The Lost Boys of West Abbey No. 2

Lady Mechanika: The Lost Boys of West Abbey No. 2 (of 2)

Writer: M.M. Chen
Pencillers: Joe Benitez and Martin Montiel
Colorists: Beth Sotelo and Peter Steigerwald
Letterer: Michael Heisler
Cover Artists: Joe Benitez (Covers A, B, C, D), Peter Steigerwald (Cover A) and Sabine Rich (Covers B, D)

Lady Mechanika: The Lost Boys of West Abbey No. 2 wraps up the special two part arc with a satisfying conclusion. Pushed by the nightmares of her past and the desire to help those in need, Lady Mechanika pursues a warped Rabi bent on transferring a child’s life essence into automaton. With the help of Inspector Singh, they track down the Rabi and engage in an epic duel. There’s action, drama and mystery as this case comes to its inevitable end.

There’s a lot of story packed into this issue, which is a good thing considering this arc is only two issues. There’s a tantalizing glimpse at Lady Mechanika’s past, a fun glance at Jewish magic, and a rather interesting boss battle as they track down the bad guys. Each section of the comic transitions like chapters in a book. They build upon each other, pushing the plot along, developing the characters and the world a little further, and then erupt into action as the climax spills out on the page. But there’s also an interesting ending which may lead to a new character for the series. All in all it’s a great story and a lot of fun.

The artwork crams a lot in to keep pace with the story. Even so, the quality is still high with the same great layouts, detail and character work. Small panels help keep the flow of the story going while big panels show off the scenery. When the action kicks into high gear, the art gets real exciting. There’s a two page splash of the bad guy quickly followed by Lady Mechanika leaping into action. But even the quieter moments get their detail. From the shelves littered with robots in the toy shop to the simple furnishings of Lady Mechanika’s home, the artists spare no expense in fully fleshing out each panel.

For fans of Lady Mechanika, The Lost Boys of West Abbey arc is a must buy. If you haven’t checked out the series, this might be a fun arc to jump into and see if it suits your fancy. There’s only two issues so it’s not a huge investment of time. However, if you like it, there’s a good amount of previous issues to dive into. With great artwork and storytelling, I give Lady Mechanika: The Lost Boys of West Abbey No. 2 a five out of five metal bikinis.

Reviewed By: Skuldren for Roqoo Depot.