Written by: Chip Zdarsky
Art by: Kagan McLeod
Publisher: Image
I wasn’t entirely sold on the first issue of Kaptara, finding Keith to be an annoying character and the humor to be mostly unfunny and cringe-inducing. Those are big problems for a science fiction comedy epic, yet there was something about the first issue that made me want to come back for another try.
I’m still not sure what that “something” was, but I’m glad I returned. Issue 2 of Kaptara is good, perhaps very good even, and it corrects almost all of the problems I had with the first installment.
Our plot continues with Keith adjusting himself to a new life on Kaptara. The Queen’s army is heading off to stop the dreaded Skullthor from destroying Earth, but Keith wants no part of the journey. He’s done with our doomed planet and ready to start fresh. Plus, the person training him how to fight is attractive, and that’s up Keith’s back alley.
But when a package of Lance’s belongings shows up at Keith’s door, he begins to rethink his stance on Earth. Perhaps there is something (or someone) worth saving after all.
I’ve said this once and I’ll say it again and again until my throat dries up and my fingers break: All good stories are built on good characters. I took umbrage with Keith in Issue 1, finding him annoying, but now that he’s had some time to adjust, think, and just breathe, Keith is starting to show some colors I really like. He’s prone to acting on impulses, which can be both a blessing and a curse, and while he puts on a sarcastic front, there’s much more beneath the surface. Issue 2 does a good job of showing this while also making him sympathetic.
He’s also quite funny this time around, which helps a lot.
The characters surrounding Keith also get some fleshing out, and I’m starting to enjoy all of them. They’re a colorful cast, and they’re also funny this time around.
On the art front, I just dig how this comic looks. Kaptara is a crazy place, and Kagan does a great job of selling all of the oddities. Between the amusing/emotional expressions and references to pop culture (I’ve spotted He-Man and The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy thus far), there are also just wonderfully strange creatures to enjoy. Also, there’s a cat tank.
The only problems I truly had with Issue 2 of Kaptara where the few jokes that didn’t land at all. There were perhaps more of those than there should have been, but they also didn’t make me cringe this time around, which is a big step up from the last issue.
Everything else though? It’s all solid stuff. This one, I recommend. The first issue is a little rough, but I’ve a feeling this ride will be totally worth it. Bring on Issue 3!
