The History Of Magic: ‘Hidden Society #2’ Reviewed
by Josh Davison
Mild Spoilers Ahead
Ulloo explains the history of the Hidden Society to Mercy, Jadoo, Laura, and Orcus. Mercy is still pointing a gun at Ulloo, but he convinces her to help him in his quest to stop the Siblings of Nihil. The Siblings are a nihilistic death cult of magic practitioners who have taken over the Hidden Society and intend to end all life on Earth. After everyone agrees to help Ulloo, he takes them to Sicily to go about the task of stopping the Siblings of Nihil. Unfortunately, the Siblings immediately find them and the new Hidden Society must quickly learn how to use their magical abilities to protect themselves.
Hidden Society #2 introduces the mission of our heroes and their enemies. They must face down the Siblings of Nihil, save the previous Hidden Society, and keep the world from ending.
The history of the Hidden Society is about what one would expect. They are a millennia-old society of magic practitioners who protect the world from the supernatural threats that assail it. The main twist is that the first Hidden Society accidentally ended the world carelessly and subsequent versions of the group work to prevent that from happening again.
We don’t really see how the new Hidden Society gets along yet. They’re all focused on Ulloo and the new threat before them.
Laura shows a more devious and perceptive side, which is interesting. We also get some hints of her and Mercy’s backstories.
The Siblings of Nihil show up surprisingly quickly. They show themselves to be potentially enjoyable villains though. They talk in strange diction and seem to have a sense of humor.
Rafael Albuquerque’s artwork doesn’t disappoint. The comic is well-detailed, flowing, and has a good visual design. The aesthetic of the Siblings of Nihil is particularly striking and memorable and I continue to enjoy the design of Orcus and Mercy. Marcelo Costa brings some excellent color design that gives the book a distinct atmosphere and mood while just looking damn good.
Hidden Society #2 is another strong issue for this Dark Horse series. While the history of the Hidden Society is largely predictable, the characters, plot, and artwork are all very good. It’s an energetic book with a lot to enjoy and it easily earns a recommendation. Check it out.
Hidden Society #2 comes to us from writer Rafael Scavone, artist and cover artist Rafael Albuquerque, color artist Marcelo Costa, letterer Bernardo Brice, and variant cover artist Greg Tocchini.
Final Score: 8/10
