The Last Fall #2 Review

Can this unique premise turn into something that you must buy? Read on to find out.

The official description from IDW:

IDW’s original sci-fi/military drama continues! Know your enemy! A top-secret recovery mission explodes into deadly betrayal and Marcus Fall finds himself battling for his life against a most unexpected foe.

The Last Fall got of to an impressive start, as though it didn’t blow me away, it’s premise was enough to have me hooked to the series, promising something very intriguing. Following on from that this issue sees a look into Fall’s past, showing how he has became the brutal soldier that he is. It also moves the present story forward by sending Fall, and a small covert team on a secret mission with serious consequences.

Tom Waltz got the ball rolling nicely in the last issue, but it’s this issue that he really steps up his game. Besides the emotion that he pores into Fall’s backstory, he also drives the story forward in an intense, yet intriguing way. In addition to this he also explores avenues of Fall’s psyche that show he’s more than just a focused killer. As far as dialogue goes, Waltz nailed it, with the interaction between Roland and Cole, and Fall’s general attitude being extremely gripping. Despite this I did find the transition in tones when it came to the backstory to be a little off putting, as though the sequences themselves were enthralling, the sudden change in tone was a little jarring.

Casey Maloney continues to do a terrific job on the artwork, as though there are still some stiff moments, the overall atmosphere more than makes up. His gripping layouts, and well thought out character positioning makes the flow of the issue extremely smooth, with there also being some extremely intense moments. Maloney also handles the inks perfectly, with the mixture of thick, and subtle lines allowing certain areas to stand out, as well as giving refinement. The colours of Dusty Yee also work brilliantly alongside Maloney’s art, with the general tone and texture being sensational.

The Last Fall really starts to shape up, with both past and present developments proving very exciting. Highly recommended.