REVIEW: 'Snow Angels' #2 by Jeff Lemire and Jock

Two of the most acclaimed creators of their generation -- Writer JEFF LEMIRE and Artist JOCK -- together for the first time in SNOW ANGELS -- a 10-part science fiction adventure story set in a brutal world like no other!

In part 2 of "Season One," Millie and Mae Mae come face-to-face with the killer Snowman for the first time!

Part of the comiXology Originals line of exclusive digital content only available on comiXology and Kindle. Read for free as part of your subscription to comiXology Unlimited, Kindle Unlimited or Amazon Prime. Also available for purchase via comiXology and Kindle.

Love the comic? Read the short story! Start the saga with a 21-page short story by Jeff Lemire, featuring cover art by Jock. Presented by Amazon Original Stories. Read or listen free with Prime at Amazon.

Snow Angels #2 

(comiXology Originals) 

Written by Jeff Lemire

Art by Jock

Edited by Will Dennis

Digital Release Date: March 16, 2021

Age Rating: 15+ Only

Score:

★★★1/2 (3.5/5)

After the massacre of the Trenchfolk, Milli, Mae, and their Dad are left with no choice but to run. The mythical terror known as The Snowman is indeed real and a soulless killing machine. Despite all the rules that have been laid out over generations about never leaving the Trench, if they're to survive and escape the reach of the Snowman they'll be forced to go further than anyone has ever gone. 

Opening where the last issue left off, the family holds their breath as to not being detected. Once, alone amid the carnage the panic sets in, and the urge to flee becomes a reality. They can't afford to stay put and have the Snowman return. The kids are baffled. Leaving the Trench goes against everything they've been taught. The father sees the danger in staying put, alone and vulnerable. The more distance they put between themselves and that monster the better, he thinks. But will it be enough to evade the Snowman after all?

In some respects 'Snow Angels' is "The Terminator in the Artic." A relentless killer determined to wipe out the Trenchfolk hot on the trail of these three survivors. But what makes this action thriller different is the family dynamic, the relatable tension, and the anxiety in keeping your loved ones safe. Under normal circumstances ensuring that your children's needs are met and are prepared for life is a constant way of life. To do so in a blistering cold climate under the threat of death from not just the weather but malicious forces is fear-inducing. Maintaining that sense of terror throughout the issue is what keeps the reader glued to the page. 

Jock does some smart and creative work here as the backgrounds are made up of blindly white snow so there's what appears to be empty negative space but really isn't. He finds the contours and edges of the Trench and snowbanks while finding separation between land and sky with a soft blue glow interrupted at times with white flurries. The limited color scheme and scarce environment may seem simple but it's really about designing by not just what's there but what isn't. Everything is deliberate and the use of red really contrasts everything else with stunning results. 

'Snow Angels' is a tense thriller that takes a familiar premise and grounds in familial angst and anxiety. Jeff Lemire creates a pulse-pounding monster story as Jock does a masterful job of creating a unique landscape that is fraught with suspense. This is just getting started.