As quickly as he made it there, Sebastian is swept from the oven and into the inferno, as the regime finally accepts him back into the club. On the opposite end of the spectrum, Marla bounds from spin-off after spin-off in the hopes of finding her lost child but learns little of the man responsible. A preface to the a imminent midway finale, the fourth issue of Fight Club 2 feels substantially more relevant than any of the previous episodes. While the direction of the previous installments was interesting, this instance seems to work double time in delivering something compelling. Though a little late, this is definitely the hook we’ve been waiting for.
Once again a part of the fold, Sebastian wastes little time in getting to the festivities of the Rooster’s basement. Quickly, he encounters an old, hardly recognizable face before diving into combat. This outing, however, is far more concerned with the trials of Marla. Stumbling into club after club, this episode takes a comical look at the gospel of Tyler, as compounding parodies of the original Fight Club comes forth. In one instance, Marla comes face to face with Palahniuk himself at “Write Klub,” which ends as one might expect.
The narrative traces to threads which, up until this point, have been far out of balance. Here, there’s a pleasant mixture between Marla and Sebastian, and it feels more appropriate than any of the previous issues. Their romance is peculiar, to put it lightly, but it feels so genuine at the same time. In a time of dire straits, their regard towards one another emulates something like Lucky Louie.
What carries this installment furthest by far is the illustrations of Cameron Stewart. The artist’s method of integrating the panels’ backdrop into the focal action seems to have improved with subtlety, no longer distracting from what is being described at the forefront. The work’s final frame is also worth noting, and it wouldn’t be out of the question to see it appear on a few bedroom walls.
Fight Club 2’s fourth issue alleviates most concerns the previous issues may have carried. Even so, it still appears like the final installment will have a large amount of ground to cover before concluding. Nothing seems particularly revolutionary, but that’s not to say it doesn’t keep the spirit of Palahniuk’s vision alive and well.
