The Amory Wars: In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3 #2
Writers: Claudio Sanchez and Peter David
Artist: Chris Burnham
Colorist: Zac Atkinson
Letterer: Johnny Lowe
Published By: Boom! Studios/Evil Ink Comics
Price: $3.99
Release Date: June 23, 2010

The science fiction epic The Amory Wars: In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth 3 really takes off in this second issue of the series. After the introductions to the cast we get a little more back story regarding the characters, and the action starts when we see the characters of Inferno and his children, and get more of a look at the villains of the story, General Mayo Deftinwolf, and the Supreme Tri-Mage Wilhelm Ryan. Claudio Sanchez and Peter David take this issue to set up the conflicts in the story and provide a refresher in the motivations for each of the characters, and they do a fantastic job in doing so.

Issue #2 starts where we left off, with our hero, Claudio Kilgannon, explaining to his former girlfriend’s dog where he has been and all of the reasons for his absence in their lives. Sanchez and David use this conversation as a device to explain more of the history of the series, which is very complex and has previously had an entire series that takes place before In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3. Also, we experience the trials and tribulations of those that oppose the Supreme Tri-Mage, and get a real look at the rebel forces through the descriptions of Kilgannon’s experiences off-planet, and Inferno growing his forces to fight this evil empire.

While the first issue took a look at the story, and made loads of references to Coheed and Cambria’s album sharing the same title, issue #2 takes on its own voice and becomes the story that I think we were all looking forward to, and it finds the voice of the previous installment of The Amory Wars: The Second Stage Turbine Blade, which made references to their albums, but provided an incredible amount of depth to the universe centered around The Keywork, and it is nice to see the second issue of The Amory Wars: IKSSE: 3 to start to take on that approach.

I enjoyed Chris Burnham‘s art far more on this issue than I did previously. The art hasn’t changed drastically, but this issue seems to be cleaner, but it definitely still has a gritty look to it, which doesn’t appeal to me, but it is, by no means, bad art.

Although the first issue had a lot of nods to the fans of Coheed and Cambria, it’s good to see this series breaking away from that mold and taking on a life of it’s own. Issue #2 is the start of the epic saga that is deserving of the title The Amory Wars.