ORCS! #2by Sheena McNeilReviews may contain information that could be considered 'spoilers'. Readers should proceed at their own risk. Publisher
Credits Grade: 6 The orcs outsmart the squirrels, but get in trouble for sending the squirrels to their king as the "treasure".The issue opens with one of the orc's kids leading a raid on the meats in the kitchen. It's fun, but I'm not sure why this is important for the plot. Back with the main motley crew, they have divided into three teams to tackle the squirrels and get the treasure. The two ways they outsmart the squirrels are fun and involve someone as bait running from the squirrels. The best part of both is the squirrels' faces and reactions to what happens. I love that they send the squirrels to their king; it's a great practical joke (and a bit of vengeance)! There's a nice Gandalf quote thrown in the mix when the squirrels attack. The consequences seem much worse than one would anticipate, though. What will become of these misfits? Also, I wasn't expecting them to go home so soon, so I'm a bit thrown off by all the daily-life aspects in this issue; it's now more of a slice-of-life comic. The way the real treasure is discovered is a nice surprise with a bit of its own humor, especially after the initial let-down of finding ... nuts. The old orc medicine woman is busy chasing her visions, but this issue lets us readers know she's not just playing around. I'm surprised she hasn't taught someone else how to do this for when she no longer can .... The issue wraps with another story of the legendary Orc hero, Drod One-Eye -- she comes across an elf and another orc, and helps them defeat an army of undead and a giant before agreeing to join their dangerous adventure / quest. I love Drod, and I would gladly read a whole series about her and her adventures, so I'm really glad there's another story in this issue. That said, I'm not sure why this is important to the plot. This is an enjoyable second issue, but I have no idea where this story is going. And there's not even a solid hook at the end to intrigue me to read more. Still, I like it enough (mostly for the humor and the Drod stories) that I'll give it one more issue to convince me it's worth following longer. Written: April 2, 2021
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