Gotham City Monsters #2 Review and **SPOILERS**

Monster Squad

Written by: Steve Orlando

Art by: Amancay Nahuelpan

Colors by: Trish Mulvihill

Letters by: Tom Napolitano 

Cover by: Philip Tan & Jay David Ramos 

Assistant Editor: Dave Wielgosz 

Group Editor: Jamie S. Rich

Cover Price: $3.99

Release Date: October 9, 2019

**NON SPOLERS AND SCORE AT THE BOTTOM**

The ever-elegant Jeremy Daw reviewed the first issue of this series, but due to unforeseen circumstances could not make it for this one. So it’s up to me to mangle the review for this issue with my boorish ways. Will I uphold the standard set by Jeremy? Not bloody likely. Check out my review of Gotham City Monsters #2, right here!

 Explain It!

So you all probably know that there’s a neighborhood in Gotham City, this is where all the monsters hang out. Frankenstein, Agent of S.H.A.D.E., Andrew Bennett aka I…Vampire, Killer Croc, uh…Orca? Clayface Angel Lady? Red Mist? Who the hell are these people? Why aren’t we seeing Solomon Grundy or–you know–actual Clayface, or any more of the extant freaks that inhabit Gotham City. The cast of characters as described seems forced, either by happenstance or by the far-reaching mind of the author. It’s a gamble no matter how you slice it, so maybe it pays off? 

Not really. There are good moments, primarily involving Frankenstein and Andrew Bennett, but the rest of the book feels like wackiness for the sake of being weird. Frankenstein is the self appointed organizer of the team that will take down the demon Melmoth, before he…destroys humanity, I suppose? And that information about Frankenstein is also the plot of this issue, by and large, with particular concentration on the recruitment of Killer Croc, which happens because his pal Tusk was killed in Red Mist’s haunted church the night that Melmothn was summoned in the first place. See, there are connected reasons for why these characters are on this monster team. It just seems like a reach to have used ‘em. 

With such a bloated roster, our attention is drawn from place to place while the crew is gathered, and so the whole issue feels like an extended stutter. In the end, Andrew Bennett drinks the blood of a Melmoth adherent, and looks to be under his spell, which you might have figured. I mean, this isn’t the first time you’ve drank blood, Andrew.

Bits and Pieces:

A fairly interesting if slightly perplexing team of monsters is assembled through clunky storytelling and contrivances. It all works, story-wise. But you have to want it to.

4/10