Can this outing live up to the quality of the prior release?  Read on to find out.

The official description from Dark Horse:

Outgunned and outnumbered by an army of Nazis, a group of GIs must band together and unleash the Hyperborean power of the mysterious man in the iron suit in order to make it home safely.

When it comes to placing fantastical ideas into established history, there’s a certain line that needs to be walked.  Thankfully this more than competent creative team does just that as they yield an authentic tale that delivers the origins for this hero while paying homage and respect to the fighting men of the day.  In short, this two part mini-series concludes in a way that is certainly worthy of your money and time.

Mike Mignola and John Arcudi work together to deliver a well put-together script, that by the time your each the final page you realize it packs quite an emotional punch.  As brief as this jaunt is the authors see fit to give passable character development to those involved as tragic circumstances lead to a truly nameless life.  From beginning to end I was honestly hooked by the content therein, as the legacy of this specific suit of armor was established right before a somber but fitting end.  My only complaint here is that I wish there had been an extension to allow some necessary development for the supporting men.

The art by Jason Latour is outstanding as his unique style fit within the confines of this franchise’s interpretation of the world.  I was particularly impressed with the way the illustrator seamlessly guided the narrative from its more chaotic moments to simpler scenes without sacrificing the tone established in last month’s outing.  Each pencil stroke yields detailed authenticity via a well-structured rendition with enough soul to sell this outlandish literary adventure to not only its dedicated audience.

Sledgehammer 44 #2 is a highly impressive comic book that may be a bit too light on the character development, especially in regards to the ancillary players, but it delivers on every other front.  Recommended.

4/5