If Destruction Be Our Lot #2: To The Factory We Go

Abe’s curiosity has thrown him right into the Factory. As he is bounced through the horrific metal maze, he learns that some of those same secrets he wants to reveal may be better left buried.

IDBOL started with a strong first issue filled with humor, mystery, and a touch of existentialism that I am pleased to say continues into this newest one as well. Abe is tossed into the Factory for “maintenance” due to his seeing a human in the first issue. What results is a whole host of horrific sights: bots are melted, bots are crushed, bots are tortured, and worst of all bots have to sit at the DMV! There is much more action this time around, but nothing truly mind-blowing happens in this issue until the final page, but I won’t spoil it here. 

Matthew and Mark Elijah Rosenberg continue to craft a humorous narrative that continues to challenge the reader to some extent, but not enough to turn them off from the fun. Abe, while a bit chatty, remains a likable lead and it’s always fun to see how the other bots play off of him. There is an interesting moment where Abe comments that he doesn’t remember anything between his assassination at the hands of John Wilkes Booth and doing speeches to bots on the street corners. Whether this gets expanded on we don’t know, but it begs an interesting question about just how a lot of these bots are programmed. 

Anthony Macdonald’s art is expressive and shows more and more detail the further into the factory we go. There is never a dull moment and Francesco Segala’s colors help enhance the frightening atmosphere as well.