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Publisher: Devil’s Due Publishing
Writer: Dan Shotz, Robert Levine, & Jason M. Burns
Artist: Matt Merhoff
Cover: Scott West

***Minor Spoilers Ahead***

“Civil War pt 2”: Jake and Hawkins are making their way behind enemy lines in their search for the man responsible for all of this. Now, this task would be a lot easier if they weren’t wanted men with their faces plastered everywhere and if time were on their side as well. After having their pictures taken after arriving at the Open Plains Refugee Center they only have a few hours before those pictures end up on the desk of someone who will recognize their faces. So the plan is to get in, find a way to the allied states, and get the hell out without being noticed.  For that to happen Hawkins realizes that they’ll need forged papers and even in this “utopia” of a camp there are those that aren’t as content with their situation and may be willing to help him out.  While they question some of the residents they are lucky enough to run into a kid who leads them to Andy, the man who can get them what they want.  Hawkins does his best at being cryptic with him about their need for the forged papers, but to his surprise Andy knows who both men are and their background.

Back in Jericho, Beck is trying to gather more support and is awaiting a visit from Major Patrella.  This man is a highly respected officer in the Allied States and if Major Beck can bring him over to his side it’s suspected that more will follow.  When he does arrive Beck takes him on a tour of Jericho since Patrella is officially there to learn how Beck “quelled” the uprising in Jericho, and things go pretty smooth up until they stop by Dale’s store.  The tension is thick as Patrella questions Dale about his shipments and the fact that it seems a little peculiar that the shipments go back and forth with little to no issue from the gangs or the law.  After leaving the store Patrella is told he has a “phone call” and ends up in a room viewing Hawkin’s laptop with the proof of those behind the nuclear attack.  Two hours later he leaves, telling Beck that he has a lot to think about on his way back to his post.  Too bad the bullets he runs into at a roadblock set up say otherwise.

The story moves a lot better in this issue than in the first and I think it’s because there was no need for any type of recap, you are just thrown in from the first page.  Usually when you have a book that has a team of writers certain parts just don’t flow together, however that problem doesn’t come up here which is going to make this series that much better that they all seem to be working towards the same goal and are on the same page.  The art in this issue was done by Matt Merhoff and it’s a pretty big change from what Alejandro did in the first issue.  If I had a choice I preferred the work in the 1st over the 2nd. Merhoff does a decent job and everyone is still recognizable it just seemed a little irregular at times. I do hope the artist doesn’t change from issue to issue; that’s just something I personally can’t stand with a mini-series that’s only 6 issues long.  It will be interesting to see how a series like this can be wrapped up in 6 issues without giving the reader the feeling that the story is rushed.

Oh, and if anyone has read this issue and deciphered the morse code on the inside cover would you mind letting me know what it says!

Infinite Speech
infinitespeech@comicattack.net