American Gods: Shadows #2
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The good
Character development is still strong this issue. Intriguing new characters.
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The bad
Bar scene went on a little too long
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The ugly
- Total score
American Gods: Shadows #2 continues with Shadow agreeing to work for Mr. Wednesday while still struggling with his recent loss. It opens up with Shadow telling Mr. Wednesday that he plans to work at the Muscle Farm for Robbie Burton. However, Mr. Wednesday gives Shadow the newspaper and tells him that Muscle Farm is finished because of Robbie’s death. Reading the article about his wife and best friend’s deaths was surreal to Shadow but the first time he saw details about the accident.
So Shadow makes a deal with Mr. Wednesday after losing a coin toss and meeting one of Mr. Wednesday’s friends. He tells Mr. Wednesday what he wants as a weekly rate, and that he’ll only hurt people if they’re threatening Mr. Wednesday and not for fun or profit. And more importantly, he wants to be able to attend his wife’s funeral. Mr. Wednesday agrees but can Shadow really trust him?
At times, restaurant/bar scenes can be cliché because the same events tend to unfold. However it worked here because aside from the deal between Mr. Wednesday and Shadow, Mad Sweeney’s introduction added another layer to events. There would be the typical bar fight scene showing what Shadow was capable of but Sweeney’s “coin tricks” felt more like a secret power than just a display. And the sharp writing suggests all of this would play a role down the line.
I appreciated the way this issue dealt with Shadow still coming to terms about his wife’s death while still moving the story forward. From the little things such as his experience reading the article to attending the funeral and hearing more about what occurred from Audrey, Robbie Burton’s wife. It was clear that this was a man whose life was in such an upheaval that he would accept this deal from a stranger.
SUMMARY
American Gods: Shadows #2 is a solid follow-up to the first issue deepening Shadows journey into Mr. Wednesday’s mysterious world. Shadow’s choices are very believable considering the way this issue conveys his current ordeal. Thankfully the interaction between Shadow and Mr. Wednesday is more entertaining this issue than last. Technical Boy is an intriguing character and reveals some of what’s at stake for Mr. Wednesday. There’s definitely more action than the first issue. And now I can’t wait to see what unfolds next.
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