe feels and looks at a world that is a lost to him as his mother is. 

Reed Hinckley-Barnes’ lettering echoes this sensibility. The style of lettering feels like this comic book should be sitting on an all ages rack. Ready to be discovered as someone’s very first comic book. 

Apocalypse Kinda #2 Conclusion 

Apocalypse Kinda Issue 2 has some kind of youthful magic to it that I can’t quite put my finger on. This comic seems to deal with “absence” in ways that are unexplored through the eyes of a child. Absence of friendship, absence of parents and absence of hope are all explored in 24 succinct pages. 

Although they’re interesting topics to delve into. I feel this second issue had an opportunity to provide more meat to sink our teeth into. Story wise, you won’t find this here. Tonally, however, Apocalypse Kinda is consistent in its approach to gradually unravelling the story. Even if we have no idea where the story is going. 


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