by Michael DeLaney
This article contains SPOILERS. If you haven’t read the issue yet, proceed at your own risk!
There is a not-so-subtle “might makes right” mentality that is associated with America. Our overprotectiveness of the Second Amendment, the immense firepower of our military, and just the general “America Fuck Yeah” of it all often makes us look arrogant and overconfident. In John Layman and Nick Pitarra’s Leviathan 2, we see that arrogance and overconfidence of the American military-industrial complex in action.
A fire-breathing Godzilla beast has laid waste to “the big city” and the US Government is fighting back. The Pentagon doesn’t know that the eponymous Leviathan was summoned by black magic. Instead, they believe that it is part of an existing civilization of dinosaurs that lives “several dozens miles” below the surface.
So after a devastating attack, the US military invades a territory that had almost nothing to do with said attack — sounds familiar, no? The military is looking in the wrong place for this Leviathan. They are so sure of themselves — with weapons that obliterate and vivisect — that they lay waste to a species that was minding its own business below the surface.
The troops sent in to kill the dinosaurs aren’t your standard “boots on the ground” however. In fact, they don’t visibly seem to be a part of the military at all, but rather mercenary types straight out of The Expendables. Pitarra equips these musclebound lunkheads with deadly exo-suits, armed with every kind of weapon that slices, dices and booms.
Inside the “cockpit” of the suits, Pitarra draws musclebound mercs straight out of a Rob Liefeld comic. Armed with a can of soda/beer, a bag of potato chips and a controller, this top-heavy soldier of fortune is the embodiment of gamer wish fulfillment.
They have the same bloodthirsty joy of a gamer who has been playing Call of Duty for way too long. Screaming with glee “Kill Kill!” or “Die! Die!” as blood splashes their faces. These types of characters generally don’t get rewarded. Methinks they are headed for a fall.
The conversation doesn’t stop there. What do you wanna talk about from this issue?
Retcon Punch 
I think this website needs more visitors.
“So after a devastating attack, the US military invades a territory that had almost nothing to do with said attack — sounds familiar, no?”
Mike, I just wanted to say that this is a really smart observation that went right over my head. Kudos.
Pitarra’s art is beautiful in its ugliness, which is not only great to look at in its own right, but the perfect compliment to this kind of story, which is smart and timely but also kinda unpleasant. This series would be much harder to read with a different artist methinks