Raiders 2 by JinJun Park: C+

From the back cover:
Now that the terror of their first meeting has subsided, Irel begins to wonder if his fear of Lamia is unfounded. Despite her troubling diet, she doesn’t seem to relish the experience of gnawing Irel’s flesh any more than he does. Both share a common goal: to uncover the mysteries surrounding the blood of Christ. If they work together, they might be able to find the answers they seek. But traveling as a pair might only serve to make them a bigger target for even greater terrors…

Review:
Oh, Raiders. What am I going to do with you?

Volume two picks up where volume one left off, namely with the gathering of a bunch of people whose names, thanks to the regrettable lack of a Story So Far, I had completely forgotten. Part of what follows is cool, since it takes place on London streets and involves a double decker bus chase, but part is extremely confusing, since Park’s action scenes border on the incomprehensible. I had to stare at one particular two-page spread for several minutes before I could even hazard a guess as to what was taking place.

The end result of all this action is that Irel, our hero, decides to stay with Lamia, a zombie who’s looking for a cure (Christ’s blood is the prevailing theory). They’re joined by Clarion, a young zombie girl and former enemy, whose master doesn’t take kindly to this betrayal. A new direction for the story seems to be shaping up here, as the trio sets off together in search of more of the precious blood; meanwhile, a couple of other characters seem to be teaming up, too, as British security agents begin nosing around.

What’s frustrating about Raiders is its execution. Glimpses of a fun action story are definitely there to be discovered, but the artwork and occasionally slapdash narrative reduce the amount of enjoyment one should be able to experience. It’s intriguing enough that I’ll continue reading, but probably never without the sense that it could’ve been so much better.

Lastly, I leave you with this quote from Irel, citing his reasons for joining up with Lamia:

I want to understand what is truly inside a cannibal demon.

Other demons, one presumes.

Review copy provided by the publisher.