Oh my gosh, what an installment! Really great, really complicated. I loved the focus shift to other characters from the first book, even though it's still a great ensemble cast. It feels now like everyone has had their time. The art is dynamic and makes me laugh or cringe right out loud.

I absolutely loved the continuation of this story! Real Hero Shit 2: Harder Than It Looks by Kendra Wells picks up 6 months after the first story, but is itself a self-contained adventure that can be read as a standalone story.

The adventuring party needs to get Prince Eugene back to the kingdom because there is a bounty out on their heads. They split up and things go immediately sideways as chaos ensues. The story is messy and slice of life-esque; filled with bad decisions, self doubt, genre expected tomfoolery, violence, destiny come to roost and damning secrets.

It is adventure, romance, representation and queer goodness, with a healthy side of fantastical adventure shenanigans that will appeal to the adult reader seeking a low-stakes but interesting quest.

The illustrations are very detailed and vivid. The colours used tie the scenes together and cycle the story through its arcs ranging from warm to vibrant to vivid to stark and back again. Overall, a fast-paced and funny graphic novel that is witty and sexy and emotional; can’t wait for the next instalment.

Thanks NetGalley and Iron Circus Comics for this free arc/copy of Real Hero Shit 2: Harder Than It Looks; all opinions are my own and I am leaving this review voluntarily.