The Unwritten - Apocalypse #2 Review

Written by: Mike Carey
Art by: Peter Gross
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: February 22, 2014

Once Upon a Reality

The Unwritten is back for a twelve issue finale titled Unwritten - Apocalypse.  I am new to the series and jumped in last issue and while I was a bit confused at first, I was so glad I made the effort.  Effort is the key word here.  At the risk of sounding like a Beatles' song, the pleasure you get out of this book is equal to the effort you put into it.  I know what some of you are thinking, "I read comics to escape doing work".  Well, you people are lazy and don't deserve this book.  That's pretty harsh I know, but unfortunately it's true.  For you non-lazy types, grab this book and enjoy the fruits of your labor.

Mike Carey gives us so much in this comic.  The world is a warped reality only held together by storytelling. If the story falls apart, reality follows.  Carey shows this as the main characters travel past puddles of those whose stories can't sustain themselves.  It's such a great image and really shows what's at stake.  To nail the point home even more, Wilson Taylor types furiously at his typewriter because as long as his stories continue, so does reality. 

The main story of this issue revolves around the main characters looking for Tom Taylor and then ending up in a literary pocket of London.  Carey shows that if the characters can figure out what literary World they are in, the better chance of survival.  It's a complex story, but also good fun.  That is what Carey gives the reader, a dense, mature and layered story that is also a joy to read.

Peter Gross' art continues to impress.  Last issue was a mimicking of varied styles, but here he gets to be himself and shines.  The contrast of dark and light, good and evil is so important to the story and Gross' art portrays it so well.  

This review was one of the hardest to write.  Rereading it I feel like I'm not doing this book justice.  Just trust me and give it a try.  If it is your cup of tea it will immediately become one of your favorite books, I promise. It is one of those things that you think about afterwards and it just gets better.

Bits and Pieces:

Overall, The Unwritten - Apocalypse #2 is a complex, dense and layered story.  Mike Carey makes you work for your enjoyment, but it's worth the effort.  It helps that Peter Gross' art is so good as well.  I recommend this issue and series to anyone looking for a great story that isn't spoon fed to the reader.

9.5/10