The second issue introduces magic to the protagonist for the first time. Unfortunately, it’s one of the issue’s weaker moments, because his reaction is nowhere near intense enough.
The series has become, at least for the moment, a quest story–the quest for knowledge–and it’s definitely an approach Carey is comfortable playing with. The revelations we get this issue only raise more questions and these are new questions, the ones from the first issue are going unanswered so far.
I suppose Carey does answer some of the non-questions resulting from the first issue’s conclusion, but those answers come on these theme pages–like a newspaper clipping or a bunch of internet chat messages–it’s clearly not what’s really going on.
The issue ends on an awkward note, one to totally shake the reader and the protagonist. The reader and the protagonist get new information at the same time.
