REVIEW: Tales from Nottingham #2

3.78/5.0 Stars
Rating if the Book Were a Movie: R

Creative Team:

Writer: Anna Everts
Artist: Gabriel Serra
Colors: Josh Jensen
Letters: Justin Birch
Cover: Gabriel Serra
Editor: Brian Hawkins 
Publisher: Mad Cave Studios 

Ratings:

Story: 3.9 Stars
Artwork: 3.7 Stars
Cover Artwork: 3.7 Stars
Dialogue: 3.8 Stars
Mechanics: 3.9 Stars
Editing: 3.7 Stars 

About the Book:

Tales from Nottingham #2 takes us back to 1191, before the Merry Men made their presence felt. Sheriff Blackthorne and Lord Gisborne are on a hunting expedition when they happen upon a poached deer. Lord Gisborne demands that the sheriff finds out who is responsible for this. From there an investigation into finding a poacher turns into discovering a plot to assassinate Prince John.

Reader’s Notes:

Tales from Nottingham continues to give us more character depth as the series progresses. It’s possible that Sheriff Blackthorne has one of the worst jobs in fictional, if not actual, history. In addition to maintaining law and order in Nottingham he has to be at the beck and call of every lord, duke, and earl in the region. Additionally, he has to make himself available for any whims Prince John may have. When does he get time to sleep?

I liked experiencing the thrill of the detective work Sheriff Blackthorne did on his quest to find the poacher. Interviewing witnesses, seeking out potential hideouts, and finally catching the culprit. What a rush!

I am very fond of this cover. It gives us the key players in the story while cleverly giving us the setting. I liked how the coloring was done to differentiate the forest from the cloaks of our heroes.

The artwork on the interior pages matches the cover with the stroke. Lines are solid. We get great detail, while not getting so much that it becomes a distraction. I liked when the sheriff was interviewing the butcher.

As a geek on a budget I highly recommend Tales from Nottingham #2. It is easy to fall into. It reads like a one shot. Best of all, it sets the table for the third story arc of Nottingham.