321: Fast Comics Vol 2
Publisher: Timberwolf Entertainment
Writer(s): Estevão Ribeiro, Pietro Proggetti, Luis Henrique Garavello, Pedro Sampaio, Marcelo Maiolo, Carlos Estefan, Raphael Fernandes, Daniel Esteves, Alex Mir, Renato Almeida, Gustavo Borges, Ben Shiffin, Sean Rowe, Paco Steinberg, & Jason Wong
Artist(s): Ivan Reis, Joe Prado, Diógenes Neves, RB Silva, Rod Reis, Herbert Berbert, Vencys Lao, Will Sideralman, Sam Hart, Rogério Coelho, Alex Shibao, Thobias Daneluz, Anderson Mahansky, BRÄO, Brão Barbosa, Eduardo Pansica, Julio Ferreira, Jean Diaz, Mauro Souza, Pedro Mauro, Márcio Abreu, Felipe Massafera, Leonardo Maciel, Klebs Junior, Bira Dantas, Marcelo Di Chiara, Mika Takahashi, Luis Figueiredo, Adriano Di Benedetto, Fábio Coala, & Adriano Batista
Cover: Eric Kenji Aoyagi
Earlier this year I was introduced to the fantastic anthology series, 321: Fast Comics Vol 1. The format for every story was 3 pages, 2 characters, and 1 twist ending. These genre spanning stories were set in a bar atmosphere complete with drink menus. Now, thanks to Kickstarter backers, Felipe Cagno returns with a huge roster of talented writers and artists to help make this another anthology worth diving into! 321: Fast Comics Vol 2 has the same format though it’s been moved from a bar to a diner with a much different menu. This new venue actually gives the entire collection of stories in here a different feel than what we had in the first volume. A very refreshing change as the presentation is just as important as the stories in an anthology series.
The second volume actually has more stories than the previous issue and once again they span across many storytelling genres. There’s some sci-fi, horror, thrillers, and more here making it hard to find something that you won’t like in these pages. What’s great about some of these is that they leave you demanding more once you’ve finished. Like the opening story, “Drowners” by Felipe Cagno & S. P. Rowe with art by Luis Figueiredo and Tony Washington. This one takes the zombie genre to a place rarely seen and by the time it’s over you just might be a little upset it’s over. Everything about this story nails the format perfectly while being entertaining in the process. “Sannakji” by Ben Shiffrin, Marcelo Di Chiara, and Israel Silva is another story that is a perfect example of the storytelling format set in this anthology. The twist had me with my mouth wide open and that’s also in part to Di Chiara and Silva’s artwork on the final page! There are lighter stories like “Point of View” and “The Great Adventure Home” that are perfect in this compact format. One story is pretty intense and embodies everything great about the way these stories are told in “A Secret Between Us” by Cagno and BRÄO. The twist comes out of nowhere but it’s the setup that is executed almost perfectly that really sells this one. Add to a great story we have BRÄO’s art that really captures the narrative and puts it over the top. Oh, and if you were missing a certain panda from the last volume then just know that Cagno brings him back for another go in volume two!
Another great thing about this anthology is that you get storytelling from some talented individuals that you probably haven’t heard of. In an industry where we usually see the same creators doing several projects over and over again it’s nice to leave the comfort zone and see who else is out there doing fine work in the industry. Among the huge list of talent that has been put together for this project, there are some names you might recognize like Ivan Reis, RB Silva, Joe Prado, and several more. But for the most part you’ll be introduced to others in the field who are doing some fantastic work. Some of the standout artists were Adriano Batista, Rogério Coelho, and Felipe Massafera to name just a few.
There were a few stories here that just didn’t win me over for whatever reason. One of them centered around a heist and aside from the visual presentation it fell a little flat to me. This was a factor with a few entries, however, this is a much larger volume than the last and there were more that I enjoyed than those that I didn’t. There’s also the cover of this issue which grabbed my attention more than the last with it’s brighter colors and overall level of energy.
321: Fast Comics Volume 2 is another stellar entry into the comics medium that you should buy upon seeing it! This anthology has everything that comic fans want and then some. From it’s presentation to the content within, you’re not just getting a simple anthology but a complete experience that shoots you through a plethora of adventures! I wouldn’t even mind a third volume of 321: Fast Comics with it’s consistent showcasing of new and very talented individuals!
Check out some 321: Fast Comics Vol 2 story samples here!
Infinite Speech
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