Black Cat, Vol. 2

Well, it certainly didn't take Kentaro Yabuki long to introduce the villain of "Black Cat." In fact, the second volume of this quirky, action-packed manga is pretty much devoted to the new villain, Creed, and his newly acquired compatriots. But Yabuki doesn't neglect his hero -- we find out some of what changed Train from a Chronos assassin into the laid-back sweeper he is today, as well as his relationship to Creed. While Train causes explosive mayhem in Torneo's mansion, Sven goes on to convince Eve that Torneo doesn't own her, and that she can live freely if she wants. But as Torneo tries to threaten Train, he makes the mistake of mentioning Creed -- driving Train into a rage. Rinslet finishes off their attack on the compound by blowing up the nanomachine lab. But then Rinslet is kidnapped by a mysterious blond man -- and a Tao master corners Train, telling him that if he wants her to live, he'll come meet Creed. Memories of the past trouble Train, as he faces off against an old friend-turned enemy -- and discovers that Creed has new powers and a new, malevolent agenda. To defeat him (and get revenge) Train will p[ut his life on the line... Whoo. Well, "Black Cat Volume 2" sets up plenty of material for the rest of the series -- it introduces Eve as a new member of the sweeper team, as well as a cast of powerful villains. Let's just say that Creed and his chi-manipulating amigos make Torneo look like a very tiny fish. Creed's big crazy eyes alone are scary -- even after having part of his torso explode, he's still got a big, freaky grin and wild eyes. We also get to see more of Train's darker side, such as when he terrifies a bunch of goons just by staring insanely at them. And there are some brief flashbacks of Saya, a fellow "stray cat" who changed Creed's life -- as well as the not-so-subtle hunts that Creed murdered her to keep Train from leaving Chronos. It's amazing our hero isn't a total basket case. And Yabuki crafts some brilliant action scenes, with Train having to dodge an extendible chi sword that he can't even see -- and what he sacrifices in the fight is pretty horrific, as is his dive out of a skyscraper. And when THAT dies down, Yabuki gives us a glimpse of Creed's pals -- including a girl who can make people combust by kissing them. But there are some cute moments too, like Sven introducing Eve to the outside world, and Eve cheerfully slicing his soda pop can in half. In fact, the whole Eve-Sven thing is pretty adorable. And Rinslet provides a few funny moments near the end, especially when Train spins in with a giant grin, saying, "Train Hartnett... HAS ARRIVED!" The second volume of "Black Cat" is a dark jumble of comedy, tragedy, and some very nasty action scenes -- a brilliant introduction to our antagonists. And the story ain't over...