Nailbiter: The Murder Edition, Vol. 2

Nailbiter #3-4

by Joshua Williamson (Writer), Mike Henderson (Illustrator), Adam Markiewicz (Illustrator)

Sixteen of the world's most notorious serial killers were all born and raised in Buckaroo, Oregon. What is happening in this small town that has created so many serial killers? The worst and most infamous being Edward Charles Warren...the Nailbiter! JOSHUA WILLIAMSON and MIKE HENDERSON deliver a mystery that mixes Twin Peaks with the horror of Se7en!

Collects NAILBITER #11-20, plus never-before-collected bonus features including sketches, a process section, the original pitch, and script pages.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Comics, Horror, Comic Book, Graphic Novels Comics, Mystery, Thriller

304 pages, Hardcover

First published March 14, 2018

Reviews

[Jayson]

(A-) 81% | Very Good
Notes: Review pending re-read. Individual reviews for included volumes can be found here:
- Nailbiter, Vol. 3: Blood in the Water
- Nailbiter, Vol. 4: Blood Lust

[Rod Brown]

Quite a bit of a muddle for me. Lots happens on the page while nothing much seems to happen in the story. Somehow I'm still holding out hope that it all comes together in the end, though I'm not sure why.

[Amanja]

I was hoping that the second volume would make more progress than it did but we're still with a lot of questions and no answers. I'm still enjoying the premise, art, and gore but am craving more substance. Strangely enough what I'm enjoying most is reading this book in digital format. With flipping panel by panel instead of page by page there is an almost horror movie effect to the scary imagery which pops onto the screen by surprise. Overall though this seems like a bridge between an intriguing introduction to a hopefully satisfying conclusion but I've given up hope on it having anything to say. It's simply good old fashioned violence as entertainment.

for more reviews and content please visit my new blog amanjareads.com

[Lezlie The Nerdy Narrative]

I did a non spoiler review for this series that you can watch here if you're interested: https://youtu.be/QY_jVLbUdI4

[Dakota Morgan]

At this point, Nailbiter feels like a maxi-series that should have been a mini-series. In the first issue of this Murder Edition, Agent Blake learns why the town of Buckaroo produces so many serial killers. Of course, we the readers learn nothing. On it goes.

Wheels spin relentlessly as Blake has repeated visions of murdering others. Finch and sheriff go from place to place, learning nothing, moving and talking because the book would be even more dull if they didn't. Warren, the (reformed?) Nailbiter, turns up in most places, unexpected, unexplained. The story shifts to Atlanta for a while, inexplicably, uselessly.

The art feels phoned in too, fairly cartoony and bright for a story about serial killers. I have the third Murder Edition at hand, so I'll read it and conclude the series, but I'm not excited about it.

[Zardoz]

Continuing our theme of decent primise, but poor execution in story panel layout. Nailbitter keeps throwing weird plot twists that I see coming a mile away.
Whenever someone who knows the details of the plot in Buckaroo Oregon seems about to spill the beans they die. Hoping for some improvement in story execution and plot in the next volume.

[Mohamed Ahmed]

3.5
the mystery of Buckroo continues with more and more twists and secrets.
hope the conclusion will be worth it

[Riley Clark]

My mistake that I don’t have the next volumes ready to read, but cliffhangers?? My enemy

[Whitney Jamimah]

We didn’t get a ton of big reveals or anything in this second book but I’m still fully hooked by the story and I need to know who the next Buckaroo killer is!!!! Right now I’m lost. Every time I think I know, I actually don’t.

[Goatllama]

Around issue 16 (or possibly earlier) the dialogue quality takes an absolute, "unh," nosedive. 🤦 What the heck happened? Also, "dialogue bubble... into dialogue box" occurs way too often from one page to next, and for no real good reason. And the way this ends... there's only one way I'll be happy about it. Almost anything else and I'm just going to be exasperated with how tiresome a "twist" it was. I do still generally like this. Hopefully the finale doesn't sour everything.

Spoilers: We get the tired ol' "oh I knocked you out but you're fine" trope (very dumb, please never do this, writers) and also... girl gets stabbed through the torso and survives?? Uhhhhhhhhhhhhh sure, I mean I GUESS it's possible... also, what a disappointment that the "imagine spots -> Barker ACTUALLY stabbing someone" had the victim be Carroll. I was really looking forward to the point at which that happened, but it was overdone, and it was obvious when it happened. It needed to occur with a character we WOULDN'T expect to get stabbed up, and with less panels as lead-up, but instead... UGH.

[Rahul Nadella]

I haven't been as enamored with this story arc as the first few, but Devil Went Down to Georgia definitely stuck the landing. Throughout the last few issues, Joshua Williamson has built the character of Warren (Nailbiter) in such a way that we have almost forgotten that he's a serial killer. The ending was a real shocker and I still have a hard time believing it really happened, given the mental condition of the character. All in all, the creative team nailed this volume. Williamson continues to grip the readers in with shock and awe with some tremendous art from Henderson and Guzowski. There are some moments here where the reader wish more would happen with the secrets of Buckaroo, but overall, this was a fantastic book and a series you need to read and catch up on, if you're missing out.

[Dave]

I found this to be another captivating volume of the Image Comics series Nailbiter. Joshua Williamson continues to dig deeper into the narrative with a couple twists adding additional depth to some key characters. The psychotic episodes one character envisions periodically are a treat to witness in comic form. Mike Henderson continues to deliver on the art front with a cartoon look that suites the series well.

Unlike numerous comics recently published by Image, Nailbiter actually has a concluding final hardcover volume out soon. As a result, I can't wait to see how the story concludes. I hope it effectively ties into the central mystery of the series while strategically illuminating the secrets of the primary characters.

[Rick Ray]

A series that is pretty much spinning wheels instead of proper plot progression. This volume begins to scratch the surface of what is really happening in Buckaroo, but falls short of actually delivering any interesting information. Finch and Barker then go on a prolonged side quest to Atlanta to deal with a new serial killer, all while Crane deals with painful memories of the past. There are some twists along the way, but honestly nothing that felt particularly gripping. The artwork by Henderson is pretty strong throughout, even if the bloodiness and gore can come off as a bit sensationalized - I suppose that is the charm to it though.

[Patrycja]

Volume 2 of Nailbitter was a little bit all over the place. Sometimes it was hard for me to keep up with the story line. Also, only after a while I would understand some of the things that didn’t really happen but were in someone’s head. And this was throwing me off. But still… I was sitting and reading with eyes wild open. The story is so twisted, dark, gruesome , thrilling, like a best horror movie.
The volume 2 includes additions like sketches, screen play, storyboard. The volume 2 contains comics number 11-20.

[Paul Allard]

I've already reviewed the individual volumes but this edition combines Volumes 3 & 4. The story progresses well and characters are developed further with new ones being introduced. The bloodshed and deaths continue to abound, spreading to other cities. The story is well-told, engaging and nicely illustrated. Presumably a Murder Edition Volume 3 will come out to include volumes 5 & 6. It may be classed as horror but it's quite clever and worth a look.

[Randy]

The story is coming together, and I am not exactly sure who is pulling the strings & what the game/gimmick is. I normally can deduce these things pretty quickly. Art is terrific, love Mike Henderson's illustrations. Works really well with the book. All in all a better followup to the first volume which had a little too many meandering ideas & gimmicks for my taste.

[Jamie Holland]

Contains issues 11-20

This was good fun and interesting! Quite a different chapter to those first 10 issues with a lot of it not even taking place in buckaroo. We finally get some answers, however they bring up more questions and there are a lot of reveals.

I enjoyed this, but not sure I liked it as much as the first volume

[Nick McDermott]

Story: 3/5
Art: 3.5/5

The convolution of the plot is beginning to become a detriment. There is a big reveal “that would change everything!” which either always happens off screen or something happens which keeps the characters who know what as going on from saying what is going on. Art is still consistent and the book is very easy breezy to read even if it is beginning to feel meandering.

[Marek Michalak]

The crazy only gets crazier in the second act of this storyline. It's definitely fun, but once again the crazy pacing made me feel like I was reading a soap opera horror tory, not a serious one. And to me that's a shame.

[Maggie]

God! This series is so good. I think if I tried to write a review on all of the reasons I love this series I would give so much away, just know that it's good, and that if you like horror and graphic novels this is absolutely one you should read.

[Christopher Yuen]

Consistently excellent with vol.1. Williamson continues a great story with Twists & Turns, using a cast of Characters that are all interesting and fleshed out. Henderson’s art is a perfect pairing as it lightens the heavy content and subject matter. Now I can’t wait to see how it ends.

[Drucilla]

If you're not into gore, you're going to have a hard time with this series, but there's just something so engrossing about this story, and particularly its characters, that makes me have trouble putting it down. Can't wait to start the next one!

[Nathan]

But that wasn't an ending. How could this be the end? I want more!

[Rumi Bossche]

Fun horror comic, With a cool cartoonish style.

[Kate]

Well played, writers, well played—That was such a WTF cliffhanger that I absolutely have to pick up the next book to find out what happens.

[Will Cooper]

It does start stretching before delivering answers, but I'm having a good time in this serial killer world!

[Sara woolley]

I need the next one 😭!!

[Caytie]

How you gonna end like that?

[Ava]

How is this art just SO GOOD

[Milan Konjevic]

Za sada ide odlicno. Bojim se samo da razresenje nece biti dovoljno dobro za sve misterije koje autori pletu do sada, ali da vidimo...