Tales From Nottingham #2 is where Mad Cave’s anthology series really begins. Two of the 2021 Talent Search winners show their stuff with a well presented investigation of Sheriff Blackthorne.
Tales From Nottingham #2 – The Company
When it comes to the story, it’s a simple and clean one from Anna Everts. No ties to the main plots, just a showcase of Everett Blackthorne. For any newcomer it’s a good way to introduce the series’ main protagonist. But what makes this issue special is giving nuance to what happens in the first trade. Especially with Sir Alan Dale, Blackthorne’s friend and main helper. You get the sense that he and the sheriff are dependable partners. Which makes Dale’s fate in the main series all the more tragic with this context.
Aside from that there are a few fan service moments from the first trade. Which… might not age well in regards to red haired people. But then there are the added layers to side character Lord Gisborne. As far as being a typical entitled and thin-skinned noble who likes to throw his status around gives him anyway.
Visual Investigation
Gabriel Serra’s artwork delivers a visual spectacle that tells the story. When Blackthorne and Dale go to question witnesses for details about their suspect their interviews are in juxtaposition with a map. The interviews with the witnesses are aligned with their houses’ location as well as the time spent going to them. Or at least as much as the reader gets out of their testimonies. All the while a big circled X marks the crime scene. It gets readers into Blackthorne’s head and how he approaches his cases. This way they understand Blackthorne’s awareness as they go to the next page.
Tales of Nottingham #2 Shows A Winner
Tales of Nottingham #2 is a good way to give layers to characters when the main story had no time. Meanwhile the artwork shows great visual language clear and clean enough for readers to feel the emotions characters go through. Even the colorist Josh Jensen and letterer Justin Birch give the impression that they’re in sync with the winners.
This issue gets 8/10.