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Deadendia #2
Deadendia: The Broken Halo
In the second installment of this quirky, heartfelt, LGBTQ adventure comic, war is brewing across the thirteen planes and as always, haunted house attraction and portal to hell Dead End is right at the center of it.
It's been weeks since Dead End was destroyed and as it reopens as a hotel, resident tour guide turned hotel manager Norma is determined to leave the ghosts of the past where they belong. But with her friendship with Barney up in the air and angels and demons using the hotel as their literal wrestling ring, Norma soon finds that unwanted ghosts can appear at any moment, especially when they're your own.
It's been weeks since Dead End was destroyed and as it reopens as a hotel, resident tour guide turned hotel manager Norma is determined to leave the ghosts of the past where they belong. But with her friendship with Barney up in the air and angels and demons using the hotel as their literal wrestling ring, Norma soon finds that unwanted ghosts can appear at any moment, especially when they're your own.
237 pages, Paperback
First published November 1, 2019
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 122 reviews
March 1, 2020
Pretty good, but suffers from keeping the core characters separated for most of the book. One storyline has Norma and Badyah dealing with new supernatural powers and the nature of their relationship. Another storyline has Barney hanging with his boyfriend and becoming a professional wrestler. A third storyline is a flashback to Courtney's origins and the start of their relationship with Norma. The convergence of all these streams in the finale helped end the book on a high note even as things go very wrong in what is obviously the middle segment of a trilogy or something longer.
I must admit I hope it is a trilogy, and that Steele goes on to something a bit more interesting after the next volume.
I must admit I hope it is a trilogy, and that Steele goes on to something a bit more interesting after the next volume.
June 15, 2022
Deadendia: The Broken Halo by Hamish Steele was so much quirky and unique fun. I really enjoyed the first book in this series, but this was absolutely fantastic. I need to see more of this world and just read more from this author. I'm really looking forward to the upcoming Netflix animated series to bring these stories to life!
January 24, 2020
Moved much smoother than the first volume, despite skipping back and forth in time. Entertaining characters and the changed hotel setting was an improvement. Badiyah really took the spotlight this time round. I’m hoping there might be one more volume, as it really seems to be hitting its stride!
May 5, 2023
I am going to give this book the honor of my fourth 5 star rating of 2023. Truly takes everything from the first book and keeps punching up. We get more lore and worldbuilding but also more intimate character interactions that almost made me cry. I cannot wait for the next installment.
February 12, 2020
I adore Hamish's style. The characters, the art, the crafting of the story all really sing and resonate for me. Loved seeing the world develop as the story unfolded. Can't wait for more!
June 10, 2022
The only thing I dislike about Deadendia, is that it’s not finished yet. Very much looking forward to book 3.
July 8, 2023
i cannot believe they cancelled this show and that i have to wait almost a year for the third book. I need a Badyah solo story i think.
that’s it that’s the review
that’s it that’s the review
May 14, 2020
As with the first Deadendia, The Broken Halo has a slow, stumbling start that leads to a thrilling conclusion. Norma must come to terms with the fact that she's part-ghost. Barney must find something to do so he's not such a layabout - demon wrestling being the natural option. It takes far too long for these plotlines to collide, particularly when the demon wrestling feels so silly.
At least the art is cute and appealing, the characters still charming and interesting. My favorite part of The Broken Halo was the map of the 13 planes at the very beginning, so I'm glad Hamish Steele is starting to explore a few more of those planes, as well as the bigger rivalry between angels and demons. Here's hoping the third volume gets right to the action.
At least the art is cute and appealing, the characters still charming and interesting. My favorite part of The Broken Halo was the map of the 13 planes at the very beginning, so I'm glad Hamish Steele is starting to explore a few more of those planes, as well as the bigger rivalry between angels and demons. Here's hoping the third volume gets right to the action.
September 8, 2024
Pretty good 👍
Did enjoy this :)
Did enjoy this :)
October 30, 2021
Thank you so much to Nobrow for the second DeadEndia book! In the second installment of this quirky, heartfelt, LGBTQ adventure comic, war is brewing across the thirteen planes and as always, haunted house attraction and portal to hell Dead End is right at the center of it. It's been weeks since Dead End is opened as a hotel, and resident tour guide turned hotel manager Norma is determined to leave the ghosts of the past where they belong. But with her friendship with Barney up in the air and angels and demons using the hotel as their literal wrestling ring, Norma soon finds that unwanted ghosts can appear at any moment, especially when they're your own.
Thoughts: Another great installment of the DeadEndia series. As in the last book, this one deals a lot with relationships. While it does start out slow, it ramps up as it goes and gets more and more exciting. The art is super cute and the characters are likable and interesting. It does skip around in time which could be confusing, but it is the perfect balance of interesting, serious, fun, and quirky. 4.5 stars for the second book in the series!
Thoughts: Another great installment of the DeadEndia series. As in the last book, this one deals a lot with relationships. While it does start out slow, it ramps up as it goes and gets more and more exciting. The art is super cute and the characters are likable and interesting. It does skip around in time which could be confusing, but it is the perfect balance of interesting, serious, fun, and quirky. 4.5 stars for the second book in the series!
March 24, 2021
Omg this was so good, solidifying that this is one of my favorite graphic novel series!!
Book 2 has the heart and humor like book 1, but the plot is enhanced and full of revelations while remaining true to book one and not backtracking. Aka plotted out beautifully.
Amazing artwork, fully realized, diverse characters and a perfect balance of bomb ass plot and cute slice of life moments. This series has it all, please try it out!!
Book 2 has the heart and humor like book 1, but the plot is enhanced and full of revelations while remaining true to book one and not backtracking. Aka plotted out beautifully.
Amazing artwork, fully realized, diverse characters and a perfect balance of bomb ass plot and cute slice of life moments. This series has it all, please try it out!!
January 21, 2025
A great sequel that expands upon the stories/worlds of book 1. I particularly liked how this book focussed more on our loveable scrimbly non-binary pal Courtney.
The first book had a few spots where the order of dialogue was a bit hard to know at a glance, but this book followed the proper usage of ‘highest is read first’, which made it easier to read.
The art was great, especially when people were far away and details were dropped.
The first book had a few spots where the order of dialogue was a bit hard to know at a glance, but this book followed the proper usage of ‘highest is read first’, which made it easier to read.
The art was great, especially when people were far away and details were dropped.
July 26, 2022
I was a bit confused at first but by end then I was captivated by the story. Looking forward for the third book!
January 18, 2025
ohhh boy
October 13, 2025
Huge improvement on the first volume. The stakes are so much higher, the side characters are fleshed out more and it's matured a lot more in tone which i enjoyed.
October 26, 2023
The flow is much better than the first volume. I'm so excited for the third one!
Read
April 12, 2025had this for 2+ years and finished it in 2 hours
March 28, 2024
Está muy bien, es muy entretenido y juega muchísimo con el lector. Merece mucho la pena.
December 13, 2023
I enjoyed this book more than the 1st (watchers test) but that makes me want to go back and reread them both again. There is so much to take in story-wise and so many characters. Very much a novel or graphic novels
February 28, 2021
Not as fun as the first installment, but I really enjoyed seeing where this headed.
August 27, 2022
Content warnings are listed at the end of my review!
The Broken Halo simultaneously mends issues I had with the first edition while also exacerbating on issues that I had with the first one. As I said, I think it’s a great idea, fun cast, and amazing designs but the execution really fails in even grazing the edge of its potential. One major issue I have with the series is its overzealous use of flashbacks, unelaborated timeskips, and cuts to the future. This alone wasn’t totally horrible in the first book where the cast mostly had a central plot, but here everyone is separated on top of flashbacks making it such a clunky read. The random flashbacks amid this elaborating on some plot holes from the first book is explained late in the book, but I think relying on the readers to just push through and wait for pretty foundational flashbacks like this in book two is a bold choice.
Overall, it just didn’t help improve my views on the series, keeping my stance as a firm “It’s ok, I guess.” The characters, although great in theory just don’t go far in execution. Norma likely gets the most attention overall, with Barney, Courtney, and Pugsley following, but everyone beyond that is completely flat, especially Logan (this + the timeskips just make him out to be such an unlikeable character, and his relationship with Barney makes even less sense here). I think it would help if at least one character had incredibly strong characterization, Norma is close to that but even then there’s not much to work with. One complain I have is just the plot of forcing Barney to make up with his family when especially in this book it doesn’t come up as a conflict whatsoever besides when other characters use it against him. In a queer story focused on found family I just don’t like how it keeps insisting on bringing Barney back to it when it hasn’t shown A) what his family did to him that lead to him becoming houseless and in such a difficult situation B) how reuniting with his family will be worthwhile to Barney. There’s just a lot of queer characters having issues related to being queer & queer coded (Courtney’s story in this viewpoint looks pretty bad) and that on top of constant conflict just drains the reader.
Summary:
Readability: ★★☆☆☆, It is very jumpy because of all of the different POVs, timeskips and sudden big character changes that feel unnatural. It doesn’t feel personal, but rushed and unorganized. I could read it fast but felt like I was missing a lot and not understanding the characters’ choices.
Entertainment: ★★☆☆☆, The issues stated just made it hard to be invested in. I read it because I had time to read it and wanted to see if it improved and it didn’t. It's just queer and marginalized characters getting traumatized and greatly upset, if you find that enjoyable. At least the art is ok to look at.
Audience: If you read the first one and want to know more, or if you’re watching the Netflix adaptation and want to cross compare. Otherwise, I’m losing interest in the comic series that I wonder if it will still continue? It leaves off on a cliffhanger and the show already is in a pretty different direction than this so, who knows? If it doesn't continue, I won't be upset.
Content Warnings: WIP
The Broken Halo simultaneously mends issues I had with the first edition while also exacerbating on issues that I had with the first one. As I said, I think it’s a great idea, fun cast, and amazing designs but the execution really fails in even grazing the edge of its potential. One major issue I have with the series is its overzealous use of flashbacks, unelaborated timeskips, and cuts to the future. This alone wasn’t totally horrible in the first book where the cast mostly had a central plot, but here everyone is separated on top of flashbacks making it such a clunky read. The random flashbacks amid this elaborating on some plot holes from the first book is explained late in the book, but I think relying on the readers to just push through and wait for pretty foundational flashbacks like this in book two is a bold choice.
Overall, it just didn’t help improve my views on the series, keeping my stance as a firm “It’s ok, I guess.” The characters, although great in theory just don’t go far in execution. Norma likely gets the most attention overall, with Barney, Courtney, and Pugsley following, but everyone beyond that is completely flat, especially Logan (this + the timeskips just make him out to be such an unlikeable character, and his relationship with Barney makes even less sense here). I think it would help if at least one character had incredibly strong characterization, Norma is close to that but even then there’s not much to work with. One complain I have is just the plot of forcing Barney to make up with his family when especially in this book it doesn’t come up as a conflict whatsoever besides when other characters use it against him. In a queer story focused on found family I just don’t like how it keeps insisting on bringing Barney back to it when it hasn’t shown A) what his family did to him that lead to him becoming houseless and in such a difficult situation B) how reuniting with his family will be worthwhile to Barney. There’s just a lot of queer characters having issues related to being queer & queer coded (Courtney’s story in this viewpoint looks pretty bad) and that on top of constant conflict just drains the reader.
Summary:
Readability: ★★☆☆☆, It is very jumpy because of all of the different POVs, timeskips and sudden big character changes that feel unnatural. It doesn’t feel personal, but rushed and unorganized. I could read it fast but felt like I was missing a lot and not understanding the characters’ choices.
Entertainment: ★★☆☆☆, The issues stated just made it hard to be invested in. I read it because I had time to read it and wanted to see if it improved and it didn’t. It's just queer and marginalized characters getting traumatized and greatly upset, if you find that enjoyable. At least the art is ok to look at.
Audience: If you read the first one and want to know more, or if you’re watching the Netflix adaptation and want to cross compare. Otherwise, I’m losing interest in the comic series that I wonder if it will still continue? It leaves off on a cliffhanger and the show already is in a pretty different direction than this so, who knows? If it doesn't continue, I won't be upset.
Content Warnings: WIP
April 19, 2023
(Full disclosure: I received a free e-ARC for review through Edelweiss.)
Several months have passed since the tragic events of DEADENDIA, VOLUME 1: THE WATCHER'S TEST. Norma and Badyah have rebuilt Dead End, bigger and better than ever: by day, it's a haunted house in Phoenix Park; at night, they transform it into a hotel for angels and demons visiting the supposedly "neutral" plane 7. The duo has little trouble booking to capacity, thanks to a little help from ambassador Courtney and the friendly angel Fingers.
But things are far from rosy. The Scooby Gang has split up, for one: after his beloved dog Pugsley died, Barney quit his job at Dead End and ran away (eventually moving in with Logs - errr, Logan). Days went by, turning into weeks, then months - and, wracked with guilt, neither he nor Norma have been able to bridge the gulf between them. Meanwhile, Norma is a ghost who, while imbued with magical powers, keeps splitting from her body in times of extreme duress. Badyah, having rescued Pugsley's book of magic from the rubble of the old Dead End, tries to help her friend back to her body by way of a seance; but will this dark magic corrupt her, like it did Pugsley?
On the other side of town, down and out Barney is approached by a demon and offered an ungodly sum of money to be the first human to compete in the Demon Wrestling Federation. While he's dominating in the ring, the cash quickly goes to Barney's head, threatening his relationship with Logan.
All these plot lines come to a head when Dead End hosts a DWF match - featuring none other than Barney vs. a Demon King. But not just any Demon King: Temeluchus's brother, Baal, along with their remaining siblings Paimon and Zagan. (You didn't forget about the coming war between angels and demons, did you? Also: insert "It's a trap!" gif here.)
Volume 2 of DEADENDIA features all the characters we've come to know and love/hate: Barney, Norma, Courtney, Badyah, Logan, Fingers, Kushiel, and Tartarus. We also gain a better (and more terrifying) understanding of the angels (read: not necessarily the "good guys," just the guys that live upstairs). Of course, one character is noticeably absent: dear Pugsley who, imho, stole the show in THE WATCHER'S TEST. THE BROKEN HALO is a bit drabber without him. (That said, I shrieked so hard at the ending that my cat jumped off my lap and ran out of the room. I KNEW IT!!!)
Courtney helps to fill the void left by Pugsley, if even just a bit. (The flashbacks of when Norma and Courtney first met? *chef's kiss*) I loved getting to know his backstory, and the ending is just heartbreaking, filled with pathos yet also a thin thread of hope.
The ending is a tear-jerker, though not quite the absolute sob-fest that was THE WATCHER'S TEST. (Reader, I cried for days. That's why it took me almost three months to pick up THE BROKEN HALO.)
Weirdly enough, THE BROKEN HALO feels more like a cohesive story, which I initially thought I wanted from THE WATCHER'S TEST - but maybe not so much? The disparate story lines made the first volume feel that much weirder.
As far as sophomore efforts go, THE BROKEN HALO is more than solid. I mostly just missed Pugsley, hence the four-star rating. Still a really great read, and one of my favorites of the year. Don't sleep on this one!
Several months have passed since the tragic events of DEADENDIA, VOLUME 1: THE WATCHER'S TEST. Norma and Badyah have rebuilt Dead End, bigger and better than ever: by day, it's a haunted house in Phoenix Park; at night, they transform it into a hotel for angels and demons visiting the supposedly "neutral" plane 7. The duo has little trouble booking to capacity, thanks to a little help from ambassador Courtney and the friendly angel Fingers.
But things are far from rosy. The Scooby Gang has split up, for one: after his beloved dog Pugsley died, Barney quit his job at Dead End and ran away (eventually moving in with Logs - errr, Logan). Days went by, turning into weeks, then months - and, wracked with guilt, neither he nor Norma have been able to bridge the gulf between them. Meanwhile, Norma is a ghost who, while imbued with magical powers, keeps splitting from her body in times of extreme duress. Badyah, having rescued Pugsley's book of magic from the rubble of the old Dead End, tries to help her friend back to her body by way of a seance; but will this dark magic corrupt her, like it did Pugsley?
On the other side of town, down and out Barney is approached by a demon and offered an ungodly sum of money to be the first human to compete in the Demon Wrestling Federation. While he's dominating in the ring, the cash quickly goes to Barney's head, threatening his relationship with Logan.
All these plot lines come to a head when Dead End hosts a DWF match - featuring none other than Barney vs. a Demon King. But not just any Demon King: Temeluchus's brother, Baal, along with their remaining siblings Paimon and Zagan. (You didn't forget about the coming war between angels and demons, did you? Also: insert "It's a trap!" gif here.)
Volume 2 of DEADENDIA features all the characters we've come to know and love/hate: Barney, Norma, Courtney, Badyah, Logan, Fingers, Kushiel, and Tartarus. We also gain a better (and more terrifying) understanding of the angels (read: not necessarily the "good guys," just the guys that live upstairs). Of course, one character is noticeably absent: dear Pugsley who, imho, stole the show in THE WATCHER'S TEST. THE BROKEN HALO is a bit drabber without him. (That said, I shrieked so hard at the ending that my cat jumped off my lap and ran out of the room. I KNEW IT!!!)
Courtney helps to fill the void left by Pugsley, if even just a bit. (The flashbacks of when Norma and Courtney first met? *chef's kiss*) I loved getting to know his backstory, and the ending is just heartbreaking, filled with pathos yet also a thin thread of hope.
The ending is a tear-jerker, though not quite the absolute sob-fest that was THE WATCHER'S TEST. (Reader, I cried for days. That's why it took me almost three months to pick up THE BROKEN HALO.)
Weirdly enough, THE BROKEN HALO feels more like a cohesive story, which I initially thought I wanted from THE WATCHER'S TEST - but maybe not so much? The disparate story lines made the first volume feel that much weirder.
As far as sophomore efforts go, THE BROKEN HALO is more than solid. I mostly just missed Pugsley, hence the four-star rating. Still a really great read, and one of my favorites of the year. Don't sleep on this one!
November 25, 2019
Hamish Steele has really polished his story telling for this round of Deadendia - The Broken Halo is even better than The Watcher's Test! Expertly paced, fantastic dialogue, and a deeper look into characters we fell in love with the first time around. It goes without saying that the art style is absolutely gorgeous.
Deadendia is a diverse science fiction/fantasy series filled with LGBTQ+ main characters. The story is a perfect balance between silly and serious. It deals with overarching questions about good and evil, as well as personal issues for our characters, with so many laughs along the way. There's angels, demons, ghosts, a portal to other planes of existence, as well as a wrestling tournament you won't want to miss.
Thanks to Nobrow for sending me an advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review on waterstones.com (where this review was originally published)
Deadendia is a diverse science fiction/fantasy series filled with LGBTQ+ main characters. The story is a perfect balance between silly and serious. It deals with overarching questions about good and evil, as well as personal issues for our characters, with so many laughs along the way. There's angels, demons, ghosts, a portal to other planes of existence, as well as a wrestling tournament you won't want to miss.
Thanks to Nobrow for sending me an advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review on waterstones.com (where this review was originally published)
May 13, 2020
Very much a middle book. Characters from the first book are split physically and are involved with their own things, and between those differing storylines and the pre-series flashbacks, it felt disjointed. It's clearly setting up for another book, so let's hope hat the next one brings characters together again and has them working toward a single goal/story.
Read
October 18, 2019Queer content: a few queer characters
This one's fairly confusing with jumps backwards and forwards in time, and they're not labeled at all
This one's fairly confusing with jumps backwards and forwards in time, and they're not labeled at all
June 7, 2021
I gave up on it. I love the style, the characters are decent... but the plot is hard to follow and uninteresting.
September 21, 2021
TW: None
I'm so excited for this upcoming Netflix series! Trans and autistic main characters, and such great humour that is enveloped by great world building at its finest.
I'm so excited for this upcoming Netflix series! Trans and autistic main characters, and such great humour that is enveloped by great world building at its finest.
January 16, 2024
Barney Guttman leaves home with a heavy heart, taking his dog Pugsley with him, with the belief that his family doesn’t accept his trans identity. His bestie, Norma Khan, has a job at Phoenix Parks’s haunted house, Dead End, and gets him in as a janitor. Barney quickly realizes that Dead End is not your standard haunted house. In fact, it turns out to be a portal to a demon kingdom, and there’s even a demonic ambassador named Courtney. When the friends unwittingly kill Temeluchus, a demon king, Barney’s beloved pup Pugsley is possessed with the demon’s magic. Angels and demons come and go throughout the stories, with so much in-fighting that it’s hard to keep track. I’d almost say that the war between them is existential, but that would mean I completely understood what was going on in this zany series, which is taken from the author’s original webcomics.
Having said that, I got a huge kick out of the wonderfully eccentric cast of characters and their hugely entertaining repartee. Barney is trying to find a place where he belongs as a man and is still coming to terms with his itchy binder. Norma is neurodivergent and antisocial, but ends up finding friendship at Phoenix Parks despite herself. By book two, she has a strong friendship with Badyah, a nerdy coworker who wears a head scarf. Book 1 sees Barney following through on a crush with Logan amid a mad rush to save the world from the demons streaming through the portal, and using his wrestling skills to impress the underworld. Book 2 continues Barney’s relationship with Logan (and there’s a nod to his top surgery) even while his new fame and fortune kind of go to his head. This was such a funny series, with clever dialogue, lots of true emotional growth in the appealingly diverse cast of characters, and some heart pounding action in a universe where angels and demons aren’t exactly what they seem. Colorful, quirky artwork with really cool and weird monsters should thrill any teen who likes zany fantasy with diverse characters. As a bonus, both books have wonderful posters on the verso of their covers.
Having said that, I got a huge kick out of the wonderfully eccentric cast of characters and their hugely entertaining repartee. Barney is trying to find a place where he belongs as a man and is still coming to terms with his itchy binder. Norma is neurodivergent and antisocial, but ends up finding friendship at Phoenix Parks despite herself. By book two, she has a strong friendship with Badyah, a nerdy coworker who wears a head scarf. Book 1 sees Barney following through on a crush with Logan amid a mad rush to save the world from the demons streaming through the portal, and using his wrestling skills to impress the underworld. Book 2 continues Barney’s relationship with Logan (and there’s a nod to his top surgery) even while his new fame and fortune kind of go to his head. This was such a funny series, with clever dialogue, lots of true emotional growth in the appealingly diverse cast of characters, and some heart pounding action in a universe where angels and demons aren’t exactly what they seem. Colorful, quirky artwork with really cool and weird monsters should thrill any teen who likes zany fantasy with diverse characters. As a bonus, both books have wonderful posters on the verso of their covers.
February 27, 2024
Dead End may never be the same again. It’s being refashioned into a hotel for demons, and Norma is as busy as ever trying to keep things running smoothly, but the recent events in the park have pushed her friend Barney farther away than ever. Not to mention she’s got a little problem staying connected to her body, her crush may not like her back, and oh yes, a horde of demon kings have decided to destroy the entire human plane of existence. Norma’s problems have only just started, and trying to untangle this crazy web will reveal more about the nature of angelic and demonic existence than she ever thought possible.
DeadEndia: The Broken Halo reveals so much more about this spooky, interesting world than the previous volume. There’s also so much more tension than before, and some of the strong friendships from the first book seem to have faded away at the start of this one. Barney is no longer at the heart of the story, this time Norma is center stage and dealing with body issues (literally - her soul keeps detaching from her body as a result of some botched magic), identity struggles, trying to express herself to her friends, and trying to keep the pandemonium from striking too hard at work. We learn a lot more about Courtney in this book too, and get to follow various characters on their first adventures to the other planes, for all that those adventures blow up in their faces pretty spectacularly. This volume also leaves off on some major cliffhangers and teasers - the next volume is going to be an absolutely wild ride, and I can’t wait for more of this strange, exciting story to unfold.
DeadEndia: The Broken Halo reveals so much more about this spooky, interesting world than the previous volume. There’s also so much more tension than before, and some of the strong friendships from the first book seem to have faded away at the start of this one. Barney is no longer at the heart of the story, this time Norma is center stage and dealing with body issues (literally - her soul keeps detaching from her body as a result of some botched magic), identity struggles, trying to express herself to her friends, and trying to keep the pandemonium from striking too hard at work. We learn a lot more about Courtney in this book too, and get to follow various characters on their first adventures to the other planes, for all that those adventures blow up in their faces pretty spectacularly. This volume also leaves off on some major cliffhangers and teasers - the next volume is going to be an absolutely wild ride, and I can’t wait for more of this strange, exciting story to unfold.
April 29, 2026
I agree with what some other reviewers have said: 'DeadEndia: The Broken Halo' definitely suffers from Middle Book Syndrome.
It is by no means bad - the characters are still well fleshed out, three dimensional, and dynamic, and they each get into their own interesting situations. They are very flawed people who go through significant development, and the reader learns a lot more about them, and that's great.
But it all builds up towards a much more interesting climax, where there are actual stakes and something resembling plot progression. 'The Broken Halo' is that bizarre beast where the pacing is slow, the buildup is slow, but at the same time there are details in it that are rushed as hell; so much in the comic is zip-zap zany, with not enough breathing space. Plus there are some instances of unnecessarily meanspirited, and inexplicable, dialogue exchanges and banter between characters.
Well, it's 'DeadEndia', and it's weird and wonderful and queer, if not as fresh and breezy as the first volume. It remains funny, though it is less cute and endearingly cartoony and more cynical, morose and crabby this time round.
Read 'The Broken Halo' only to get to the third and final volume, 'The Divine Order', which makes it all worth it. My review of one of the greatest finales ever will be coming right up.
Until then, for more of my thoughts on the 'DeadEndia/Dead End' series, read my review of 'DeadEndia: The Watcher's Test'.
Final Score: 3/5
It is by no means bad - the characters are still well fleshed out, three dimensional, and dynamic, and they each get into their own interesting situations. They are very flawed people who go through significant development, and the reader learns a lot more about them, and that's great.
But it all builds up towards a much more interesting climax, where there are actual stakes and something resembling plot progression. 'The Broken Halo' is that bizarre beast where the pacing is slow, the buildup is slow, but at the same time there are details in it that are rushed as hell; so much in the comic is zip-zap zany, with not enough breathing space. Plus there are some instances of unnecessarily meanspirited, and inexplicable, dialogue exchanges and banter between characters.
Well, it's 'DeadEndia', and it's weird and wonderful and queer, if not as fresh and breezy as the first volume. It remains funny, though it is less cute and endearingly cartoony and more cynical, morose and crabby this time round.
Read 'The Broken Halo' only to get to the third and final volume, 'The Divine Order', which makes it all worth it. My review of one of the greatest finales ever will be coming right up.
Until then, for more of my thoughts on the 'DeadEndia/Dead End' series, read my review of 'DeadEndia: The Watcher's Test'.
Final Score: 3/5
Displaying 1 - 30 of 122 reviews