Kickstarter Review: The Traveller Volume 2
On Kickstarter From Neil Gibson's Twisted Comics
Following the excellent first volume, Twisted Comics is returning to this alternative history with The Traveller Volume 2, which is coming to Kickstarter.
This volume kicks off with Edgar Hoover receiving some shocking news from the Soviet Union in the 1950s. This news triggers actions that have affected all our lives today. Pulling the strings behind all this are mysterious travellers who can journey between worlds.
The real questions are who the Travellers are, and what they want.
“Oh, you F***er!”
The ending of a comic rarely gets such a visceral reaction from me, but this one absolutely earned it. The Traveller Volume 2 did such a fantastic job drawing me in that I did not see that twist coming. When it landed, it hit me like a train!
Anyway (whew).
Picking up right from the off, we start with the death of Stalin, who, as we learned from the first volume, is not exactly who or what he seems. But before you can even settle into that revelation, the location twists, taking us straight into the cabinet room of the USA. Here, we witness the political elite reacting to the early news of Stalin’s death and the seismic repercussions it could send rippling across the globe.
But, of course, not everything is as it seems. J. Edgar Hoover has his own views on Stalin’s demise and his own story to tell. It soon becomes clear that there is far more to the Travellers and to those whose lives they’ve touched.
The head of the fledgling CIA, Allen Dulles, becomes the audience for Hoover’s tale. Though initially sceptical, Dulles listens as the story unfolds—and what a story it is. Hoover is a master storyteller1, weaving a tale that blends high-stakes politics, paranoia, and cross-dimensional travel. The pacing is excellent, with just the right amount of action threaded throughout to keep the tension alive and the reader completely hooked.
The Traveller does so well by taking real-world history—the messy politics and paranoia of the early Cold War—and lacing it with speculative, science fiction elements that feel wild and strangely plausible. There are some brilliant nods along the way, from sly references to Area 51 to Hoover's murky dealings. All these layers—real and fantastical—make the story so engrossing.
Once again, the artwork is stellar. It perfectly captures the blend of grounded reality and surreal sci-fi that defines this series. My daughter commented that the final page was exceptionally well done, and I agree. The artists convey the mundane aspects of our world and the otherworldly wonder of interdimensional travel with equal care.
Altogether, The Traveller Volume 2 is a gripping continuation that deepens the mystery and raises the stakes in every way. It’s a balanced mix of history, espionage, and speculative fiction. And that ending? Still thinking about it. Still slightly furious. Still absolutely impressed.
Check out the pre-launch (or the campaign if it has already started) for The Traveller Volume 2 on Kickstarter here:
As is Neil Gibson