Caligula #2

Written by David Lapham
Art by German Nobile

This is one comic that is really not going according to my expectations of it.  I thought that, with Lapham writing a story set in the most decadent period of ancient Rome, that we would get a perverse little revenge story, as young Junius would attempt to avenge his family for their ill-treatment at the mad emperor's hands.  The first issue ended with a surprise that had me expecting that we would be moving into Ides of Blood territory, with Caligula turning out to be something we are familiar with in modern-day comics (trying not to spoil stuff here).

As this issue opens, Junius doesn't know how to react to last issue's surprise.  He gets re-christened Felix (for luck), and becomes a part of the emperor's entourage.  This means he gets strapped to the front of a chariot during a bloody and dangerous race, and then later has to help Caligula when he decides to defile his own sister (Caligula's, not Junius's).

This issue ends in a manner that is even stranger (and quite possibly a comic book first) than I would have ever expected.  What I'm undecided about is whether or not Lapham is just going for shock value, or if there is some sort of higher purpose to the insanity that makes up this book.