Advance Review: Unraveling The Mysterious ‘Junior Baker: The Righteous Faker’ #2

There is a panel, three-quarters of the way through the second issue of Junior Baker: The Righteous Faker, where journalist Dizzy Baker encounters a massive machine siphoning off something from the city streets.

As he’s looking at the monstrosity, Dizzy shares this with readers: “I write for a living. I put words together in a way that I hope conveys the thoughts in my head…But I have no fucking idea how to accurately describe what I’m looking at here.”

I understand exactly how he feels.

This issue, much like the series to date, has been a conundrum. Monthly series can be difficult to review because a single issue tells only part of the larger tale. Like readers, reviewers don’t know where the story is headed a few issues down the road, so a complete review can’t happen until the publisher releases a trade paperback. Otherwise, it’s like reviewing chapters of a book.

In other words, I have no idea, at this point in the story, whether the narrative is any good. Dizzy is investigating a series of church fires set, he believes, by a group called the Clergymen. Meanwhile, someone or something has sent him a bottle of tequila that has him seeing crazy things. And there seems to be a spiritual guide who is shepherding him along the journey.

So is Joe Casey’s script any good? Who knows. By the time the limited series ends in issue #5 and more is revealed, it could turn out to be a masterpiece. Or it may be something much less. This much is clear: the writing itself is strong. And that is enough to keep people interested in the run.

It also seems clear that Casey and artist Ryan Quackenbush are on the same page. Quackenbush, with his stunning imagery throughout the book, is the real star so far. This issue, though, grounds him a bit. The first issue’s script enabled the illustrator to tap more into his immense creativity to produce eye-popping visuals. This follow-up chapter, despite its mystifying story, forces him a bit more down to Earth. But just a bit. There is plenty to love here, visually.

While there are a few clues, it’s practically impossible to know where this creative team is taking this series. But it seems like a journey worth taking.

Junior Baker: The Righteous Faker #2 will be available for purchase on October 18, 2023.