I don't know why Viz Comics sent me the second issue of this comic, but I'm not about to complain about getting free stuff. That said, I'll get down to reviewing this issue. I warn you; this will be short.
This issue of Viz's new Mature Readers title concludes the introduction of the protagonist, Dark Schneider (Our Anti-Hero!) and sets the stage for the first round of adventures. Within these 64 pages, Schneider awakens a stone golem and uses it to smash the six-headed pyrohydra that threatens him and the rest of the leaders of Metallicana while he deals with the beast's domintor: Kevindubu, a wizard with a definate lack of public speaking skills. There's at least one breaching of the fourth wall (Schneider refers to himself as the main character.) and two more spells named for heavy metal/hard rock bands. Our Anti-Hero wins (Duh...), and then shows a bit of something other than banal bravado and bluster- a surprising touch of sensitivity. It's everything you've seen before, done with just enough of a wink and smile to not immediately make Joe Gamer toss it aside. (He may anyway, but only after reading it for a bit.) Put other way, the substance is just barely average. Along the way, there is also some gratutitous male nudity; as I believe in equal opportunity fan service, I haven't a problem with this.
As I said in my review of the first issue, this is very much a comic book with a juvenile sensibility; it is a comic title that the boys in Knights of the Dinner Table would enjoy, and those like them. If you're looking for something on a more serious note, such as Record of Lodoss War or Warlands (or more literary fantasy) then do look elsewhere for this title will not suit you.
As for the style, it's what I've come to expect from most of the stuff that gets to the U.S. from Japan. There's roughly an equal amount of artwork that's great and underwhelming--in particular, the golem & hydra are wonderful while the two-page close-up of Schneider's face is bad--while the rest is merely adequate. I've seen much better art in a Japanese comic, and I do hope that this is not the best. The cover isn't any better at inspiring confidence that, despite the treatment of the subject matter, at least I'll be wowed by the artwork.
There are two items of note in the back of the book. The first is the fan letter/place where Viz puts the margin notes that were appropos for general consumption. There's nothing to write home about here; the letter's like any other and the notes are justly removed because they're banal notes between our author/artist and his staff or pals. The other page, on the other hand, is interesting because it goes on about the name from whom Our Anti-Hero got his name: Udo Dirkschneider. It's a one-page bio about the German heavy metal icon and his career in the business, along with some recommendations for the crossover audience of heavy metal fans that Viz hopes to attract. So far as these two pages go, they do their job just fine and I have no problem; I am just a little interested in this German metal icon, so I'll ask my local metal god about Udo some time when I can get to my pet expert.
As you've guessed--and I hope you have--this surely isn't for most of you, let alone all of you. If you liked the first issue, this one is hardly going to disappoint. The reverse applies if you didn't like the first issue; this is not a case of someone suffering from First Issue Fogginess. More than that I can't say; you'll have to decide for yourself.
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