Bermuda # 2
There are no shortages of stories detailing the mystery of the Bermuda Triangle. For example there is the 1978 movie that is a mix of spooky and suspenseful. To this day you can find new documentaries and series that attempt to put a more scientific spin on this area. The fact is there is no level of certainty when it comes to the subject of the Triangle. This is what helps to make it the perfect setting for any fictional story. Writer John Layman puts the essence of what we don’t know and can’t understand about the Triangle into one individual. Tapping into the unexplainable nature of this region IDW Publishing has provided an interesting story for readers to enjoy.
Writer & Letterer: John Layman
Artist: Nick Bradshaw
Colorist: Len O’Grady
To clear things up in this comic Bermuda doesn’t just refer to the island. It is also the (nick)name of an exuberant and energetic young woman who lives there. In the first issue she manages to rescue Bobby Randolph from the sinister Mer people (reptillian sea creatures) after his plane crashed. There is no shortage of fighting in this issue either. Bermuda shows she is capable of handling whatever the island throws her way. But it seems things may not have always been this way. Doctor Nakamura hints at some tragedy in the young woman’s time spent on the island. With this brief revelation we begin to understand why this young woman is the way she is.
John Layman has created an fanciful lead character in Bermuda. Part Peter Pan, part Pippi Longstocking with a backstory and the longing for family similar to both.
If issue # 1 was about helping readers adjust to the unfamiliar surroundings then issue # 2 is about exploring the island. We discover some of the other occupants of this strange location. A prologue details how pirates Red Sam DeBerry and Edward the Black LaFitte ended up on the island. Nick Bradshaw and Len O’Grady do a spectacular job showcasing a sea battle in the Atlantic Ocean. In just the opening page they manage to capture rain, roaring seas and cannons firing magnificently. Captain LaFitte, realizing the battle has finished off DeBerry’s and his crew, is shocked to discover an unknown island. It’s nothing new to hear tales of ships disappearing within the Triangle. This issue shows how the creators found a clever way to utilize those disappearances.
Upon arriving in Piratetown the cast of characters seems endless. In one page alone the artists are able to show an ensemble that is so diverse and distint. I can only imagine how the cast will continue to grow in this comic. From pirates waging war on the seas to unexplained creatures named Ver, which I will assume is short for vermin, lurking in the trees there are many tales to be told. But, Bermuda is the star. I hope more of her adventure is explained since I am enjoying her story so far. There have been teases of several factions at work as it relates to Bermuda (the island) and it’s mysterious power. I only wonder whether there is a happily ever after for Bermuda (the heroine). Of if she already has it and Bobby’s arrival places it in jeopardy?