The world of combat magic returns as Matthew learns classified secrets. Matthew is forced to make hard choices when it comes to protecting the president and face the fact that he might very well be the Pendragon.
Long Version
After a bit with the President and his son, the issue opens with Matthew and Edison discussing the prophecy of the Pendragon. The Prophecy states that with the return of the Pendragon, Camelot's court will return bringing the age of magic and everyone will be able to do magic instead of a select few. Matthew brushes of the prophecy and chooses to get back to his duties protecting the President before his big speech.
It's not long into the speech when it's revealed that a sniper with a magic bullet is aimed at the President's head. Matthew begins fighting with the rifleman and finds his magic weak. They battle for a bit before Matthew tricks him into talking about who he's working for which triggers another spell that kills the man. Unfortunately, Matthew wasn't just dealing with a magic bullet, but an enchanted rifle as well. The gun fires and Matthew must do everything in is power to stop the bullet. He can't change the course, but he is able to shrink the bullet so that it doesn't kill the President. Instead it puts him on the slow trail to death.
The white mage's on staff at the White House begin working on keeping the President alive as Matthew and the rest of the magic team figure out how to save his life. Once a magic bullet is fired the only way to stop its effects are to kill the mage responsible for making it. Now they have till sun down to find and kill the mage. It's also discussed that the President is considered to be the next Pendragon, which is something Matthew thinks he should have already know since he's in charge of protecting him.
Matthew sets out to find and kill the mage responsible. It's possible that he might have to go up against a former President's combat mage that is no joke to deal with. The man in question is Milton Virgil and he's responsible for Kennedy's death. It seems that Virgil believed that Kennedy was the next Pendragon and to prevent the second age of magic he helped kill him.
This is a good issue, but it's primarily used to move the plot forward and reveal more of the world the story is set in. There's very little character development and what little there is, is forced awkwardly in dialog between characters. Michael McMillian does do a great job of pacing the action of the issue and try to keep the intensity of the situation. McMillian gets the point across that the situation with the President is dyer and forces Matthews's character to make a tough choice in order to save him.
The art is amazingly stylistic and one of the strongest elements of the series. It's so good looking that I found myself flipping through a second time just to take in the art. The coloring is perfect for pencils and the story type. Anna Wieszczyk does a wonderful job of making the book have an animated/cartoon look while still making the book very dark and adult. If this was turned into an animated movie I would be all over it just to see her art in motion.
This issue is full of action and intensity and continues the greatness of the first issue. Granted I feel like Matthew's character could have been developed more, but the story was needed to take the driver's seat on this one so that readers can become interested in the world of combat magic. It should be interesting to see if Matthew will continue to do anything to protect the President, especially if the President turns out to be the Pendragon.
It's not long into the speech when it's revealed that a sniper with a magic bullet is aimed at the President's head. Matthew begins fighting with the rifleman and finds his magic weak. They battle for a bit before Matthew tricks him into talking about who he's working for which triggers another spell that kills the man. Unfortunately, Matthew wasn't just dealing with a magic bullet, but an enchanted rifle as well. The gun fires and Matthew must do everything in is power to stop the bullet. He can't change the course, but he is able to shrink the bullet so that it doesn't kill the President. Instead it puts him on the slow trail to death.