Butcher Baker, the Righteous Maker #2

Written by Joe Casey
Art by Mike Huddleston

It's only been two weeks since this new, over-the-top series debuted, and we already get to read the second issue!  That's impressive, especially when you look at Casey's other 'monthly' book, the delay-plagued Godland.

Where the first issue of Butcher Baker was concerned with establishing Butcher's character and situation, this issue is mostly given over to the surviving members of his rogue's gallery, who are now free from their imprisonment.  We meet Jihad Jones, who has the potential to become a very interesting character, and a bunch of other standard super-villains, who so far don't seem too interesting.  There's also a cosmic hermaphrodite character who could fit just as well in Godland, and who seems to be manipulating the others.

The core of this book, to me at least, appears to be the growing conflict between Butcher and Arnie B. Willard, the local sheriff he ran of the road in the first issue, and now ends up sharing a drink with at a roadside eatery.  Picture Boss Hogg getting into a fight with the Comedian from The Watchmen, and you'll get the idea.  These scenes are pretty funny, but I found the villain scenes to be a little long.  It's Casey though, so he gets the benefit of the doubt for now.