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[Punchy]

This book just gets weirder and weirder, and I’m really enjoying it. After burning through the New Crobuzon trilogy over the last month or so, I’m taking a break from Mieville novels and reading something simpler, but this is a nice little taste of his unique style every month. The main crux of this issue is that we find out a little bit more about who Squid and Ex Nihilo are, and also what in the fuck that weird Abyss thing last issue was. It’s all very complex and weird, but it makes sense, and I liked that Squid was revealed to not be all bad. The other interesting thing here is that Nelson became a hero without using the dial. He became ‘Rescue Jack’ just by putting on a cape and getting a hammer and some spanners. It’s hard to imagine the Nelson of #1 doing that, and it’s very clever how the Dial has not just turned him into a hero on the surface level, but how it’s effected him underneath too. Was anyone else who’s read Mieville’s novels reminded of The Weaver by Abyss? They spoke in similar elliptical ways. Mateus Santolouco’s art is also getting better and better, he manages to stop everything from getting too crazy and hard to follow.

[alaska1125]

I'm reading it, but this is one strange book. I'm giving it until the first arc finishes before I decide whether I'm going to pull the plug.

[Stephen Day]

I'm reading it, but this is one strange book.

Agreed, but after this issue I understand what's going on pretty much. Overall, I'm liking what I'm reading.