Dancing With The Dragon #2

Dancing With The Dragon #2

Scout Comics 2021

Written by Rob Mackinnon

Illustrated by Luca Casalanguida

Coloured by Natalia Nesterenko

Lettered by Joel Rodriguez

Connor O'Sullivan is a hapless limo driver who has taken over as the key money launderer for the Chinese triads in San Francisco. Well, in his defense, it sounded like a good idea at the time. But now FBI agent Marcus Williams is investigating the triads’ operations and soon discovers that Connor is a new player in the local money-laundering scene. Time is running out for poor Connor, and he’ll soon learn the hard way that even the luck of the Irish won’t save him from dancing with the dragon!

I am a huge fan of the fact that this has no superpowers, no capes and is just a regular story about a regular bloke who makes a stupid decision and finds himself way over his head. I mean driving a limo and then he takes his dead client's phone and next thing ya know it’s one boneheaded decision after another. It’s far from a slice of life story and in its own way is fantastical to see because who just happens upon this and can figure a way to worm his way into an organisation that would just as soon kill him as it would give him a job? Blythe is lucky because he’s none too bright but awfully pretty on the eyes.

I am very much enjoying the way that this is being told. The story & plot development that we see through how the sequence of events unfold as well as how the reader learns information are presented exceptionally well. The character development that we see through the narration, the dialogue, the character interaction as well as how we see them act and react to the situations and circumstances which they encounter does a magnificent job expanding and establishing the personalities. The pacing is superb and as it takes us through the pages revealing the story we’re caught up in how well the then & now storytelling is working.

I am very much liking the way that we see this being structured and how the layers within the story continue to emerge, grow, evolve and strengthen. I am also liking the way that the layers open up new avenues to be explored as this is where the depth, dimension and complexity comes from. The way that we see everything working together to create the story’s ebb & flow as well as how it moves the story forward is extremely well handled.

The interiors here are nice, a tad simple at times but nice. We see some great use of backgrounds here and it makes me wish we would see more as they enhance and expand the moments so well. They also work within the composition of the panels to bring out the depth perception, sense of scale and the overall sense of size and scope to the story is marvellous to see. The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels show a very talented eye for storytelling. The various hues and tones within the colours being utilised to create the shading, highlights and shadow work shows a superb understanding of how colour works.

I mentioned earlier how well the then & now style of storytelling was working extremely well here and it is. I like the way that we see the past as the beginning of the journey compared to the now that brings us to the present after a six month gap in time having passed. I’m also liking how we see Connor having already made up his mind and letting Blythe feel as if she’s in control of the decision making and that he wouldn’t do it if she didn’t think it was okay. I think their relationship has some interesting give and take to it but he’s a man who thinks he isn’t doing his job as a man by her and that’s where all the trouble starts.

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There is some intense and interesting writing to go along with the intriguing characterisation and these mighty fine interiors. Scout Comics is home to some outside the box thinking and storytelling and this book showcases just how good things can be outside that box.