Reviews Nanny & Hank #2

Nanny & Hank is a series I'd been looking forward to, but the press release came out a long time ago and there was no follow-up, so I missed the first issue. #2 starts out in-media-res, but within a few pages, I realized I had only missed a scene (pivotal though it was, it was easily summed-up).

The art is strong and vibrant, yet still creepy. It reminds me of Steve Parkhouse's work on Dark Horse's The Milkman Murders, though not as detailed. The crude rendering makes the gravity of the situation more unsettling by keeping it at a distance. The pacing and movement is not up to snuff, but you can see Babb grasps the concepts. And though rushed in panels, the overall effect is at least good storytelling.

The writing is also passable, but deft in plot and characterization. Flashbacks and the characters' relationships with supporting castmembers replaces wordy blurbs and dialogue. Mark Miller (no relation, you understand) drops a few clunkers, but remains aware of his role and keeps his pen still long enough to let the story play-out.

Nanny & Hank isn't a full-on horror show; it's a silly, fun little horror romp, but it reveals flashes of apparent depth of character that, like the artwork, take you by surprise. As an overall product, I was actually quite entertained and want to see more.

© C Harris Lynn, 2010