The Magic Order #2 from Mark Millar, Oliver Coipel, and Dave Stewart raises the stakes as it introduces a frightening villain.
The Magic Order #2
Written by: Mark Millar
Art by: Oliver Coipel
Colors by: Dave Stewart
Letters by: Peter Doherty
We live in a world where we’ve never seen a monster, and The Magic Order is the reason we sleep safely in our beds. Magic meets the mob in THE MAGIC ORDER, as five families of magicians—sworn to protect our world for generations—must battle an enemy who’s picking them off one by one. By day, they live among us as our neighbors, friends, and co-workers, but by night, they are the sorcerers, magicians, and wizards that protect us from the forces of darkness…unless the darkness gets them first. 
Mild Spoilers Below!!!
Writing
The Magic Order #2 starts with the following line, spoken by Cordelia Moonstone: “I guess I’ve been an escapologist since I escaped my own abortion”. A shocking piece of dialog like that is classic Mark Millar and is the perfect example of what you get in this fantastic issue. The narrative in Magic Order #2 is split between the origin of Cordelia and the continuation of the present day attacks on the various families. Both elements though help to push the overall arc forward, as we get some more crucial information on both fronts. In the past, Millar sheds more light on the darkness that surrounds the Moonstone family (infidelity, abuse, dysfunction) and in the present, we get the introduction of a nightmarish new villain, The Venetian (who’s masked visage makes me think there is someone important behind the mask). Millar’s imagination is unbound in both sequences, and fans of his high concept ideas will love a lot here; cars magically filling with water, a castle hidden in a painting, and a floating fetus transplanting itself in another womb are just a few examples of what you will get. It’s all incredibly inventive and entertaining.
Art
Once again Coipel and Stewart create a beautiful set of pages. Coipel’s fluid line work, along with Stewart’s atmospheric colors, create a book that can be filled with shocking moments (that floating fetus again!), but still feels elegant and beautiful to look at. The panel work is subtle but coupled with some dynamic layouts and gutter breaks, also give the reader a very consistent, narrative pace. This comic just looks so fucking good.
Conclusion
The Magic Order is setting up what seems like a fantastic world and a relentless story. This second issue dives right into both and is absolutely a must-read book.
