Nightcrawler #2 Review and Summary

Summary: The issue starts with Kurt and Amanda having returned to Winzeldorf to track the big baddie from the last issue. They sit magically disguised in an outdoor Café. Kurt is still lost in reminiscing and he sends the bamfs to look for Margali. The subject of their past relationship is broached by an accusing Amanda and the fact that she stayed at a distance in his life. It's interrupted by the return of the bamfs who've located the winter camp of Der Jahrmarkt. They all go there with another instance of Amanda being vague and secretive when Kurt asks what's wrong. They're immediately attacked by old friends who don't believe it's the real Kurt. This fight goes on for some time during which the internal monologue from Kurt reveals that he's apparently fallen back into the habit of wearing his mask of playfulness to hide deep misery. Their friends finally remember them and then Margali comes on the scene. There's bad blood between she and Amanda, though it isn't elaborated on because Trimega shows up.

Of special note:

-It would seem Amanda isn't Margali's biological child, either, though this isn't confirmed, only heavily implied.

-Something has specifically happened between Margali and Amanda to make Amanda even more bitter than before

-Kurt is trying to play off his afterlife experiences, dancing away from the subject with Feuer and playing the role of the playful swashbuckler. His internal monologue hints that it's all gotten to him, though.

Review: It was a busy issue, mostly action, but still had moments of character development. It felt very much like set up material. Kurt is playing the part of the guileless swashbuckling hero to perfection, but it's becoming pretty clear that it's only a part. He's still actively trying to recapture the past and living on nostalgia. Amanda is critical, finger wagging and somewhat condescending with more moments of secretiveness. At least for me, it was a reminder of how grating they can be as a couple. Trimega still remains a big unknown, so hopefully the next issue will bring some answers to who he is and why he's shown up.

The art was lovely and Nauck excels in capturing movement. I'm not a huge fan of the colorist, though, as she relies too heavily on primaries for my tastes.


I like that the nostalgia tone seems almost directed towards readers who never want characters to change, even 40 years on. It feels like Claremont is going somewhere with that -- that he's going to make a point with that element. I very much like the pacing. So far it's been a thing of every issue having meaning and being necessary to the story (yeah, I know, this is only the second one). I like that it's multiple stories in one. We have the official story of the threat of Trimega, then we have the side story of Amanda and Margali and the underlying theme of the book which is Kurt coming to terms with his new life. As a reader, I can't remember the last time I've gotten to read a comic with that kind of intricate weaving of things together.

I definitely recommend the issue.