The Unsound #2 Review
Written by Cullen Bunn
Art by Jack T. Cole
Lettered by Jim Campbell
Reviewed by Lorna Maltman ( maltmalorna@gmail.com)
As a teenager, I had a chemistry teacher who was just out of university and he could not explain the more complex concepts to the class. One lesson, after spending half the lesson trying to explain one such concept he decided to get the ‘smart’ kid to teach us, which only lead to more confusion, especially as this student was so nervous he ended up stuttering through his sentences. After reading this issue of the unsound I felt like I had just left that lesson, more confused, but this issue, unlike the lesson, left me satisfied and wanting to read the rest of the miniseries.
The first part of this issue is framed by Ashli giving her account of what happened to her at the end of the first issue (three patients in red robes encroaching on her) to the director of the hospital. We find out that these three said a lot of what seems almost cultish rhetoric, smeared some blood on her, but Xerxes intervened saying it was not yet time. It is clear during Ashli’s telling of the account that the director believes Ashli to have lost her sanity. The director, who was questioning Ashli, is interrupted by Nurse Jeffers informing them that the patients are rioting and killing people and are coming for the staff and, by proxy, them. Someone surprising does come to the aid of the staff, but the reader is left to question their motivations, especially after the ending where they are going to enter a door that has the weird messages all over it such as ‘eat less human flesh’.
Bunn does well to build up tension and expectations only to subvert them in the issue. Xerxes was the standout of this issue, with his weird and creepy paper plate mask, but Bunn develops and serves the characters and this weird world making it a place you want to come back and discover more about. Cole knocks the art out of the park, as he gives detail to the characters and emotions, but the simple and sketchy lines help evoke the weirdness of the hospital. This is shown especially with a double spread of the patients rioting, where he uses colours to great effect, showing the surreal and oddity of what is occurring.
Verdict:
Check it out. This is part two of a four issue miniseries, so it might be easier to pick up in trade. This is a great thriller/horror comic though, with interesting characters and art, but the highest praise I can give is that I will be definitely coming back for the rest of the series.
