ENIAC delivered a solid debut with a story that mixed action and a bit of history. The combination felt like a story that came from the headlines but with a fantastical spin. ENIAC #2 delivers more of the same quality with an issue that features more history and a lot of action.

Matt Kindt does a nice balancing act of a story that feels like classic 80s action films. But, mixed in the clichés and explosions is some history and 90s paranoia. ENIAC #2 delivers a story about technology gone wrong. ENIAC is loose and counting down to something which has forced a crack squad to attempt to destroy the computer. What we learn is ENIAC is far more advanced than we first expected. The computer isn’t just toying with life but also delivering peace as well. It has created the balance and safety that social systems like Marxism promised. The computer has achieved what humans could not. But, at what price?

Kindt delivers a wrinkle in that way. The series could easily be a countdown to destruction, much like the latter half of Wargames. But, with this new bit of information we’re challenged to debate if ENIAC is all that bad. ENIAC #2 creates a bit of a gray area for our villain. It also throws up a huge question mark for readers to questions the motives surrounding its destruction. Is this computer really a threat? We assumed the countdown would lead to destruction. What if it would bring peace to the world instead? Isn’t that as much a threat to leaders?

Dough Braithwaite’s art continues to be top-notch. It dances between the past and present with a detail and look that’s fantastic. Diego Rodriguez delivers colors and Dave Sharpe the lettering. The look of the comic balances that action vibe with that of horror. ENIAC #2 really is an action-horror story. Numerous images deliver a shock while others increase the tension as you wonder who will survive or what might explode. The art nails down the tension that Kindt’s story sets up.

Kindt also delivers a backup story with artist David Lapham. “The Bloody Mess” feels like a solid Twilight Zone addition. The story is about a husband who crawls out of a shallow grave only to be accused of killing his wife. The mystery zigs and zags and leaves you guessing until the very end. Its punchline is a direction that’s unexpected. The only downside is the story doesn’t match in “tone” to the main feature creating a combination that’s a bit disjointed. They’re both quality stories though.

ENIAC #2 is a great second issue. The series is a hell of a start and high bar for new publisher Bad Idea. It mixes solid action with a techno-thriller mixed in with a little bit of horror. The combination is a fresh take on a classic concept. The series may be hard to get being limited to a couple hundred comic shops but it’s one that’s well worth seeking out.

Story: Matt Kindt Art: Doug Braithwaite, David Lapham
Color: Diego Rodriguez Letterer: Dave Sharpe
Story: 8.5 Art: 8.5 Overall: 8.5 Recommendation: Buy

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Purchase: Zeus Comics