Content Warning: The Eighth Immortal #2 contains a scene of sexual assault.
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The Eighth Immortal #2 is published by Source Point Press, written by Jacob Murray, art by Alice Li Barns, and letters by Letter Squids. With Curipan rejecting her duty and sparing the recently born eighth immortal, she now turns her sights toward reclaiming her life. But elsewhere in the world, an ancient evil is rising, and it intends to end the immortals once and for all.
For the longest time, I’ve always had what seemed like a unique opinion of immortality. While others I talk to on the subject theorize it would be freedom, it has always sounded like more of a prison. The belief that having eternity would mean you would eventually do everything made no sense. After all, if knowing we have, at best, one hundred years on this earth doesn’t motivate us to explore and experiment, how would knowing with certainty we can put it off till tomorrow drive us to try new things? While my version of immortality is admittedly grim, it feels more real. And as The Eighth Immortal #2 has informed me, I’m not the only one who sees immortality this way.
Our story opens with a trip back to the primordial. Here we are introduced to the immortals in their first days. We see them debating the existence of spirits as most huddle in a cave away from the downpouring rain. All but Curipan stands outside, being quelled by neither wind nor rain but rather embracing them. The group is set upon by an unexpected visitor, and the stormy night takes a dangerous turn.
Meanwhile, in the present, Curipan awakens to an all too familiar scene. Herself, her love, and her ragged cloak. Having stepped away from her job of preventing new immortals for the first time, she has decided that she no longer needs to adorn herself in the cloak that ties her to her haunted past. When Kikan awakens to find her furiously rummaging through his clothes, the moment quickly escalates into a nasty altercation that culminates in Curipan confessing to Kikan what she has done.
While the marital squabble continues, The Eighth Immortal #2 takes readers to a secret government facility where one of the other immortals is being kept. I won’t go into much detail here for fear of spoilers, but we learn a bit about another aspect of the magic that exists in this world, as well as an enemy that walks it.
The art in this issue continues to deliver its one-of-a-kind look through both its unique line work as well as selective coloration. This uniqueness is taken to new heights in the primordial sequence as some interesting designs are implemented in this new landscape for the story.
The only spot where this book stumbles significantly is in a particular spot with its lettering. Within a large double-page spread, the text takes on a musical presentation that flows around the page. The twisting path taken by the lettering is a bit difficult to follow. I had to take a couple of stabs at reading it before I got the full thing right.
When all is said and done, The Eighth Immortal #2 continues to expand both its characters as well as its narrative. The story is moving in interesting directions, and I’m curious to see where it will lead to next.
The Eighth Immortal #2 is available on February 24th, wherever comics are sold.
The Eighth Immortal #2
TL;DR
When all is said and done, The Eighth Immortal #2 continues to expand both its characters as well as its narrative. The story is moving in interesting directions, and I’m curious to see where it will lead to next.
