From the back cover:
Tenma springs to action when he discovers that Johan, the boy whose life he saved nine years ago, has grown up to become a serial murderer. But when Tenma finds out that Johan has strong inside connections with government officials, he realizes that this monster is far more powerful than he could have ever imagined.

Review:
The second volume in this series is not a let down whatsoever. In fact, few complaints I had about volume 1 were not a factor here. As the essential premise has been established in the first volume, this one plunges on with the story, focusing on Tenma’s investigation and efforts to right the wrong he unknowingly perpetrated. The plotting and pacing are both first rate, the scenes so well-timed and organized that reading it feels very much like watching it on the screen.

It took me a little while to figure out what it reminded me of—an honorable, tortured leading character, racing around trying to do what’s right before more people are harmed, encountering twists and turns at every angle, and being pursued by others on the side of good. 24, of course! I fully believe that anyone who likes that show will love Monster. Even if Tenma does make a classic Kim Bauer-esque blunder in this volume.

From the back cover:
An ice-cold killer is on the loose, and brilliant Dr. Kenzo Tenma is the only one who can stop him! Conspiracies, serial murders, and a scathing indictment of hospital politics are all masterfully woven together in this compelling manga thriller. Tenma risks his promising medical career to save the life of a critically wounded young boy. Unbeknownst to him, this child is destined for a terrible fate. Who could have known that Tenma would create a monster!

Review:
Wow, this is good. I knew the essential plot of this first volume going into it, but the storytelling and pacing are so engrossing that even expecting certain things, I was never bored. Storywise, my only complaint would be that the instigators of the hospital politics are rather over the top and a little two-dimensional. Presumably, said politics won’t be a big concern of Tenma’s after this volume, however.

Urasawa has reportedly requested that Viz finish releasing Monster before releasing another of his series, contending that his art has improved and he wants the titles to be released chronologically. I can see what he’s talking about. In this volume, I’d sum up the style as “Crazy Noses and Eyebrows!” Nearly everyone has ’em. Tenma himself has a variety of expressions, but some of the other characters seem to just get one, which is then used multiple times. There are also a couple of panels early on where close-ups of Tenma’s extremely high-maintenance girlfriend look nearly identical.

Despite the distracting art and small element of cheese, there’s enough really good stuff here that I can state that I will definitely be continuing with this series until its conclusion.