C.O.R.T.: Children of the Round Table #2: What Lurks in the Cart

C.O.R.T.: Children of the Round Table #2 opens with Connor, Fel, and the other children growing accustomed to their newfound weapons. The weapons themselves are embodied by the psychic spirits of the original Knights of the Round Table, who adamantly encourage the children to learn to wield them, warning of a mysterious organization looming in the background. This organization is revealed to be centered around Mordred, the bastard son of King Arthur, who is destined to bring ruin. Much like the first issue, this installment develops the world and brings more nuance to these new characters, quickly moving the mysteries in the background to the forefront.

Much of this issue centers around Connor and his relationship with his grandmother. Connor is an interesting character because he has a more brash attitude compared to his friends. In many ways, it almost feels like he thinks he is better than all of them, which is explored here. It is revealed that Connor lives with his grandmother because his parents are no longer in the picture. Lancelot presumes that he is an orphan, although it is never fully explained exactly what happened to his parents. There is a lot of great worldbuilding here, making Connor a very fleshed-out character. Hopefully, this series will add that same level of characterization to the rest of the cast.

The big reveal here is that Connor’s grandmother is somehow connected to this greater Arthurian world. When Mordred’s agents arrive, she tells Connor that she knows about his sword, reveals a secret escape tunnel in her linen cabinet, and pulls out a large battle axe that she hides inside her cart. While the issue doesn’t explore much of her background, there is a lot of intrigue here, and it definitely helps build this world.

One of the more surprising aspects of this series so far is how quickly the story moves. That is not to say that the pacing is off, quite the opposite. Too many comics nowadays beat around the bush, creating stories built for trade paperback releases and failing to create solid single issues. C.O.R.T.: Children of the Round Table #2 is almost the exact opposite, delivering a very full single issue that develops this world and its characters in excellent ways.