SNOWPIERCER VOL. 2: THE EXPLORERS

In Volume 1, we explored Snowpiercer, a monstrous train containing the last of humanity, doomed to circle an endless, frozen Earth. In Volume 2, we discover a secret second train, Icebreaker, riding in the wake of Snowpiercer, forever in danger of colliding with its predecessor. And unlike Snowpiercer, Icebreaker stops periodically, dispatching explorers on mysterious missions into the desolate snowy ruins of civilization. What’s the purpose of these stops? And what other secrets are lurking inside Icebreaker?

While Snowpiercer: Volume 1 tended more toward the political, Snowpiercer: Volume 2 tends toward the spiritual, offering several takes on the role belief plays in both controlling a populace and in inciting a populace to action, whether it’s a lottery, a hero, or an attractive lie to distract you from your struggles.

Just as bleak as the first volume of the series, Snowpiercer: Volume 2 also plays with hope and false hope, relying on the reader’s sense of empathy to remain as emotionally invested as the denizens of Icebreaker; the team of Lob, Legrand, and Rochette once again prove to be terribly effective at evoking the desired emotions from their readers.