I was lukewarm about the first volume, so volume 2 was going to be the great decider. I have way too many series and other graphic novels to read. And yet, I still don’t know if I like The Wicked + The Divine, but I do know I’ll buy volume 3 next year. The only feeling I have on this series that I can articulate is that: I’m intrigued. That doesn’t mean I like it, but I also don’t not like it.
The Pantheon gets completed (and then some) this time around. The eleventh god is revealed to be Dionysus and I think he might be my favorite character design so far. It’s the tattooed laurel wreath. And the smiley button (which I’m assuming is a nod to Watchmen and now I feel like I need to go reread both volumes to see if there are any other shout outs to other iconic graphic novels).
There’s still a lot of unanswered questions left over from the first volume and this one answers few and creates more. Lucifer’s would be murders do get identified, but the judge’s killer is still at large. Ananke reveals a bit about the purpose and creation of the Pantheon and her role in it. But judging by her actions, I’m not sure anything she says can be trusted. Although humans incorrectly assume if they kill one of the Pantheon, then that god’s powers get transferred to the human; this isn’t the same for the gods themselves – she tells Baphomet that he would gain more time if he kills one of the Pantheon. And of course, Baphomet, being Baphomet and prizing his own desires above all others as the holiest way to live, uses this information. She can’t have thought he wouldn’t act on it. So what is her deal? Is she sick of her job and wants the Pantheon to fail? Or is she the most naive millenia old woman? And what, exactly, would be the failure of the Pantheon? Mankind failing to be inspired? A black hole swallows the sun? More questions than answers, as I said.
