Genre: Horror, Action
Rating: Older Teens
Price: $19.99
The tale of Robert Johnson, aka RJ, and his life with the blues gets only more fascinating in the second volume.
As the volume opens, Mr. McDonald and the young child under his care, Toby, are at the village’s police station, where the sheriff was running a card game and having drinks in the town in which alcohol is forbidden. Some of the people are shouting that RJ has more than five fingers on one hand and Toby is to settle the dispute.
Afterward, Mr. McDonald sorts out how the sheriff’s office will run. Luckily, Mr. McDonald also offers his home to Clyde Barrow, the man who befriended RJ, so he has a place to stay.
During his stay at the mansion, Clyde has an encounter with Mr. McDonald that sends chills up his spine. After investigating a bit more, Clyde finds there is much more to Mr. McDonald that can be seen upon meeting him. In addition, he figures something out that sets the course of his actions.
Meanwhile, everyone in town is getting ready to lynch RJ. Sitting in jail, he sees an old friend and the two of them engage in some lively debate in the middle of the night.
Clyde, who learns more about Mr. McDonald than he wants to, realizes he has to get about trying to free Robert from jail. But how? Well, he uses his cover as a journalist to dig up information from residents to help him. But it just doesn’t seem like it will be enough.
Near the end of the first half of the more than 550-page volume, Clyde makes his choice. The second half of the volume is all about the ramifications of that choice. Both Clyde and RJ are faced with difficulties from outside forces as well as distrust from each other.
The townspeople also have to come to grips with the fallout of Clyde’s decision. It quickly becomes apparent to the sheriff and to Mr. McDonald that Clyde is not the man they think he is.
Throughout the volume, the pace is often frantic and calm, ebbing and flowing quite nicely. The fine details in the art help to make the gravity of the situation more palpable, even when panels do not contain any words.
I had thought this was simply a two-volume series. Thankfully I was wrong on that count. Me and the Devil Blues continues to be a great read with wonderfully descriptive art. Simply, it’s a must read.
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