Graphic Novel Review – Skullkickers Treasure Trove 2 by Jim Zub and Edwin Huang (4/5 stars)

Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Fantasy/Graphic Novel
Length: 320 pages
Publisher: Image Comics
Release Date: October 17, 2013
ISBN-13: 978-1607067948
Stand Alone or Series: 2nd book in the Skullkickers Treasure Trove series
Source: Gift
Rating: 4/5 stars

This is the second volume in the Skullkickers Treasure Trove series and collects issues 12-23 of the Skullkickers comics series and includes some additional Tavern Tales at the end of the book.

Our heroes (or anti-heros) have escaped lynching by hopping on a boat full of female pirates. Little did they know that onboard is another Thool egg (and the pretty female elf that caused a heap of trouble in book one). We are treated to a journey into the past which shows us how Rex got his awesome gun and a huge battle on the seven seas when the Thool gets out of control. Then our heroes crash into a kind of abandoned island where they find yet another evil Thool egg.

I feel like in this volume the series really hits its stride; the humor was more consistent and well done than in the first volume. There are some arguments between the narrators that are pretty funny (if a bit corny as well).

As with the first Treasure Trove volume there is a lot of action and violence and humor. The whole thing is very tongue in cheek and pays homage to classic fantasy role-playing games everywhere.

I really enjoyed the journey back in time to see where Rex got his gun; this was well done and added some depth to the story. This little aside also provides some backstory as to why Rex is able to talk to nature.

The illustration is fairly cartoonish which isn’t my favorite style of illustration, but there is enough detail that I enjoyed it alright. I loved the full and vibrant colors throughout. The illustration was easy to follow and the characters are easy to distinguish from each other.

Overall this was a good continuation of the Skullkickers series. I enjoyed the action, the fantasy theme, and all the goofy humor. This is a pretty violent graphic novel, so you have been warned. I still enjoy the Rat Queen’s series more, but this has been a consistently good and light-hearted fantasy themed graphic novel series as well. I would recommend to those who enjoy humorous fantasy graphic novels. I will probably check out Treasure Trove 3 when it releases in October of 2015.

This book goes towards the following reading challenges:
– Graphic Novel Reading Challenge
– You Read How Many Books? Reading Challenge