For the past several years now, the folks over at Hellbound Media have been dishing out content that’s had horror hounds frothing at the mouth with excitement. Whether it’s gratuitous gore and carnage-laden chaos, sci-fi stomach-churners, or family-friendly scares, the Hellbound team are true masters of their craft. And now, we’ve got our hands on the second issue of the latest adventure for one of the banner’s staples, Mandy the Monster Hunter.

For those new to the world of Mandy, she’s a protector of children, helping put a stop to all of those things that go bump in the night, making a name for herself as a true symbol of hope to youngsters across the globe. Unfortunately though, the last time we saw Mandy – in Legend of the Spindly Man #1 – she seemed to have finally bitten off more than she could chew. The Spindly Man was the beastie of the day, and this eerie, sinister being was seemingly one battle too many for Mandy. That first issue was arguably Hellbound’s finest output to date, and when we left Mandy, she was in all kinds of trouble.

Here, we pick things up exactly where we left, with Mandy having been well and truly beaten by the titular Spindly Man. Worse than that, though, this battle has left Mandy questioning her very being. After all, what is Mandy the Monster Hunter if she’s no longer a capable monster hunter?  Make no mistake about it, this Spindly Man is a thorough bastard of the highest order, and yet again here he proves himself to essentially be an unstoppable force of nature, as he figuratively strips Mandy bare and renders her vulnerable, flappable, and powerless to stop this most evil of presences.

Much like the first issue, this second Legend of the Spindly Man issue is again gloriously illustrated. Lyndon White is on art duties, and his work here is just absolutely perfect for this trippy, otherworldly tale. Mandy herself is uncertain and confused with all that is going on around her, and White’s art mirrors that beautifully, proving to be as equally mesmerising as it is terrifying. Letter Nikki Foxrobot similarly helps to convey the tone and feel of the story with work that fits the subject matter in an utterly complimentary manner. On the other side of things, scribes Matt Warner and Mark Adams maintain the high standards of the previous issue as they offer up a story arc that could well stand as their very best yet once this tale comes to a conclusion. Even more impressive from Warner and Adams is in how they manage to convey Mandy’s uncertainty and questioning of her own place in the world; something which the character has rarely had to do in her earlier outings.

In our review of the first issue, we proclaimed that Legend of the Spindly Man had the potential be the most exquisite jewel in the Hellbound Media crown, and this second of a four-issue story has no reason for us to doubt that initial statement.

MANDY THE MONSTER HUNTER: LEGEND OF THE SPINDLY MAN #2 / WRITER: MATT WARNER, MARK ADAMS / ARTIST: LYNDON WHITE / LETTERER: NIKKI FOXROBOT / PUBLISHER: HELLBOUND MEDIA / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW