Michael Dialynas continues to impress with his unique blend of humor, horror, and societal commentary in the second issue of the instantly charming ZAWA + The Belly of The Beast. Picking up where the first issue left off, we witness the fallout from ZAWA breaking free from captivity in ZAWA + The Belly of The Beast #2 which releases this week.

After being alluded to in the previous issue, we’re introduced to the nefarious mayor of Mesa’s Boon and see first-hand just how far he’s willing to go to cling to power. We also witness some great character development from Bandit and Thatcher, as they come to discover more familial secrets, this time leading straight back to the mayor, which make them question the status quo. The two siblings have such an interesting dynamic and it’s been such a joy to watch them interact with one another over the first two issues. And finally, of course, we get to see and learn more about ZAWA, the titular character who has been built up to symbolize the Guardian of the Mountain.

Dialynas' writing is witty and engaging, effortlessly weaving together moments of lighthearted humor with genuine interpersonal tension. The dialogue is sharp and organic, bringing the characters to life with distinct personalities and motivations without conversations feel contrived. In the same vein as the first issue, Dialynas’ art is simply stunning. His designs and colors perfectly capture the dark and whimsical atmosphere of the story. I absolutely loved his design for the mayor — it’s exactly how I’d imagine this type of awful dictator to look in a fantasy story like ZAWA. The star of the book though has to be ZAWA’s visual manifestation. She is the star of the series and Dialynas not only humanizes her in the issue, she continues to look absolutely fantastical.

If I have to take the smallest of points off this book it would be for the exposition boxes, which look a tad rudimentary compared to rest of the book’s sophisticated visual appearance. The rest of the copy, the dialogue bubbles, the sound effects, and the other written elements all look great though, which makes the look of the exposition stand out.

I was enamored with the first issue and ZAWA + The Belly of The Beast #2 only reinforced exactly why I loved everything about this story. Michael Dialynas is creating something truly magical here and I can’t wait to see how this all plays out. The story is engaging, the characters are captivating, and the art is gorgeous. This is going to look AMAZING in a collected trade and I hope more readers are able to discover it then if they’re missing out on these single issues because it is already a must-read monthly pick-up for me.

Rating: 9.5/10