Hoax Hunters, Vol. 2
Secrets And Lies
Written by Michael Moreci & Steve Seeley
Art by Axel Medellin & Brent Schoonover
Colors by Rosario Costanzo & Charo Solis
Letters by Jim Campbell
Design by Sean Dove
Image Comics
Release Date: May 15, 2013
Cover Price: $9.99

As much as I hate to admit it, there’s one thing I can say for sure about Hoax Hunters, Vol. 2: it’s a MUCH better read in trade than it is in single issue format. Admittedly, I love the monthly form a LOT better, but when you read this trade all in one sitting, it’s just better.

Writers Michael Moreci and Steve Seeley really put the team through the gambit in this chapter, having them deal with everything from lawn gnomes to a reality TV show convention to vampires to a group that hunts the actual Hoax Hunters, to…well, you get the idea. Each chapter flows directly into the next, and without the 30 day wait periods, you really get a much better paced and more exiting story than you’d be reading in the monthlies. Yes, this book is good, but it’s almost great when you read it in this format. The story flows much better, Moreci and Seeley are still able to grab the audience by the shirt with suspense, but again, it’s much more compelling when it’s done this way. Am I saying the book should go straight to trade? No, not at all. I’ve just saying that you shouldn’t feel bad about trade waiting for this great series.

The art by Axel Medellin and Brent Schoonover is my one big problem with the book. They just don’t seem like they’re “there” yet. They’ve both got a great sense of layout and mood (especially Medellin) but, it’s just not doing it for me. Some of the humans look a bit off, but most of the monsters really hit a home run, both in concept and in execution. This book should have some MUCH better artists on it, that would be the final push that it needs to make this book raise to the “great” level.

Let’s face it, Image Comics is putting out some pretty fantastic stuff right now. Ground-breaking books like Saga (which i don’t get the love for) to old favorites like Youngblood. They are legitimately a really good company for the first time since their inception. For Hoax Hunters to hang with the big boys, it’s got to be better. And hey, isn’t good comics what we all want? That said, this volume of Hoax Hunters is a little above average when it could be WAY above average.