Cave Carson Has a Cybernetic Eye Vol. 2: Every Me, Every You

Cave Carson Has a Cybernetic Eye

by Jon Rivera, Michael Avon Oeming (Illustrator), Gerard Way

DC's Young animal presents the mind-bending, modern-day misadventures of DC's classic Silver Age hero continued in CAVE CARSON HAS A CYBERNETIC EYE VOL. 2: EVERY ME, EVERY YOU.

Cave Carson has a cybernetic eye--or more accurately, he had a cybernetic eye. After Team Carson's run-in with the Whisperer and his fanatical cult deep below the Earth's surface, the eye has gone AWOL. But why? What could a cognizant ocular computer be chasing? And perhaps most important, how can Cave and company put it back where it belongs?

Whatever the answers are, the subterranauts better find them soon--because the Whisperer's (very quiet) reign of terror is far from over. Soon his tentacles will cover the entire globe, conquering humanity and paving the way for an extradimensional invasion beyond imagining.

Can Cave and his allies--including Doc Magnus and the Metal Men--uncover the truth about his roving eye and stop the Whisperer for good? Or is this really a job for...Superman?!

From the creative team of Jon Rivera, Michael Avon Oeming and Nick Filardi, under the watchful (but admittedly non-cybernetic) eye of DC's Young Animal founder (and My Chemical Romance frontman) Gerard Way! Collects issues #7-12.

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Dc Comics, Science Fiction, Fiction, Superheroes, Comics Manga

160 pages, Paperback

Published February 13, 2018

Reviews

[Chad · Rating 4 out of 5]

This must be what happens when you drop acid and create a comic book. The whole thing is one big trippy, interdimensional battle across broken landscapes. I'm not sure of about half of waht I read, but I liked it. Michel Avon Oeming and Nick Fillardi turned blackout posters into art. The art is loud, surreal, and day-glo.

[James DeSantis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cave Carson is back! You ready to get into even wackier fun than last time? let's do it.

I'll be honest. I probably have to re-read it once more to really get what the fuck was happening. Cave, his daughter, and friends all hopping around different dimensions and shit fighting big ass bug looking monsters and other shit. Confusing to say the least. We also have some accepting arcs where Cave has a moment with a memory of both his wife and superman. It's wacky, it's crazy, sometimes makes little sense, but isn't that what we're here for?

Good: Enjoyed the art style still. Everyone has a unique look to them. I also really dig Cave's relationship with his daughter. It's always well done with the dialog. Also we have a new kid pop in who's very very interesting. Superman stuff was a lot of fun too.

Bad: The story makes very little sense for me. I read it slow, not skimming, and still had issues following what the fuck was happening. It could have been done on purpose even. Not really sure! I also didn't like the wife stuff where felt was a bit forced.

Overall Cave Carson volume 2 is wacky, if not more wacky, than the first. It's over the top, weird, and a little bit sexy. Yeah, I said it, Sexy! A 3 out of 5.

[Wing Kee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Choppy start but man does it get good in the end.

World: The art is great, Oeming art, beautiful, full of style and character. Those splash pages, wonderful. The world building here is choppy, it’s because the world building for the first 3 issues is janky and jumpy and too frenetic for it’s own good. Readers are able to piece the world together but don’t really get to dive in cause they are pulled from one earth to another and the endless action really made the world just a broken landscape. The pieces that the creative team use from the DC universe with the Metal Men and Doc Magnus was GREAT!!!

Story: The first three issues were just explosion explosion explosion with very little depth and character development. What we did get was janky and too brief to hit emotionally. That being said when we get to issue three things settle down and it gets back to the campy pulpy action that it was in the first arc and it’s fun. The emotions are still basic but they land and the art really makes the book shine. The end was good, well wrapped and I can’t want to see where this series goes with the interstellar eye.

Characters: Cave is good, he’s basic and a solid character that leads the team. He doesn’t have a lot development other than his wife and daughter but it’s there and it does hit well. The stuff with Marza in the end was beautifully done and the stuff with Jr and then the daughter solid solid. The rest of the cast of characters are here for the ride and there is little development but that’s because the story moves so fast it doesn’t slow down for it. Maybe that’s the point, this is rip roaring and that’s all the characters need to be.

Started kinda messy but stuck the landing.

Onward to the next book!

*read individual issues*

[Rory Wilding · Rating 2 out of 5]

When it comes to its peculiar title, the initial two questions that come up about the comic is: Who is Cave Carson? And why does he have a cybernetic eye? As the eponymous adventurer was introduced during an obscure period in DC’s history, his cybernetic eye was one of the central mysteries established during the initial volume and in its cliffhanger of an ending, the eye forcefully removes itself from Cave, leaving him in much pain.

So, the question is now: Where did Cave Carson’s cybernetic eye go?

Please click here for my full review.

[Valéria. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Súhrnná recenzia na prvý aj druhý book: Očakávala som, že ked v tom má prsty Way, že to miestami nebude dávať hlavu-pätu, ale kupodivu to celkom všetko vysvetlilo, dej sa posúval ako mal, s občasnými flashbackami a naozaj ma to bavilo. Žiadnych milión nápadov napchatých do jedného booku, má to jasný začiatok aj cieľ. Tá kresba je strašne super, nemôžem si pomôcť, tie preplácané stránky sa mi páčili výnimočne viac ako tie menej preplácané, kolorované to bolo tiež strašne pekne, milujem keď sú stránky ako celok viacmenej monochromatické s obmenami jasu/kontrastu. Za mňa jednoznačne unikátne sci-fi, ktoré by mohlo nejednému človeku opraviť chuť po Wayovej Umbrella Academy. 4,5/5

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Superman isn't my name, Cave. It's my challenge."

I love how batshit insane this book is. Of course it's not surprising with such a title and anything involving dimension hopping is going to be somewhat of a pleasant mindfuck.

This takes place immediately after the first volume, so I needed a bit of a refresh before jumping in.

I love the combination of crazy silver age stories set in a modern era. It works really well.

If you enjoy those old school stories where Batman goes to the moon or where Superman spends his time torturing Jimmy Olsen you should enjoy this.

The craziness is grounded by a relatable story involving Cave, his shitty parenting and the mistakes he made leading up to this point. Although he's a new character I feel his growth across these two books.

[Alex E · Rating 2 out of 5]

A really strange tale about fungal enemies that traverse dimensions, giants, the metal men, future versions of characters, robot versions of characters and much more.

Rivera and Oeming really went for it in this volume. They throw a lot at the reader in a relatively short amount of time. I would have given this more of a 2.5 actually, because I did enjoy a lot more than I suspected I would. However much of the time, I was hopelessly lost in the narrative, and the subject matter and setting only added to the confusion. Rivera did start to reign it in a bit towards the last issues of the book, so I had a better grasp overall, but t wasn't nearly enough to make me want to go back and reread and honestly, didn't stabilize enough to make the story super compelling anyways.

I really like Oeming and his art, and for the most part, he does great work here, however his paneling and layout choices were sometimes confusing and added to the overall feeling of "what???" when coupled with the story in general.

Maybe this isn't for me because I didn't read the old Cave Carson stories. I can only approach this review as a new reader to the series overall. And in that regard, I really cant recommend it. But if you are a Cave Carson fan and know more about the characters and their relationships, then this might be for you.

[Brendan · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5

Cave Carson continues the good work done in the first volume. The writing is line with the Young Animal imprints style, and it's nice each work is quite independent of the other. I know there's still another volume after Milk Wars, but it would be nice if they continue more of these characters.

Why the 4.5?

Good, but slightly inferior compared to the first. I enjoyed most of what the team did with the overall storyline, but it did end up being clunky and too much. The first book has a simplistic approach compared to volume 2. This book goes insane and it's hard keeping up, much in line with other books. I actually felt this more in line wit y Doom Patrol. A good volume 2 and worth it for the pulpy ride.

[Tom Fuchs]

Having read the majority of the Young Animal imprint, I can now safely give it the Aretha Franklin "beautiful gowns" dismissal.

[Dakota Morgan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the first Cave Carson volume - maybe because I had no idea what I was getting into and found a fun Indiana Jones-style superhero adventure. Now that I'm ready for more Cave Carson, I was deeply disappointed by this second volume. Where did my adventure go? Where did my hero go? Do I just not remember something from the very end of the first volume? It's a baffling change.

Realistically, it's a classic DC/Marvel "what if" storyline where Carson and company meet themselves inside like, a dream or whatever. Anytime those kinds of storylines happen, I immediately lose interest. The art is still fun, but the trippiness is not. I get that the Young Animals imprint was supposed to be weird, but this second Cave Carson volume is too weird.

[Will Brown · Rating 2 out of 5]

Art continues to be fantastic, but the story becomes a mess to follow until the very end.

[Memphis Evans · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing!

tl;dr: Read Volume 1 then read this!

Sometimes I read a comic that's initially confusing or seems to have too much balonium to be relateable, but I have faith and finish reading it, and yet when I get to the end of the arc it still doesn't really hang together. (Casanova Volume 1, your ears are burning.)

Other times, as here, I get towards the end and all the weird threads pay off emotionally and a very satisfying, story-based explanation is given for things that I had been wondering about.

Also I had forgotten how wonderful and unique Michael Avon Oeming's art is. I read all of Powers a few years ago and he has only gotten better since then.

Finally, in each issue there is one page of a serial story presented as being from an old geology magazine. It's great and funny on its own and it also compliments and enhances the story.

More please, DC!

Six stars out of five!

[Cale · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's been a long time since I read the first volume, and that distance definitely did not help. This book is nigh-incomprehensible with its parallel dimensions, reappearing dead people, unexplained antagonists, and a first issue Superman mini-story that feels like it got jettisoned before it reached its point.
So basically, Cave and his crew are wandering through dimensions looking for alternate versions of people while they try to fight the Whisperer, ultimately leaning on alternate dimension versions to resolve the situation. I had no investment in any of the characters (many of whom seemed interchangeable), and the story was just meh. The art wasn't even very memorable. It was just a mish-mash of ideas that plopped down at some conclusion and decided they were done. Fair enough; I'm definitely done with it.

[Adan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was excellent! I especially enjoyed the backmatter text detailing Professor Marc Bartow’s friendship with Dr. Herbert Niedermeyer, and I think this was the first time I read a process bit from a writer! The characters in the main story were all pretty great, even when some of them were being jerks. But I think my favorite part of the whole book was when the Whisperer said the quote below. It was especially resonant given the current state of the world.

//It is remarkable what someone will do for you just by agreeing with them. The actions they will justify once you help them find someone to blame. In the end, they will give you everything, and all it costs is a whisper. A simple claim. “I can make everything better.”//
—Cave Carson Has a Cybernetic Eye #9, Jon Rivera

[Tim Wetzel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I started with volume 2 because my dad got it for me, not realizing it was part of a series. Weird, stunning animation; I can't make too many judgments on the plot because I haven't read the first one. Honestly though, even if the plot was absolute shit, it would be worth it just to look at the full two-page animations. Also a big fan of the geologist side plot in each chapter's asides. If you're looking for a really quality story this might not be your cup of tea, but if you want to revisit your teenage obsession with Gerard Way, aliens, and superheroes this will definitely be up your alley.

[H. Givens · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first half just rambled. It was every big comic-book event, where the characters battle across multiverses, as if somehow that raises the stakes when actually we just get tired and can't follow the metaphysical navel-gazing. However. I still really like the characters, and the second half of the book brought it back to more character stuff, gave us alternate versions that actually mattered, and was generally satisfying.

[Matthew Ulstad · Rating 4 out of 5]

This volume got a little messier than the first, in good ways and bad ways. The overall clarity of the story definitely became much more convoluted, but the new characters that were introduced, the connective tissue to the larger DC universe, and the in-universe non-fiction interstitial magazine excerpts were great.

Honestly, The Wonderful World of Rocks segments in each issue might be some of the best in-universe non-fiction I've ever read. They were wonderful.

4/5 Sentient Farmer-Blows.

[Fraser Sherman · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book opens (after a flashback with Superman) with Cave and the Mighty Mole team jumping across realities fighting the Whisperer. I found it confusing and frustrating (the art at times is very, very unclear). Then we settle down in one reality with an older Cave Carson already there, learn the secret origin of Cave's (the protagonist, not the older alt.Cave) eye and take the fight to the Whisperer. It got better. Overall, fun.

[Garrett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gleefully vulgar and strange and headachingly over the top (and under the bottom) but still able to spin traditional melodramatic superhero theatrical heroism and grand evil into a biologically psychedelic comics story. Good to see Wild Dog & the Metal Men, and the alternate reality treatment here makes you wish it was always that way.

[Abhinav Vuppalapati · Rating 3 out of 5]

Since it’s a new volume that means it’s a new arch, so I just picked this one up and started reading, I was again still really confused at the start but it was more easier to follow and understand, all in all it was kind of boring until you get to the end where it gets really interesting, still not worth all the hype tho, but definitely better than the last volume.

[Alex Firer · Rating 5 out of 5]

About as unique a voice I’ve seen in the post Grant Morrison infused age. Part Venture Bros, part Kirby and part Final Crisis the whole thing stands out with its unique weirdnesses and sense of humor. Viva Wild Dog.

[Roman Colombo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Much much MUCH better than the first volume. The story flows better and is a lot more intense, and the characters have better development. And the art is crazy awesome. Where was this energy in volume one?

[Sarospice · Rating 2 out of 5]

This should be a 2.5. I loved the art and the written parts by Russell certainly helped but the rest is just nonsense trying to be interesting... And there is only interesting or boring... And this wasn't boring, so...

[Daniel Butcher · Rating 2 out of 5]

I saw a review that said this must be what it's like to drop acid and then write a comic. I can totally see that point of view. That reviewer liked what was produced...me not so much.

I found it difficult to keep track of some characters and plot pieces.

[Jason Scott · Rating 2 out of 5]

I loved the first volume, but gave up on this one. Not sure why they feel they don't need a "the story so far" page especially when the story so far is badshit crazy?

Not worth reading unless reading it immediately after vol 1.

[Will Cooper · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first issue was mostly weird visions Cave had and I personally don't think it added to the story. But then the rest was a little more straight forward (for dimension hopping, weirdo fighting stories) and had some nice moments.

[Robert Hudder · Rating 2 out of 5]

This volume reminds me of Tom Swift but updated. Those 60s adventure stories that had moments of weirdness and all that. The colours are rich. I enjoyed it but wished for more. I guess for this volume, I was just not as invested. Not quite sure why.

[Jack · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent continuation and re-imagining of C-list character from DC Comics history. The stories are way out there, and the art beautifully takes it to a whole other place. I loved this series and its follow-up, "Cave Carson Has An Interstellar Eye."

[Bardiya Ghasemzadeh · Rating 2 out of 5]

The pacing is somehow worse than the last arc. The last part is really good but there’s just way too many things happening for there to be any sort of real sense made. Somewhat disappointing, I’m not sure if I’m even going to read Vol 3

[Lukas Holmes · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good.