It’s a common belief that sequels are usually boring. When something is a hit the first time, everything else (even The Godfather Part II?) inevitably pales in comparison. But creators can decide to overcome this inherent disconnect, avoiding the pitfalls and capturing certain advantages to make a great sequel. (See: Terminator 2.) Don’t believe me? Just ask Gerry Duggan and John McCrea. They’ve pretty much solved the mystery.
Because Dead Eyes: The Empty Frames may have been a disingenuous attention-grabber. The first Dead Eyes series of 2019/2020 was a great overall offering. A true crime story about a kindhearted retired gangster who returns to rescue his disabled wife. Oozing personality and with a noir tone, it leaned into the Boston canon of ideas and energy, and was fresh and exciting, yet accessible (as a good crime comic should be). Duggan’s character work combined with McCree’s gritty but expressive artwork made Dead Eyes one of the best in years.
And the reason Dead Eyes: The Empty Frames succeeds is because it stays as close to the original as possible. Looking at the scars on Wheels’ face, it looks like it’s only been a few days since the end of the first volume. Sure, this isn’t new, but it doesn’t need to be. It needs to give us the sense that Martin (Dead Eyes)’s problems are still very real and being resolved. His issues with donating the money in the first volume are still poised to come back to haunt him. And, above all, he’s still a bit of a goofy character with great intuition, and what connected us to this story is that it’s so raw and interesting as it unfolds further.
Courtesy of Image Comics.
While some sequels try to give themselves room to revisit their main characters, here things continue in a way that fosters a seamless and engaged connection to the book, which is still very much about how we all deal with growing older, how we live in an unfair world, and how we achieve our dreams against all odds.
But this volume of Dead Eyes is different in every way. For starters, the whole premise – stealing artefacts for more illicit gain – feels like just enough of a twist. If volume one was (mostly) about Martin getting things right, this latest plot is very much about Martin’s personal satisfaction as well as the kind of “hero” he is at his core. This is another level of Martin, his continuing development and tackling the book’s key themes with a different tone, speed, etc. This direction lets us have our cake and eat it too, so to speak, because it uses its immediacy and deliberate tone and pacing to pave the way for something that not only seems direct and relatable, but also proves to be even more insane and entertaining.
I don’t want to sully volume 1 – this whole story feels like volume 1.5 – and it has a huge impact on how we get to Dead Eyes’ latest adventure.
But Volume 2 also differs in another big way: its art. More specifically, as he mentioned in a recent chat, McCrea emphasized a more “sketchy, scribbled[art]style” in developing Long COVID (with some major help from colorist Mike Spicer).
Courtesy of Image Comics.
And it’s a “correction” from the first volume of Dead Eyes, just enough to give a sense of continuity, even though this volume’s sense of tension and movement helps a lot. If we’re going to do a proper adventure, we really need a bit more power and a different kind of approach, something that really captures the desperation and uncertainty of this moment. And while the plot of Dead Eyes hasn’t yet unfolded, we get a kind of “history” of the painting, offering a snapshot of what’s to come: the filthiness and overwhelming violence that make this kind of story so thrilling, and something that works to both link Dead Eyes to a solid tradition and to deviate from it and do something new.
And Spicer shouldn’t be underestimated here: McCrea’s dialogue is more energetic and vivid, with a deeper, slightly more sinister weight, but it’s the colors that play with the emotional tone and ensure the overall sex appeal and dynamic leanings.
But I think what makes McCree such a great artist is how he lays out the page. And that’s doubly clear in this latest Dead Eyes. There are some moments where McCree’s skill really shines, especially in the first part of the issue where he talks about the origins of the paintings, where he’s able to expertly play with time and geography in these designs. Or he’s able to approach something as “mundane” as a car crash, and not only create a sense of momentum, but also manipulate our understanding of these events, and even our sense of perspective and gravity. This approach to layout, along with some of the more amazing character designs like Martin’s “special driving suit,” feels like the quintessence of the humor, structure, edge, and emotion that McCree brings. He’s able to make things feel fresh and new and still maintain that core, and that’s a very deep part of this book across the various volumes.
Courtesy of Image Comics.
Now, while I’m pretty complimentary of the early efforts at Volume 2 of Dead Eyes, I still have a few gripes and minor issues. First, I’m worried that even with the museum angle, Volume 2 will basically be a rehash of Volume 1. Sure, Volume 1 was a lot of fun, but it wouldn’t honor the trajectory of this story and its goal of being a truly living, breathing tale. Similarly, I have hesitations about the heist plot. Part of me wants a big Ocean’s 11-style deal, but I think most of the drama happens after the heist is over.
That’s fine, but there are other ways in which the two volumes feel too similar. But those are minor things. What worries me most is what Martin/Dead Eyes will learn (if he learns anything at all) and how his personal growth will be assessed. If it’s just a stupid-but-good-guy stumbling forward, it might not resonate as emotionally.
But that’s all mostly hypothetical at this point, and the fact is, Dead Eyes: The Empty Frames is a worthy second installment. It’s packed with style and emotion; there’s enough newness to respect what drew us to this story in the first place; and there’s solid evidence that this new plot will be just as interesting and compelling (albeit with some very real concerns). Here’s hoping that this Dead Eyes is more like The Empire Strikes Back and less like Highlander II.
Dead Eyes: Empty Frames #1 is old enough and new enough to be a hit
Dead Eyes: Empty Frame #1
This sequel both leans into and rebels against certain ideas and expectations, delivering a well-crafted sequel.
Familiarity and togetherness are very important feelings for our continued enjoyment.
Art is more alive and frenetic than ever before, a fresh burst of excitement that we so desperately need.
“The Empty Frames” works because the right things are multiplied when needed.
I’m now a bit worried about some key story points and the overall development.
