The Bunker #2

by Joshua Fialkov & Joe Infurnari

There was certainly a lot to swallow in the first issue of The Bunker. The independent gem from Joshua Fialkov and Joe Infurnari covered a lot of ground. The book sets itself up to go in so many directions, touch on so many interesting concepts and having a ranging scope from the fate of the world, to the study of the individual. In its second issue, much of the broader scope takes a back seat as the story focuses in on its characters. Though most of the group interacts in the issue, this is Heidi’s story. In order for her future self to provide concrete evidence, a dark secret is addressed that no one else could know.

It is an interesting question to consider: What information would you need to hear to be convinced that something you found was actually from the future? How would you ever believe it was authentic? Fialkov tackles this issue in a simple way, but one not often seen. Instead of citing some by chance event that happens soon after, he has Heidi’s future self bring up a secret only she would know. Focusing on something much more protected and private is far more impacting and convincing and shows the intelligence of the creators behind the title.

Coming off an issue that dealt with an apocalypse, assassinations, and huge reveals, it was a giant change of pace to focus so heavily on one element for the majority of the followup issue. Fialkov shows he is in no rush to provide any major pay off. The Bunker will rely on its characters for the bigger moments, and for that reason the story is better for this pacing decision. It is possible that the timeline will remain relatively close to the moments following the discovery of the bunker for a good while, allowing a significant bit of time for the development of these individuals.

Infurnari continues to provide some excellent work on the second issue. The title pages and how they transition really evoke a haunting tone, setting the reader on edge before even reaching the story content. The use of the cursive font and the slight coloring hue to the flashbacks are an effective tactic to indicate shifts without the reliance on any sort of narration box. Ultimately, for a title that looks to put its characters first, each one looking completely unique from the others helps to better establish them, a quality that must not be overlooked.

Issue two is as strong as the first, but with a totally different approach. Fialkov and Infurnari have given readers a taste of the bigger picture, but are clear that the book is dedicated to the characters first.