Canto returns to New Arcana with Falco and his friends, but now faces the Shrouded Man in person. Does he have enough allies to rally his cause? Find out in Canto: A Place Like Home #2 from Dark Horse Comics!

CANTO: A PLACE LIKE HOME #2

Writer: David M. Booher
Artist: Drew Zucker
Colorist: Vittorio Astone
Letterer: Andworld Design
Editor: Spencer Cushing
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: July 3, 2024

Previously in Canto: The little hero returns to the Shrouded Man’s tower to rescue his friends. All the while, the Shrouded Man mocks him. Canto failed before, yet here he is again. Why does he expect this time to be different? Outside New Arcana, the Shrouded Man’s army approaches and is larger than anyone had expected. Canto has not yet arrived with reinforcements. Elder decides to talk with the army in the hopes of buying some more time. Canto releases his friends and learns that Falco is dying. The Shrouded Man suddenly appears, claiming that he will spare Canto’s people, if Canto returns his heart so he can destroy it.

THE RACE FOR HOME

Falco’s heart may be slowing, but as Canto: A Place Like Home #2 opens, the title character is determined to get his friend back to New Arcana, even if it means climbing down the outside of the tower to avoid the guards. Rikta apologizes for coming here on their own, but Canto understands that they are trying to help. They make their way down the tower, but the chains start to give way. Falco falls, but the Malorex is there to catch him. Canto urges Falco and Rikta to hurry back with the Malorex, but they insist that Falco go with the Malorex. Rikta has another idea.

Outside of New Arcana, Elder is dead. The Shrouded Man orders his people to build a pyre as a warning. Before they can, Essa steps up and insists she will take Elder back with her. Sounding almost bored, the Shrouded Man claims he is willing to kill them all one by one, if they insist. Then Rune, the Vikus, steps out. The Shrouded Man recognizes him as the only one in his family who did not defy him and declares he will let Rune live, if he pledges allegiance to him.

Much to Essa’s dismay, Rune kneels. But this was only a distraction. He draws his sword, rises, and attacks the Shrouded Man, calling for the army to step forward. Rune announces that he was wrong not to stand with his family, and he will not make the same mistake again. The fighting is fierce, but the army looks for Canto to help them hold off against the Shrouded Man.

Canto and the Malorex burst onto the scene. After some melee, Canto orders his army to withdraw to the forest. Essa tells him the Elder has fallen. Rune picks up the body. They all retreat to the trees and cut off the connecting bridges. Canto is here, but too late to save Elder and he has no clock of his own to help Falco. But he does have friends, friends who are willing to give some of their own precious time to Falco.

THE DRAMA OF WAR

Canto’s people are at the forefront of Canto: A Place Like Home #2, and I admire how expressive they are when I consider that we get that expression from their body language and their eyes. These are a clockwork people. Their bodies are made of metal, like armor that harbors an inner flame, but they do not have flexible faces. So much is communicated through their eyes, and we can pick up on their emotions. Right from the start we see Canto’s determination and observe as Rikta’s regrets change to match him. In stark contrast, we barely see Falco’s eyes as he cannot hold them open. He is closer to his end than any other prominent character.

On the battlefield, the Shrouded Mad seems almost larger than life. He is tall to begin with and his robes and cloak flow out from him as though they are alive in their own right. This gives the artist the opportunity to fill panels in interesting and dramatic ways. It also helps him stand out in the melee which does take several pages and spotlights all the major players so far at least briefly. Canto has seen visions of him before, but it is clear that now he is the real deal.

BOTTOM LINE: FIGHTING AGAINST TIME

The tension continues to build in Canto: A Place Like Home #2 as we wonder whether all of Canto’s work making friends and allies will pay off for him and his people.

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