Written By: Bryan Hill
Art By: Rhoald Marcellius
Published By: Image Comics/ Top Cow
In the world of Bonehead, there was once a bonehead that went by the name of Blackdeath–a sort of “Robin Hood” that protected the city from the gangs and inspired many until the day he disappeared. In the second issue, we learn what drove Hideki to drop the moniker of Blackdeath and side with the law, eventually becoming the Gladiator who pursued 56 in the first issue. If I had to pick what I didn’t like about this issue, its that instead of establishing a legend and mystery around Blackdeath, his identity is revealed almost right away. It does build conflict within the character, but they could have made it last longer and built on Blackdeath more. 56 is the main character, however, and getting the reveal out of the way only adds conflict to Hideki’s character going forward.
56 mostly takes a backseat in this issue, but it does add a teaspoon of mystery to his backstory. We learn that he was in bad shape before Aleph came along and help turn him into the bad ass we see now. There isn’t much else revealed though. That’s not a bad thing though. He’s a silent protagonist, and there’s only so much narrative we can get from him in his current state. His presence in this issue just serves to introduce the Bonehead we know as Pumpkinjuice and the gang known as the Kings.
Not counting 56, Pumpkinjuice is easily becoming my favorite character in Bonehead. His design is slick, and he comes off like a goofy lovable sidekick. He’s desperate to get to know 56 after he saved his life, and he brings humor to the series as he does his best to pursue a clearly annoyed 56 across the rooftops of the city. By the end of the issue, he reports back to his gang and we get a small peek at some of the other members, like his leader Tyrant, the man he wanted 56 to meet.
One of the things I love about Bonehead is that each headset has its own unique look about it. Pumpkinjuice’s design is of course related to that of a pumpkin, but the other members of the Kings have added their own flair to their Boneheads. One looks like a bunny while another seems to have been inspired by Teen Titans’ “Red X”. Tyrant the gang’s leader looks like a cross between a Ninja and Samurai, which if you ask me fits perfectly for the both the world and his name.
While the momentum slows down considerably and the energy isn’t anywhere near as high as the first issue, Bonehead’s second entry is still really good. For what it lacks it makes up for in its narrative. There’s a lot more story telling and quite a few doors have been opened like Blackdeath and 56’s mysterious past. I still can’t wait for the next issue, especially with the Kings looking to take on 56.
