In a world full of demon mobsters, Eddie’s curse still makes him different. Eddie can die… but only until someone else touches him. At that point, they permanently take a dirt nap and Eddie comes back alive and kicking. But during those times when he’s been dead, Eddie’s seen something in the limbo where he winds up, something important: the soul of his dead and departed mother. Now he must talk his brother Morgan into working through their differences and teaming together to try and rescue their mom from a horrible fate. But it won’t be easy; the mobsters Eddie pissed off in the previous volume want him dead and buried where no one can touch him and bring him back. And with his wrists slit and dripping, that leaves Morgan in a precarious position for a mission he doesn’t believe in.

THE DAMNED was a pleasant surprise in its initial appearance, and a sequel was fairly inevitable. Fortunately, Bunn and Hurtt don’t rest easy on their laurels in launching volume two. The story moves forward, but it also moves in a different direction, not content to settle for re-treading over the same old ground. By introducing Morgan and by giving Eddie a personal mission not related to his own curse, the book has a stronger character base, and a stronger attraction for the reader.

The scripting is tight, Bunn having a nice ear for dialogue, and Hurtt’s work looks as good as it usually does. Much like volume one, this looks like it should be pretty solid all the way through.

Marc Mason