BABYLON COVE #2 (Mad Cave Studios)

Heather finds herself the only person that notices the deaths and odd things going on in Babylon Cove. Unfortunately, because of her past in the town, she is like the boy who cried wolf and no one is willing to believe her. Her only hope for help is Charlie, but will he even believe her?

Babylon Cove #2 - Written By Rafer Roberts – Drawn By Joe Eisma - Colors By Marissa Louise – Letters By Crank! - Edited By Ryan Carroll & James B. Emmett - Published By Mad Cave Studios

Credit: Mad Cave Studios

*** POSSIBLE SPOILER WARNING ***

STORY OVERVIEW:

Karthon is trying to bring back his love Teratia but is unsuccessful in his attempts. He realizes that he may need Heather to be the vessel for his queen. Meanwhile, Heather is out to dinner with her ex-boyfriend and the mayor of Babylon Cove, Dennis. What starts off as a nice meal becomes heated when Dennis brings up the past. As Heather storms out she witnesses old man Pritchard get hit by a car. Before he dies, he tells her that he was sent to get her by Karthon and she’s in danger. Unfortunately, no one in town believes her because of her past and this isolates her. With all that’s going on she can only turn to Charlie as she did when she was younger. However, will Charlie believe her or even want to help her?

WRITING:

This issue continues to build on the story in a way that makes Babylon Cove feel bigger, stranger, and more dangerous with each new reveal. Rafer Roberts does a strong job of balancing the personal drama surrounding Heather with the supernatural threat that is slowly closing in around her. The more we learn about Heather’s past in town, the more her present situation gains weight. Her reputation makes it easy for everyone to dismiss her warnings, which adds a frustrating but effective layer of tension because the reader knows something is wrong even when the people around her refuse to listen.

Heather’s interactions with Dennis and Charlie also give the issue a stronger emotional edge. Her attempt to reconnect with Dennis is complicated by the baggage they clearly still carry, and the conversation quickly shows how unresolved their history remains. At the same time, her reliance on Charlie suggests that old patterns are starting to resurface. Roberts makes Heather a flawed lead rather than a simple victim, and that makes her more interesting. The way she moves between vulnerability, desperation, and manipulation gives the story more depth and keeps the character dynamics from feeling one-note.

The horror elements work because they are woven into the drama instead of overpowering it. Karthon’s attempts to bring back Teratia add a clear supernatural danger, but the issue is just as interested in the psychological pressure Heather is under. The death of Old Man Pritchard raises the stakes in a direct and unsettling way, while his warning gives Heather a reason to panic even more. Roberts uses these moments to create suspense without giving away too much too quickly. The issue leaves enough unanswered questions to keep the mystery alive, but it also provides enough forward movement to make the story feel like it is building toward something much bigger.

ARTWORK:

The artwork in this issue continues to be one of the book’s strongest pieces because it sells both the quiet surface of Babylon Cove and the darker threat hiding underneath it. Joe Eisma gives the town a familiar quality that makes it feel peaceful at first glance, but there is always just enough unease in the layouts and expressions to remind the reader that something is wrong. The streets, restaurants, and everyday locations have a calm small-town look, which makes the supernatural danger feel even more unsettling when it breaks into that normal world. That contrast helps the horror land more effectively because Babylon Cove does not look like a place built for monsters, even though the story keeps showing that something ancient and dangerous is buried there.

Eisma’s character work is also effective because so much of the drama depends on how people react to Heather. The tension between Heather and Dennis comes through in their body language and facial expressions, making their dinner feel uncomfortable even before the conversation fully turns sour. Heather’s frustration, fear, and desperation are clear without needing the dialogue to over-explain what she is feeling. That is important for a story like this because the reader needs to understand why she feels trapped and why the town’s refusal to believe her hurts as much as it does. The supernatural moments are handled with a strong sense of restraint as well. Karthon and the ritual imagery feel strange and threatening, but they do not overwhelm the grounded emotional scenes, allowing the issue to keep one foot in personal drama and the other in horror.

Marissa Louise’s colors add a lot to the atmosphere of the issue. The brighter colors used in present-day scenes help maintain the feeling of a real, active town, while the more muted and limited palette used for the flashbacks separates the past from the present in a clear visual way. The splashes of color in those flashbacks draw the reader’s eye to the important details and make those memories feel more intense. Together, the art and colors make the issue easy to follow while also giving it a strong visual identity. The result is a book that looks inviting on the surface but slowly becomes more disturbing the longer you sit with it.

CHECK OUT MY REVIEW OF BABYLON COVE #1

Final Thoughts:

Babylon Cove #2 is a strong issue that quickly pulls you into its world. It gives readers enough backstory to stay invested while leaving plenty of mystery to keep them wanting more. I am interested to see where the story goes and how everything unfolds from here. This is an issue worth picking up at the comic shop this week, and if you enjoy it as much as I did, be sure to add it to your Pull List so you do not miss the next chapter.

FINAL GRADE: 8.4/10

Let me know your thoughts on Babylon Cove #2 in the comments below. Thanks for reading!