Sheriffs Joe Bob and Wilson make their way through the war zone in Allison Ranch as Travis Terrill commits to the plan.
Let’s talk That Texas Blood: Hell Comes to Allison Ranch #2 by Chris Condon, Jacob Phillips, & Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou (IMAGE COMICS)
That Texas Blood: Hell Comes to Allison Ranch #2 by Chris Condon, Jacob Phillips, & Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou (IMAGE COMICS)
*** POSSIBLE SPOILER WARNING ***
Joe Bob and Wilson are on their own.
The Ambrose County Sheriffs are outnumbered and outgunned. Backup ain’t arriving for at least another hour. As the pair assess the situation, they are met by an RPG fired from the rooftop of the Allison mansion. Add their squad car to the hellfire that surrounds them.
Moments earlier, Wilson announced his retirement after this whole ordeal was settled. Now, he might not even make it through the night.
Meanwhile, Travis Terrill is weighing his options between the life-changing money at the end of the job and the trouble this job will bring. In the end, Traviscommits, forever tying himself to the war outside the Allison Ranch.
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Issue two doesn’t advance the plot so much as it raises the stakes. Joe Bob and Wilson are in over their heads, and Travis plays a role in what the sheriffs are up against. I’m not too sure of what that role is yet, and I’m fine with that. This is what Condon and Phillips do.
That Texas Blood is a meticulous slow-burn series that emphasizes worldbuilding and character development. When the action comes, it hits hard, but not until a bit later. Hell Comes to Allison Ranch is different in that it throws us right in the thick of it, just like Joe Bob and Wilson. It’s a welcome change of pace, one that’ll instantly hook new readers and give older fans something to cheer for.
It helps that some of the central characters in this arc are familiar to those who read volume one, with Randy Terrill and Teddy Kutner appearing as their younger selves. Travis, Randy’s older brother whose death was the catalyst for Randy’s revenge in volume one, is front and center.
Condon and Phillips’s brand of crime noir is not the moody, navel-gazing stories we usually get out of this genre. It’s a poignant thematic blend of humor, family, and how we adapt to our current times.
FINAL GRADE: 9.1
That Texas Blood: Hell Comes to Allison Ranch #2 is another setup issue, but with an RPG. I don’t know of any other setup issues with this much action. I love this series. Shoot, I love this duo.
Let me know your thoughts on That Texas Blood: Hell Comes to Allison Ranch #2 in the comments below. Thanks for reading!