American Gods, Vol. 2: Mike Ainsel

American Gods (Dark Horse Comics)

by Neil Gaiman

Il viaggio attraverso gli States continua, e i nostri eroi sono impegnati a radunare forze per la battaglia imminente.

Shadow e Wednesday hanno lasciato la Casa sulla Roccia e continuano il loro viaggio attraverso il Paese: predispongono nuovi alias, conoscono nuovi dèi, e soprattutto si preparano alla guerra.

Questo volume è il secondo di una trilogia e raccoglie i nove episodi della serie American Gods: Mike Ainsel, nonché una ricca selezione di materiali extra a opera di Scott Hampton, Mark Buckingham, Galen Showman e Glenn Fabry.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Comics, Fantasy, Fiction, Mythology, Graphic Novels Comics, Horror

234 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 23, 2019

Reviews

[Chad · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read the book over 15 years ago, but this is one of the most faithful adaptations I can remember. I found myself instantly transported back to my first time reading the book. Long time Gaiman collaborator, P. Craig Russell, gets the pacing right, letting the story dictate the pace of the comic letting it take as many issues as it takes to tell the story properly. Adaptations can often just be paragraphs of text with some pretty picture. Thankfully, that's not the case. Gaiman's wonderful prose is still here but is edited down to what is needed to tell the story in a visual medium. Not as much happens in this second volume.

Scott Hampton art seems more spare here and less detailed. He relies on the colorist to fill in the details for him digitally and frankly it doesn't work completely.

Received a review copy from Dark Horse and Edelweiss. All thoughts are my own and in no way influenced by the aforementioned.

[Trish · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second volume in the comicbook adaptation of Gaiman's work American Gods.

Shadow is brought to Lakeside under the name of Mr. Ainsel to lie low for a while. In between, he does the odd job with Mr. Wednesday, meeting all kinds of gods people (such as Ostara) to convince them to join the course.
More importantly though, Shadow gets time to reflect and to really arrive at the charming little town covered in snow. And if you think nothing is going on there, you better think again. Because there are weird coincidences and even weirder dreams - and disappearing kids.

This is one part of the book that was slower than the others. Not boring, but definitely slower. To make up for it, in the book as well as here in the comic, we learn more about trickery from Mr. Wednesday and get more looks at the different people coming to America as well as how they ended up there. Tragic stories, some of slaves and the gods they brought with them. Stories of how these gods used their people. The story of America, colourful and strange and tragic and powerful.

The art was once again quite good. Not always beautiful per se but that was the artist's way of emphasizing certain things. There is also a mix of different styles, depending on what is depicted, which I quite like. It gives every setting and every god their own realm so to speak.
The cover images are still the most gorgeous art here though:


It's really interesting to see the different versions in which this story is being told and I like how each and every one of them is bringing something unique to the table (or tablet, in this case).

[Stewart Tame · Rating 4 out of 5]

If I have a complaint about this book, it is that the entire series isn't available yet. Citizens of the future are, no doubt, sitting there with smug grins along with their omnibus editions of The Compleat American Gods graphic novel. Bastards.

So this is volume 2. It covers the events when Shadow is holed up in Lakeside. I would speculate about how many volumes remain, but it's been so long since I read the novel that I’m honestly not all that clear on what remains to be covered. Yes, I’ve also been watching the TV series, but it diverges from the book quite a bit, so it's not exactly keeping the novel fresh in my mind. I really should reread it.

This continues to be an amazing adaptation. The artwork is gorgeous, hardly surprising with both P. Craig Russell and Scott Hampton involved.

Not much else to say about it, really. If you didn't like volume 1, volume 2 isn't going to change your mind. If you did, then you really don't need me to tell you how good this series is; you already know. Highly recommended!

[Lúcia Fonseca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tenho mixed feelings quanto a este segundo volume.
Se por um lado sinto que grande parte do que li foi um conjunto de vazio, por outro a grande aventura de Shadow e Wednesday continua a despertar-me grande interesse. A história perde ritmo e, volta e meia, é atravessada por outras histórias que, até ver, não me fazem grande sentido. Mas isso ainda me deixa mais intrigada e com mais vontade de ler. Talvez isto não faça grande sentido ou até seja mesmo esse o objetivo, deixar o leitor com aquela avidez.
A arte continua a ser fantástica e gosto muito da paleta de cores.
Posto isto, já não há forma de eu conseguir largar esta história.

[Antonomasia · Rating 4 out of 5]

The American Gods comic hews far more closely to the novel than the TV series does, and, as with the first volume, it's interesting with this one seeing what was changed between the original and the screen. Though here, that's most apparent as a general rearrangement of the story, because a lot of what is in this second volume of the collected comics wasn't in series 1-2 of the TV version.

(N.B. This review includes spoilers for the TV show.)

This is where Shadow hides out under a false name in the ostensibly idyllic small town of Lakeside, North Wisconsin and goes on a few trips with Wednesday: that's evidently going to be in series 3, given the ending of s02e08, where Shadow finds himself on a coach journey with the ID Mike Ainsel.

And the few scenes in this comic that *have* been on TV emphasise how much the story has been jigged about. I think the first scene here where Wednesday flirts with a young waitress, and Shadow asks him if he isn't worried about her brothers or father, is the rather less seedy, and more obviously consensual, basis for the bit early in series 1 where there's a girl seen through the doorway of Wednesday's motel room. In the comic, Easter is younger with more of a hippy vibe, and hangs out in a park in San Francisco - not the archetypal middle-aged, fastidious rich white lady with a big house and extensive grounds. They meet this Easter on one of these brief trips out of Lakeside, as the roadtrip to the House on the Rock (during which they met her on TV) wasn't as long in the comic & novel. And what, here, Wednesday describes as his favourite con, and one you can't pull any more, is used in the TV series with quite a good updated twist. (These days, punk rock is something that respectable late-middle-aged men are nostalgic about.)

The comic, meanwhile, isn't really trying to update the story. (With vol 1, I initially thought they were, and that they were being inconsistent about it, but since then, I noticed that Shadow had an electronic ticket for the plane in the novel too, they merely abbreviated it to e-ticket for the comic.) I've been enjoying reading a lot of older books recently to get away from repetitive contemporary arguments, but this just feels slightly tired and outdated at times: if adapting a novel to a comic why not make a few alterations that are different from the TV show? It also isn't noticeably a period setting in the comic: the late 1990s/early 00s as a time isn't emphasised. It becomes (jarringly?) apparent occasionally, like when Shadow goes to the library, not the internet, to do research, or when a man of maybe 60 uses Dallas and Dynasty as examples of trash on the TV (two very 80s shows, repeated into the following decade so they would have stuck in the mind of someone his age circa 2000).

The suspense is structured differently in the novel & comic as compared with the TV show. I don't think there's been a single hint in the TV series towards the idea that Wednesday is pulling a two-man con with Mr World, so much so that I've wondered if they are even retaining that element of the original plot. Whereas here, indicators are all over the place: Shadow notices that most of Wednesday's favourite cons require a partner; Shadow, somehow travelling into Mr. Town's head, thinks World's voice sounds familiar. As in vol.1 of the comic, characters die earlier here than they do on TV - or maybe not all of the characters who die in this version will die at all in the TV show.

Laura continues to be blander and nicer in this version. (i.e. Boring. In the novel I found Laura boring. I prefer her badgirl incarnation on TV, where she's like some kind of newly created trickster goddess, and was glad that in series 2 she actually got some action with a god.)

Shadow, meanwhile, is now almost the opposite in personality of his fed-up, questioning TV self:
-Wednesday in Odin's wanderer form (garb now associated with Gandalf in the LoTR films): Why don't you argue, explain that it's all impossible? Why the hell do you take it all so fucking calmly?
-Shadow: Because you're not paying me to ask questions. Anyway nothing's really surprised me since Laura.

I guess the difference is something to do with the attention to contemporary race relations in the TV show: it wouldn't have worked in the late 2010s to show Shadow accepting everything on trust in laid-back fashion from an old white guy. Whereas in the novel he's meant to be more of an everyman figure - and circa 2000, black cool was an image that fit the times in mainstream white media, more than activism. However novel-and-comics Shadow is a bit quicker on the uptake. The extent of TV-Shadow's scepticism can sometimes make him seem less bright and less adaptive - even though his background in all versions show he's always been well-read.

Among the scenes and storylines shared by comics part two and TV season two are the story of Thor/Donar and the visit to a Native American god to fetch Gungnir.

The former is, again, made more political for the TV series, which I think suits current times: it seemed necessary to face up to the history of Nazi interest in Norse/Germanic gods, and it was done with a deft ambiguity: showing the god characters as motivated by ego, venality and self-interest - i.e. they want worshippers, as per Gaiman's model of gods being more powerful, the more believers they have - but they didn't promote Nazi ideology directly. It's difficult currently to build a morally grey character in a plotline involving Nazis (more so than it would have been in the 80s-00s) but the TV writers did a decent job. As a result, the comics version directly taken from the novel seems a bit lacking - there wasn't an equally clear reason Thor blew his brains out in 1932. The logic of 'believers = existence' is handled poorly, with insufficient explanation as is the case in all versions. The novel always did have certain logic issues. (Though in Easter's scenes in the comic, the half-arsedly pagan waitress was a fun way of bringing up the quality of belief the gods are dealing with circa 2000.)

I'm still not sure why Wisakedjak was swapped for Iktomi in the TV version. Some of what's here sounds a bit off now, e.g. Wisakedjak being called a fraud for saying he's Lakota, though the most obviously bad bit is the repeated idea throughout the book of "not a good land for gods" and making Native gods sound dead, when there's no more reason they should be in this paradigm than Norse gods, as stories are still told about both. ("The country needs its legends and even the legends don't believe it any more" is a horribly poignant line yet, dissected, one can see it as unfairly damning of cultures, because some people still know and care about these stories; it's not no-one.) The TV version could have still shown Johnny Appleseed hanging out with Indian culture heroes, it just needed to indicate the existence of a greater number of Native deities than the book did, and maybe did manage that. (After all, there are a lot of gods who don't want to get involved in Wednesday's war; the reader/viewer just needs to be made aware they exist.) In that scene, the line about hummingbirds and Nutrasweet felt like one of the saddest things I'd ever heard. If I cried at sad things in books, I would have at that.

Also in this volume is the prehistoric story of Nunyunnini, a fictionalised god of the first people to cross the land bridge from Sibera to North America which I confess I've always kind of liked (I should probably go and read Clan of the Cave Bear then …) but which I gather many find silly at best. However, I agree it seems insensitive to use the name of a Cherokee monster for a god who has been forgotten for thousands of years. The comic and novel make the human characters into people, in a way the TV scenes didn't, but it also has flaws in the chronology: "Gods are great but our hearts are greater" also feels too modern, but is somehow more forgiveable in the comics format than in a novel because comics scenarios are written quickly and need to fit into boxes. And there's research here: the hallucinogenic properties of the shaman's urine after eating magic mushrooms, and suggestion of a major meteor impact 14 000 years ago (12 800 years ago is now thought more likely timing for one.) Interesting to see that the two-spirit character was also in the original and is not a contemporary fanservice addition.

I wonder if the scene between Mama Zouzou and Marie Laveau will make into the TV series: it would be a good fit politically, where the light-skinned rich woman exploits the knowledge of the poorer darker-skinned woman, who has greater skills, and becomes famous off the back of that (of her).

There's one of those tantalising cross country panoramic scenes, hinting at lots of different gods, and it made me want to know their names (or think I should know): in Rhode Island, was that Medusa? What about the young woman in Seattle with short red hair and blue spiral tattoos? "Dallas, fucking Albanians, who cares?" (Who might they have been? I know nothing about Albanian mythology.) But some readers probably know who the five Japanese women in Boulder were supposed to be.

As I read this not long after I'd started listening to the Rig Veda on audio, one of my favourite lines in the comic was inevitably, "Whaddya want? Soma? I've got the real stuff." The implication that they know what it was (is), without having to tell the readers. And a nice connection to make, given the similarities between Vedic mythology and Norse, that Wednesday would like soma too.

American Gods is really an immigrant story, the gods are like other immigrants who ended up on the margins - but that doesn't come across so strongly because the author is Neil Gaiman. The story has been a hit in multiple formats, but it's interesting to imagine other versions, if it was a minority writer who'd published the idea first, whether that angle might have been more apparent - and likely had a focus on different gods.

But more often it ends up gravitating to themes of ancient and modern, which may appeal to a different audience: "They may babble about virtual worlds... But they are still bound by the circle of the year."

(Read Sept 2020, reviewed Sept & Dec 2020)

[Theo Logos · Rating 4 out of 5]

Neither Alpha nor Omega, Volume 2: My Ainsel covers the slow moving middle section of this graphic adaptation of American Gods. It’s a faithful rendering of Gaiman’s story, with skillful abbreviations of his text well matched with illustrations for an effective package. The illustrations are simple and efficient rather than visually stunning or exciting. They get the job done.

The tale here is about Shadow’s time stashed away in the sleepy town of Lakeside, Wisconsin. There is a lot of dialogue, many stories told. It essentially that big, slow pause from the book’s mid section. It’s necessary development, and it all pays off in the third volume. You’ll either hate it or be charmed by it. If you are a fan of the original novel, it will likely be the latter.

[Robert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Is it even appropriate to call a comic mostly set in frigid northern Wisconsin a "slow burn"?

All the same this was just as engaging as the first volume, albeit maybe a little less lurid. Looking forward to reading the finale already!

[Rod Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

A serviceable graphic novel adaptation of the middle section of Neil Gaiman's very good novel. The thin line work of artist Scott Hampton is fine until you come across the covers by Glenn Fabry and David Mack or the "Coming to America" chapters of Mark Buckingham and Galen Showman interspersed throughout. Suddenly Hampton's art becomes stiff, minimalist and uninspired.

I'm still glad this exists and am looking forward to the conclusion.

[Darya Silman · Rating 3 out of 5]

I hasn't still gotten into the 'mood' of appreciating the book. Compared to 'The Sandman,' the narrative is slower, with interludes and side stories I can't connect with the main plot line. Pictures accompany the text, not vice verse.

I do want to read parts 3 and 4, but strangely, nobody at Estonian biggest library chain bothered to order the remaining collections.

[Beth Tabler · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of this from the publisher via Edelweiss+ in exchange for my open and honest review.

American Gods, Vol 2 My Ainsel has the dubious task of portraying the middle of a book. Often when reading a story, the center is the boring part. The part that is not the exciting beginning or the escalating and profound conclusion. No. The middle is the part where the characters walk. If you are reading Lord of the Rings, odds are they are walking. It is significant but taken as a slice of the bigger narrative pie; the walking is boring.

Not so much with My Ainsel.

Don't get me wrong; this slice of the narrative is not as exciting as the first American Gods Vol. 1. Or, dare say, will it be as impressive as the not-yet-written Vol. 3 as the denument of the American Gods book plays out. But, this story was an exciting and faithful adaptation of Neil Gaiman's much-beloved novel. Oddly enough, instead of walking, this is the story of a long road trip. It is a vital part of the narrative, a needed pause. The characters, mainly Shadow and Wednesday, circle the wagons and gather the forces. The story also chronicles Shadow's time in Lakeside and touches on the parallel dimension that is accessible to gods. Because the narrative is pausing, the artwork has to do the heavy lifting to progress the story forward and create compelling visuals. I think that this is where the volume shines. The artwork is beautiful. I am a fan of Gaiman's comic style, expressive, artistic, and a touch wonky. It isn't perfect. Some of the character renderings are a bit off. For example, the young girls Shadow interacts with on a bus ride look much older than their 14 years. It can throw the reader out of the story. I did appreciate the depictions of Las Vegas as they were colorful and otherworldly. They are what someone thinks Vegas should look like, and in that way are useful. Although, as someone from Vegas I always find depictions of Vegas as some kaleidoscope adult dream world a description that lacks in imagination. But, in terms of the story, I liked the scene quite a bit.

Overall, this adaptation was excellent. It wasn't perfect; it had slight pacing, art, and story issues. But as far as a middle goes, it excelled. It did the original story justice, and undoubtedly will bring more American Gods fans into the fold.

I am looking forward to the third volume to see the artwork and how it further adapts the source material. If you are new to the series, congratulations, stay awhile. American Gods is a treat.

As a side note and a bit of cleverness on Neil Gaiman's part, My Ainsel is a Northumbrian folk tale and means My own self. I doubt that was a coincidence. 

[Lashaan Balasingam · Rating 4 out of 5]

You can find my review on my blog by clicking here.

As the adaptation of one of Neil Gaiman’s greatest novels continues, the second book of this trilogy of graphic novels continues to explore the battle of Gods as they are brought to life and reel in Shadow into the middle of it all. This story centered around immigration and the clash of cultures is a ride to remember as it highlights some of the greatest issues that mankind has had to face over the years right in the heart of America. With a decent amount of cynism infused into this narrative and a protagonist who is as lost as the reader throughout this adventure, the story progresses towards the grand finale that is bound to be revealed in American Gods: The Moment of the Storm. However, how well does this second installment do in retaining the reader’s attention and building the anticipation? I got news for you. Only good things can come when Neil Gaiman is the maestro behind the orchestra.

What is American Gods: My Ainsel about? Collecting issues #1-9 and covering the midsection of Neil Gaiman’s American Gods novel, this sequel sees Shadow and Wednesday leave the House on the Rock and pursue their mission as they hunt down and recruit peculiar Gods for their upcoming war. Making a pit stop to the snowbound town of Lakeside, Shadow takes on his new name, Mike Ainsel, and acquaints himself with the residents as he learns to survive and create a home for himself. Unfortunately for him, strange incidents are occurring around him but also during his dreams that force him to ponder about his life and what he wants to do with it. Amidst his rumination, the origin stories of several Gods and their trickery are exposed while their survival among modern deities is presented to the reader.

While this section of the novel was slow-paced and stretched on forever, the graphic novel continues to deploy excellent visual adjustments that allowed the story to flow steadily. There aren’t a lot of peripeteia that occurs in the narrative as it essentially consists of a sequence of stories interweaved with side-stories focused on various folklores and mythologies. It’s through the artwork that Neil Gaiman and P. Craig Russell bring out the story’s bizarreness and otherworldliness. Often the plot also shifts between dreams and reality to allow it to concretize its fantastic elements and remind the reader of the story’s surrealism. Thankfully, the artwork provides the reader with the opportunity to embrace the intangible breadth of this story and what occurs to Shadow.

Artist Scott Hampton and colourist Jennifer T. Lange also do a mysteriously good job in translating Neil Gaiman’s novel with their artistic vision. The task is a challenge in itself and they strive to surmount it with a style that is unexpectedly adequate for this story. Although it is strange at times, with facial expressions that are sometimes disturbing or character designs that are too square, rough or blocky, Scott Hampton’s artwork still succeeds in capturing both the unrealness of the moment and the mysticism of the reality. It is also worth noting that there is a certain stiffness in the art that is unsettling for the reader yet perfect for the narrative. As absurd as it may sound, the story feels both like a long road trip but also a long campfire story. Not too surprising when it comes to Neil Gaiman, right?

American Gods: My Ainsel is a stellar adaptation—with suitable artwork to go hand in hand with the plot—of an ambitious trilogy that covers the recruitment of Gods for an impending war.

Yours truly,

Lashaan | Blogger and Book Reviewer
Official blog: https://bookidote.com/

[Sud666 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vol 2 of American Gods wasn't as good, for me, as the first volume. That is because it focuses mainly on Shadow and his time in Lakeside. I'm not a particular fan of Shadow and I certainly don't like the pink haired idiot from the Univ of Wisconsin. Her explanation of what she "believes" hurt my head.

So, in a nutshell, as Shadow hangs out in Lakeside-the Old Gods are gathering to ready for the big fight against the New Gods. I assume that will be in volume 3.

A very good adaptation of Gaiman's wonderful novel. If you are a fan of the book, then you will enjoy this comic adaptation. However, if you've not read the novel..read the novel. When you are done and if you enjoyed it (you ought too)..then you can grab this series.

[George Ilsley · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is making me want to read the novel!

The novel is highly recommended, and those who appreciate the source material rave about this adaptation. I found it a bit incoherent, this volume feels like mostly "set-up" as the protagonists prepare for the oncoming war.

This is high-concept material, well executed, and certainly engaging. But, gosh dang — I really have to read the novel.

[Courtney · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love heists and cons and this volume starts with the telling of two confidence schemes.
I like that Sam returns briefly, the Vegas trip, and more mythology

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautiful adaptation of Gaiman’s novel (which I should really revisit as well). Beautiful illustrations

[daniela sofia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Desde que foi publicado o primeiro volume desta adaptação em formato de banda desenhada de uma das obras mais conhecidos do autor Neil Gaiman, que os fãs aguardavam ansiosos pelo segundo volume de Deuses Americanos. Logo que consegui deixei-me perder nesta banda desenhada, o primeiro deixou muito a desejar e foi um sucesso. Será que este segundo volume conseguirá ser melhor do o anterior?

Visto que nunca li a obra que deu origem a esta banda desenhada, é-me complicado conseguir fazer qualquer comparação entre a obra e a adaptação. Porém, pelo que tenho ouvido, a adaptação está muito fiel ao livro original. Se é verdade ou não, já não vos posso comprovar a 100%. Posso então confirmar de que a história é qualquer coisa de especial, tem um enredo mais mágico. O primeiro volume deixou muito a desejar, não consegui gostar por completo, senti que faltava qualquer coisa. Este volume acabou por não superar o outro na totalidade, mas em certos aspetos foi melhor.

Na minha opinião, este tipo de livro vale a pena ser explorado caso sejam mesmo fãs de banda desenhada. Digo-vos que a arte é simplesmente incrível e de cortar a respiração. Admiro imenso o desenho e até agora é dos meus preferidos. Ou para aqueles que leram a obra original e realmente gostaram, e como tal, gostaria de ter outro ponto de vista. Se avançarem para a leituras dos dois volumes da banda desenhada sem saber ao certo do que se trata a história, podem ficar um pouco perdidos. Acredito que a leitura seria mais enriquecida caso eu já tivesse um conhecimento prévio da história e das personagens. Há coisas que o livro conta que é impossível passar para banda desenhada.

Portanto, antes de sair o próximo volume de Deuses Americanos eu gostaria de ler a obra de Neil Gaiman por completo e então avançar com mais ânimo para o resto da leitura. Acredito que ter aquele meio de comparação acabe por tornar toda a leitura da banda desenhada mais divertida. Recomendo a banda desenhada mesmo que não tenham interesse na obra integral do autor, confirmo que é das bandas desenhadas mais completas. São edições lindas que qualquer um ficaria orgulhoso de ter na estante, por isso, arrisquem-se. Se forem mais daqueles que prefere ler primeiro o original, então façam-no antes de começarem a ler esta banda desenhada.

[Joshua · Rating 4 out of 5]

This transfer to graphic novel is remaining pretty solid. Having read the book and fallen in love with it I was concerned when I picked up the first book, but after finishing that and having now completed this volume I can say without hesitation that this transfer is amazing. The artwork only strengthens Gaiman's writing, and the structure and arrangement of the cells and frames bring new meaning to the prose and delivery. Shadows story is brought closer to the eventual war with the gods, and even though I know what's going to happen, I still feel a wonderful drive to continue reading.

Gaiman imbues the story and landscape of the United States with a wonderous, and timeless sense of possibility. And by the end of this book one is left with a real sadness and wonder for the stories and gods that have been left behind in this new land where their possibility should have been timeless.

[Lata · Rating 4 out of 5]

This part of the story is on the slower side, as Wednesday gathers support, and Shadow rests in Lakeside between assignments.and the tension slowly rises as it appears that the newer gods are gaining on the old guard.
I continue to appreciate how this comic follows Neil Gaiman’s story, and love the volume’s cover and the individual issue covers by David Mack, which wonderfully capture the fantastical nature of the subjects.

[Anna Harbin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I know I’m going to keep buying these because, Neil Gaiman. And I do find this an accessible path into a very complex storyline. I just such the art was more Glenn Fabry throughout the book.
Some of Bingham’s art is just too ordinary. Like he’s too busy getting it done, not replying to the story.

[Vigneswara Prabhu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating 4 out 5| A Grade; An Acid trip down dark alleyways

The bizarre yet phantasmal trip road trip with Shadow Moon & Mr. Wednesday continues. Having got a glimpse of the otherworld & beings which hide beneath the veneer of reality, Shadow finds himself further embroiled in the impending war between the Old Gods & New Ones.

Having found himself in a spot of trouble, Odin has his handyman spirited off to the innermost reaches of America, where hopefully he will be safe from prying eyes.

But outside our perception, the shadow conflict continues, as the first casualties of war begin to surface. Shadow is plagued by mysterious visions, about his destiny, past & not so dead wife, Lauren. Leading him to contemplate what his role is, in this whole kerfuffle. We are right there with him, riding along.



Volume 2, takes a breather after the events of the first Volume. We enter what is for many people one of the more interesting parts of the story, 'The Lakeside arc'. Shadow & we are given time to organize our thoughts and come to their own conclusions.

This volume also delves deeper into themes of human consciousness, predilection for violence, war, as well as philosophical musings as to the human condition. As they say, Gods are created from the thoughts of people, and in a way, they reflect the collective consciousness of the species.



We also meet an ever growing group of colorful characters, Gods & otherwise. With each new encounter, we are pulled deeper and deeper into the world which Mr. Gaiman have created. Where Gods work as Morticians, Call girls, cab drivers and see how their former awesome personas are made to reconcile with the reality that they now face. To scrap out a meagre existence in whatever fringes & gutters they can to survive.



Their varied reactions and outlook towards the current sorry state they find themselves in, form a crux of the narrative.

One other aspect, which I thoroughly enjoyed, were the various one-shots peppered throughout the story, 'Coming to America'. We get to know more, about how men through much trials & tribulations sailed to the new continent. And with them, much like rats in the hold, hitchhiked their gods, calling this land their new home.

Some however didn't make the journey intact. The rise of new religions & gods, pushing out the old. And one of the worse fates for a God is to be forgotten, as this would deal them the ultimate demise of oblivion. I think it is this glimpse into the abyss which makes 'The Tale of Nunnyunnini' one of my favorite one-shot.



Events are winding up to their inevitable conclusion. If you haven't picked up the story yet, I suggest you do so.

[Vikas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yes, I love going through the novel with the excellent art and to refresh the story and since I read the book a few years back and have forgotten many important points getting the shocks once again when they happen, it's all good and continues to be good. Still, maybe my rating for this would be 4.5 or a little higher because this time around the cover gallery is very small. I rarely discuss story details in my reviews so no point in starting with it now, as I said the art is awesome and it comes alive when covering coming to America sections and during more fantastical scenes. I am currently reading the third volume started as soon as I finished this volume and I am writing the review the next day. My plan is to watch the TV series from the season 1 even though I watched it earlier and after that read the novel in paperback this time and see what's what till then I am going to Keep on Reading.

I have always loved comics, and I have I can. I love comics to bits, may the comics never leave my side. I loved reading this and love reading more, you should also read what you love and hope always to love them. Even though I grew up reading local Indian comics like Raj Comics, Diamond Comics, or even Manoj Comics, now's the time to catch up on international and classic comics and Graphic novels. I am on my quest to read as many comics as I just want to Keep on Reading.

[Mhari Warner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing! I cannot recommend this book series enough. Neil Gaiman is turning out to be one of my favorite authors.

The illustrations are incredible, but the story, THE STORY, is one of the best stories I have ever read. It has the perfect blend of fantasy, horror, and mythology. I am looking forward to seeing how everything ties together- the stage has been set, masterfully, and I am SO here for it.

[Valuxiea · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's a problem that this book is the only thing keeping me together emotionally. I needed something familiar, but new. Ask and ye shall receive.

[Cat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nii jutustuse, kui graafilise poole pealt veidi kehvem kui esimene, aga alla 5* ikka ei saa panna.

Ainuke asi, mis teeb meele mõruks, on see, et ei tea, kas järgmine kogumik ka ilmub, või peab nüüd ülejäänud vihikuid hakkama ükshaaval ostma.

[Martti · Rating 3 out of 5]

Looks like closer re-telling of the American Gods than the TV series. I did not e-read it text and compare, but some scenes come back rather vividly. Even the "interludes". Looks like in graphic novel format this book takes up three 200+ page volumes.

Not a fan of the art style, kinda dirty, hurried and overly watercolor like blending of bland tones, but it does it's job. It's also rather text-heavy, so I think that also hints at what the proper format for this excellent story should be.

Part of the still ongoing Neil Gaiman by Dark Horse HumbleBundle. Seems there are some pretty nice graphic novels there!

[Velislava Stoyanova · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not sure if I like it or not. The art is pretty amazing and stylish, but I kinda rhink Sandman's style would have fir better, especially when things go 'behind the scenes'. I think I'm biased because I've read Sandman and couldn't stop comparing both subconsciously.

[Nickleby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Same as Vol. 1

Never read the novel? No worries. This is a great adaptation; I don’t believe anything is lost.
If you have read the novel this is a wonderful way to reread.

[Danielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Fiction allows us to look out through other eyes, to die vicariously and unharmed. And in the world beyond the tale, we turn the page or close the book, and we resume our lives. A life which is like any other, unlike any other..."

Fascinating read! Gaiman is our modern writer of myths and he is so good at it. He honours the classics, acknowledges the ones that came before him and shows how we are all delusional in thinking that times of worship are behind us. Our gods are no longer visited in their places of worship but instead are invited into our homes and our lives. Worship is now more purely self-serving than ever before, in a society that encourages the life of a self-serving individual.

This is giving me so much to think about. I enjoy Gaiman's surrealistic spins on stories but sometimes find them jarring or hard to understand. To be fair, this is very much his style. It is all quite weird and I like weird. I suppose there are some things that are just too weird. I also cannot help but read this with my academic hat on, thinking of all the close-reading I could unleash on this in a research project for a paper... Some day, maybe.

[Bandit · Rating 4 out of 5]

The great adventure continues, but this time Shadow is given a made up name (or one should say another made up name) and stuck in the small town so far north it’s like it’s never heard of seasons. Winter is all around, but the place seems quaint enough. Albeit, of course, there’s something lurking beneath its peaceable surface, something not quite right.
And then there’s Wednesday who continues to scheme and continues to require a driver.
So lots going on. Getting used to the art too. Noticing likeness and inconsistencies more. Like Bliquis looking very different from book one. And Shadow looking different in Fabry covers each and every time, from one another and from the Shadow of the main book.
But also, ta-da, I finally realized who Shadow looks like. Exactly like young Paul Newman but with darker skin. Same eyes, even lots of the same expressions. Now I can’ unsee it.
Anyway, the storm is brewing. Moving on to the last book in trilogy. Let’s see them duke it out.

This and more at https://advancetheplot.weebly.com/

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such excellent imagery; the artful depiction in this Graphic Novel was a great return to one of my fovourite novels. For me, the imagery was significantly better than the televised series to date. This was volume 2 so far, and I am impatient in waiting for the next instalment.