3 out of 5

Sudden, and fast-moving explosions of uber-action are nothing new in Nihei’s work.  And volume 2 of Aposimz – Nihei’s latest variation on techno-organic mutations shooting each other with tiny guns that make gigantic, crater-sized wounds – has that happening in delightful spades, Etherow’s hunt for Yiyu’s evil band of ‘frames’ resulting in some truly epic showdowns that are delivered with some of the creator’s most artfully, and clearly delineated chaos yet.  However, the overall pacing of this volume feels off – a step-by-step sting operation in the first chapter hiccups into sudden partnering up with another frame, Keisha, and then blink-and-you-miss-it scuffles in the pages following – and for a writer who normally practices minimalism, there are some embarassingly awkward text dumps that, frankly, read rather amateurish, not matching the big picture world-building evidenced here.

Once we settle into the back third, chapters 8 and 9, things start to warm up for Blame! level onslaughts of insanity, inevitably leaving me impatient for volume 3.

As a last note: speaking of Blame!, rereading the series through the Master editions, I can’t help but be slack-jawed by how much Tsutomu’s work has evolved over the years.  Aposimz achieves his usual level of detailing and architecture through the most scant use of delicate lines.  I guess you could compare the style to Geof Darrow or Frank Quitely, but Tsutomu’s sense of focus and movement tends to best either one of those guys, in my opinion.