Have You Seen My Sword In This Light? Would You Like To? – Review Of Demon Knights #2

Are you reading Demon Knights by Paul Cornell and artist Diogenes “Best Name Ever” Neves yet? Why not? Do I need to come over there? Read this book, damn it!

I could stop there and make this the shortest review ever, but I won’t.

Here’s why you should be reading this book:
(*spoilery goodness after the jump*)

When last we left our band of adventurers at the end of issue #1, dragons, sent by the Questing Queen and her lackey (lover?), Mordru, were descending out of the air. Things looked grim. Chaos and tragedy surrounded them; the bar had been decimated. Madame Xanadu did not get her quiet pint. Who will save the day?

Vandal Fucking Savage, that’s who, and his enormous appetite for battle…and lizard meat:

I have the exact same reaction whenever I beat up a mugger. I am very old.

I continue to enjoy Neves’s pencil work. Look at the glee on Savage’s face. That is a man who loves his work. This whole book is chock full of expressive character art, emotion and action that is well conveyed and enhances the story telling.

We also spend a little more time with some characters who aren’t explored quite as extensively in the previous issue, Al Jabr, who is apparently a “medieval copyright infringement of Tony Stark, playboy inventor” and Exoristos, an Amazonian precursor to Wonder Woman. Also, she doesn’t wear pants. Or much of anything, really. This perplexes Shining Knight:

Well, at least her hair's tied back. That's stylish as well practical!

Tart (n.) - a flaky, buttery Amazon princess with questionable battle attire

So, she goes by “Ex”, huh? I did think her outfit did call to mind some of the more outlandish get-ups they used to dress Xena in, back in the day. Coincidence?

A Japanese flavored battle monster only slightly less ridiculous than Pikachu, but, only slightly.

Finally, we meet a mysterious rider who warns the adventurers and villagers to get out of medieval Dodge:

Who is she? Where does she come from? Is she always such a downer?

A character who’s appearing in Demon Knights who I’m particularly proud of is The Horsewoman. She can ride, but she can’t walk, she communes with horses, and she’s the greatest archer of all time.

She’s a horse whispering, differently abled Green Arrow. Got it.

Although the roster of Demon Knight seems to be rapidly expanding, Cornell paces the story well. Juggling this many characters can be challenging. But between this issue and the earlier one, I feel I’ve gotten to know the individuals in the group fairly well. Each player has had a turn in the plot’s spotlight in ways that move the story forward, rather than bogging the books down with clunky exposition. I’m curious how Cornell will develop The Horsewoman, too. And, I’m still rooting for Madame Xanadu to get her drink on. In fact, I’m going to go hoist one for her right now in sympathy.

In summary: read this book, damn it! Don’t make me come over there. Because I will…as soon as I finish this drink.