If you’ve been waiting for Volume 2 of Rust by Royden Lepp, you can start purchasing through the ComiXology app now. So far only the first chapter is available, but Archaia will be releasing additional chapters through ComiXology in advance of the 200-page print edition later this fall.
I’ve gotten a sneak peek at volume 2: Secrets of the Cell, which picks up where we left off. Roman’s younger brother Oswald is still suspicious of Jet and makes an interesting discovery. In the meantime, there’s an old robot left over from the war that seems to be tracking Jet down for some reason.
Secrets of the Cell gives us a little more insight into Jet’s mysterious history, although it’s still a tantalizing amount that leaves you eager for volume 3. Lepp’s sepia-toned artwork really puts you into this rural landscape, wondering about the old war and the robots we built to fight in them.
I really liked the hardcover — Archaia does a fantastic job making beautiful books — but if you just can’t wait, pick up your device of choice and get the ComiXology app (available for iOS, Android, Kindle Fire and the Web) and grab yourself the first chapter.
Screenshots from Rust app
Speaking of the digital version, there’s also a Rust app for the iPad. It comes with the preview chapter, and you can purchase the entire first volume in-app for $9.99. The comic looks great on the iPad, but what’s really cool are the options to toggle the text on and off and to switch between the black-and-white sketches and the final artwork. There are a few extras, like character bios and a little game of Concentration (Memory) using artwork from the comic, but the real bonus that you don’t get from the hardcover is the peek at the process. Secrets of the Cell isn’t available through the app yet, but will become available later.
Whichever format you prefer, Rust is a pretty cool tale about robots, a kid with a jetpack, and a kid struggling to run the family farm without his dad.
