Summary: The critically-lauded best-selling hyphen-abusing series of stardom, divinity, and death returns with a second volume that’s even grander than the first, because it contains six issues instead of five. THE FAUST ACT is over. Welcome to FANDEMONIUM. Includes cover gallery and anything else we’ll cram in the back, because we just can’t help ourselves.

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The Wicked + The Divine, vol. 2, by Kieron Gillen, Jamie McKelvie, Clayton Cowles and Matt Wilson 7.5

Following the death of Lucifer, Laura has been laying low, confused and depressed. But, one day, she’s called upon by Inanna, who has taken on a male form very reminiscent of Prince; he has information for her.

…a lead on the identity of the assassins.

This spurs Laura into collaborating with Inanna, to dig deeper and reveal the truth behind these murders. She begins to mingle with the deities once again, learning more about their motivations and hidden secrets.

This volume of ‘W+D’ is basically “inside baseball” and barely moves the plot along; it explores the various deities and their dynamics, but the original mystery is barely explored. Instead, it’s quickly wrapped up at the tail end.

And since it didn’t involve Laura, it was disappointing.

Though true to life.

And then there’s the third issue (or series issue eight) which mostly consists of Laura dancing at Dionysus’ rave. Maybe it’s more than merely skin-deep, but I couldn’t register any subtext or playful references.

Frankly, it seemed like filler to me.

Pretty filler.

But filler nonetheless.

Still, the book explodes with creative touches that continue to make the series such a blast to read and it culminates in an unexpected and jaw-dropping ending. Truly, nothing seems to be sacred with Kieron Gillen.

Or is it…?

We soon shall see…

Though he doesn’t balk at throwing wrenches into the mix, Gillen clearly venerates pop culture in ways that few of his peers do – the way he incorporates his knowledge of music into his work is nothing short of brilliant.

As a music fan, I’m in ecstasy.

I was especially fond of his Inanna, being a big Prince fan (I believe he remains the artist I’ve collected the most CDs of – which is saying a lot!). If Gillen doesn’t adore Prince then this apparent homage masks it well.

Gillen, McKelvie, Clayton Cowles and Matt Wilson are a creative team like none other. They’re all stellar at their own craft and they respond to each other’s input with equal inspiration, upping each other’s game.

Frankly, at this point, I’m so enamoured with them that I’d read anything they do. Even if it doesn’t satisfy me conceptually or from a plot perspective, I know that there will be an abundance of treats in store.

‘The Wicked + The Divine’ is a prime example of this.