One thing that’s hard to stomach about Santa Carla: All the damn vampires. Feather your hair and grab your acid wash, next stop 1987! Your Major Spoilers review of The Lost Boys #2 awaits!
THE LOST BOYS #2
Writer: Tim Seeley
Artist: Scott Godlewski
Colorist: Trish Mulvihill
Letterer: Clem Robins
Editor: Jamie S. Rich
Publisher: DC Comics
Cover Price: $3.99
Previously in The Lost Boys: After moving to California, thanks to a bitter divorce, the Emerson family was quickly enmeshed in the madness that is Santa Carla. Elder son Michael was almost vampirified permanently, and only the quick actions of his brother Sam, the peculiar Frog brothers, Edgar and Allen and a last-second save by Grampa Emerson saved him from the eternal life of the undead. Unfortunately, even with David and his pals dusted, there are still monsters at large, some with a serious grudge against Michael’s girlfriend, the former vampire called Star.
RIP GRAMPA EMERSON
When Stephen and I tackled issue #1 of this series on Dueling Review, I wasn’t quite sold. Any adaptation is going to be difficult, but (for reasons legal or otherwise) there seems to be no attempt to make the characters in this book resemble the actors from the movie. Perhaps I’m just getting used to the new faces, or perhaps the plot has grabbed me enough to not worry so much about it, but this issue is much more engaging than the first for me. We begin with the Emerson family identifying the remains of Grampa, including a really clever, bleakly funny explanation from the medical examiner that the seeming vampire bites are just a gang initiation ritual. While Sam and his family mourn, the Frog Brothers take action, using last issue’s offhand remark about an underground city as an excuse to investigate the sunken hotel that was the lair of David’s vampire band. They find what they’ve been looking for, but are overwhelmed when they discover the vampire gang…
…and a still-somehow-functional David.
BUT I LOVE THAT LAST PAGE REVEAL
Last issue’s subplot about a wannabe vampire hunter clearly seemed to be going somewhere, but this issue’s final page reveals his identity, and… I kinda love it. (And now, I’m not going to spill it, but if you’ve seen the movie as often as I have, you might cheer as well.) Seeley’s story is going places now, and the loose band of heroes who defeated Max and his boys are getting taken out of the equation one by one. Still up in the air are the matters of Star’s loyalty and what can actually be DONE about the new vampires, but it’s a six issue series, so much of that is for the second act. The art in this issue feels more confident than last time, with Godlewski getting a little more action in, as well as a really heartbreaking moment where Lucy breaks down over the loss of her father…
THE BOTTOM LINE: STILL WEIRD, BUT… IMPROVING
This issue is a fine example of how a last-page reveal can change everything, but even without that moment, this issue would have swayed my take on number one, thanks to the emotional nature of the loss of Grampa and the unexpected awesome of Edgar and Allen’s last stand. The Lost Boys #2 delivers what you want from a story about vampire-hunting, hits strong emotional notes and says hello to the night (LOST BOOOOYS! LOOST IN THE SHAADOOOOOWS!), earning a better-than-average 3 out of 5 stars overall. If nothing else, I can’t wait to see how next issue pans out with respect to the last vampire-hunting recruit…
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