Harvest #2 Review

Atmospheric and slightly disturbing, Harvest #2 continues the wonderfully in-depth tale of illegal surgeons. This issue sees a more explosive development, keeping the mini-series going at a decent pace, never getting bogged down in any one moment.

The official description from Image:

As Dr. Benjamin Dane continues his plunge down the rabbit hole that is the black market for human organs, he signs a deal with a devil named Craven which Dane signs in blood with an alcohol level of about 22.  His only help? The kid on the cover.  Harvest: Medical Grade Revenge.

The most notable thing about Harvest #2 is that it doesn’t really require Harvest #1 to read, although reading the latter does greatly enhance the former. Harvest #1 introduces Dr. Dane, showcasing how and why he lost his job. Yet its not needed to read this issue. Harvest #1 captured the titles mood and atmosphere. In many ways, it was a pilot for the series, and Harvest #2 is just a good an issue to get on board. Everything is made clear at the beginning, and this is great starting point for late readers.

As for this issue, the pacing keeps this title fresh. Rather than constantly repeating the ‘illegal organs’ side of the story, Harvest is a surprisingly well rounded title. There’s character development, plot and various emotional themes all working together. It gives Harvest a strong sense of realism, as opposed to simply being an experiment in moody story telling. The color palette and art style further push this. There’s a lot of dark blues and blacks that convey the atmosphere, but its not without color where its needed.

This can be best shown with the the ‘kid’ character. The title doesn’t hide the fact that the child might not be real, more an projection of the main characters innocence/redemption, but it doesn’t rub it in either. The kid in many ways is the readers eyes, offering exposition when its needed. This is seen greatly in the end of this issue. The relationship between Ben and the kid is at the heart of this title.  More than just a little quirk, it gives depth and emotion to an otherwise dry character.

The ending is also highly effective. It brings together many of my points regarding Harvest. Its emotional, tied to both the story and the themes. Its something that’s known to various characters throughout the issue, but denied to the kid (and thus the reader) right until the end. If you’re looking for drama, suspense and a tiny bit of gore, then Harvest #2 has you covered.