The Department of Truth, Vol 2: The City Upon a Hill
- Downloads：1902
- Type：Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
- Create Date：2021-12-06 06:51:13
- Update Date：2025-09-06
- Status：finish
- Author：James Tynion IV
- ISBN：1534319212
- Environment：PC/Android/iPhone/iPad/Kindle
- Download
Summary
Cole Turner thought he joined the right side of the war for the Truth。 But now that he's learning more about Lee Harvey Oswald's tenure leading the Department， he's not so sure。 And as Tulpas start to gain a stronger foothold in the real world， Cole's time to decide where he stands is running out。。。
The second arc of the smash-hit THE DEPARTMENT OF TRUTH from James Tynion IV （Batman） and Martin Simmonds （Dying is Easy） is collected here！
Collects THE DEPARTMENT OF TRUTH #8-13
The second arc of the smash-hit THE DEPARTMENT OF TRUTH from James Tynion IV （Batman） and Martin Simmonds （Dying is Easy） is collected here！
Collects THE DEPARTMENT OF TRUTH #8-13
Reviews
Jmb77
，
This is easily the best comic going on rn。 Arts fantastic and the story is really important
Siona St Mark
，
Still an interesting story， I always love Tynion’s writing， but the art was hard to follow at times。
Aram
，
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers。 To view it， click here。 The first volume of The Department of Truth was heavy with purposeful focused choices and felt like it had something to say。 But reading volume 2 makes me wonder: perhaps it didn't？ There is much unnecessary in Vol 2， and little necessary; with it being short on core story and--considering the pages of difficult to read in-universe handwritten notes--short on art as well。 The book mostly feels like it is treading water， a lot of time spent on a monster hunt that fills some interesting world buil The first volume of The Department of Truth was heavy with purposeful focused choices and felt like it had something to say。 But reading volume 2 makes me wonder: perhaps it didn't？ There is much unnecessary in Vol 2， and little necessary; with it being short on core story and--considering the pages of difficult to read in-universe handwritten notes--short on art as well。 The book mostly feels like it is treading water， a lot of time spent on a monster hunt that fills some interesting world building in about the titular Department， but is also filled with characters who are shitty in entirely unnecessary ways。 The book has an ending twist it seems to want us to believe， but for which it has given no real support or setup。The whole setting feels incredibly like one very good new idea wrapped around badly taken notes from The Unwritten， Fables and The Illuminati Trilogy， with its main innovation being to suck any fun out of the proceedings for a seriousness that seemed useful in Vol。 1 but now seems like a bad plastic wrap in Vol。 2。 The result is this book， which feels like it world be more interesting as part of a Wikipedia of this universe than as a narrative。 It feels like every generation might need its own "what if enough people believing in a story makes it real" book and this is the latest， as heavily infused with Our Times as its predecessors。 But I'm not enjoying this take。 If you want a comic that does this right， pick up The Unwritten。 I promise that， at the very least， you'll have more fun。 。。。more
Eric Edwards
，
Sigh。 This just gets me right in all of my deepest darkest interests and beliefs。 So weird and so good。 And while I find the art annoying sometimes （because I like concrete， bubbly， normal comic drawing） it completely supports the themes of the book and sometimes is transcendent。 The two page image of Bigfoot as the forest - sheer perfection！
Cale
，
"Okay， now that I've scared you， here's how we do it。" This second volume feels a little bit less dangerous than the first one， if only because it spends so much time showing the mechanics of the department。 This book actually feels more like a treatise of what truth means in politics and culture， and how it can be manipulated。 That means plot moves a bit more slowly （although there is a fair bit that takes place on the larger stage of the story）， but it still manages to build up to a powerful m "Okay， now that I've scared you， here's how we do it。" This second volume feels a little bit less dangerous than the first one， if only because it spends so much time showing the mechanics of the department。 This book actually feels more like a treatise of what truth means in politics and culture， and how it can be manipulated。 That means plot moves a bit more slowly （although there is a fair bit that takes place on the larger stage of the story）， but it still manages to build up to a powerful moment。Speaking of powerful moments， the first volume had a powerful one-off about school shootings。 This volume matches it with the Bigfoot issue， which is as much a journal as comic， and tells a powerful story about why a person buys into conspiracies， in a touching story about obsession across generations。 Even if you're not a fan of the larger book， this issue on its own is worth a read。 Although again， it is more a journal than a comic。 But still very much worth the read。 。。。more
James S
，
seriously good series。 thoughtful monologues about the impacts of stories， narratives， and memes （not the jpg kind） in the information age and all with beautifully disturbing art。
Carolyn
，
Just as good as Volume 1， possibly creepier。 Definitely feels almost too real and that just adds to the horror。
Bárbara
，
The Department of Truth is very smart but dense and complex。 I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around everything going on but I'm also very curious about where the story is going。 The Department of Truth is very smart but dense and complex。 I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around everything going on but I'm also very curious about where the story is going。 。。。more
Amy
，
Too much exposition。 I like the premise and ideas but it felt longer to read than the first volume。
Brandon
，
This book keeps growing on。 It is creepy AF and is like 90% exposition， but I am totally into it。 I love the main idea and power of belief。 The world the book creates isn't perfect （they still haven't explained how there aren't a bunch of Christs or Mohomads walking around）， but it is very enthralling， and I am looking forward to reading more。 This book keeps growing on。 It is creepy AF and is like 90% exposition， but I am totally into it。 I love the main idea and power of belief。 The world the book creates isn't perfect （they still haven't explained how there aren't a bunch of Christs or Mohomads walking around）， but it is very enthralling， and I am looking forward to reading more。 。。。more
Skylar Primm
，
The art， the writing， the tragedy of the Bigfoot hunter… just a fabulous volume。
Xroldx
，
Tynion is one of the best writers in comics at the moment and he delivers with Department of Truth。 The bigfoot story arc is very wordy but also really well written。
Sean Gibson
，
This series is creepy and unsettling and unnerving and I am loving it。 The stuff with bigfoot guy got a little melodramatic， but damned if I'm not chomping at the bit for the next volume。 This series is creepy and unsettling and unnerving and I am loving it。 The stuff with bigfoot guy got a little melodramatic， but damned if I'm not chomping at the bit for the next volume。 。。。more
Clint
，
I liked these issues a lot more than the first volume， to the point that it renewed my dwindling interest in keeping up with the series。 That’s largely due to the introduction of and heavy focus on Hawk Harrison， plus a great two-issue Bigfoot story， and the art seems more capable of depicting a serial narrative while still keeping the essence of the astounding Vertigo-homage style individual panels and pages had in the first volume。Hawk Harrison is “a character” in the colloquial sense， like th I liked these issues a lot more than the first volume， to the point that it renewed my dwindling interest in keeping up with the series。 That’s largely due to the introduction of and heavy focus on Hawk Harrison， plus a great two-issue Bigfoot story， and the art seems more capable of depicting a serial narrative while still keeping the essence of the astounding Vertigo-homage style individual panels and pages had in the first volume。Hawk Harrison is “a character” in the colloquial sense， like the monologuing uncle that most of the family avoids sitting next to at Thanksgiving， but Tynion also lets him be colorful and charming in his delivery。 He’s the clear standout of the series so far to me。 That he’s given to monologuing means this is still largely a book where Tynion spills out a bunch of background research he’s done on conspiracies through characters talking AT the main character Cole， and Cole still isn’t very interesting or filled in。 Tynion also still doesn’t have much interesting to add to his background reading beyond a surface-level red yarn board plot that ties a bunch of disparate threads together。 So sometimes this series still reads like a longform summary of wiki entries from a conspiracy-obsessed friend set to nice art。The two-part Bigfoot issues are nearly standalone， a generational story about obsession that has a ton of heart and emotional resonance。 They seem like a hint of what this series can be at its best， and I hope for several more issues like those。“Certainty is a drug， Cole。 It slows the mind。 Makes you miss the important shit。”“It really feels like the truth should be more powerful， doesn’t it？ That shining a light on the lies should make the world better。” 。。。more
Brianna
，
This wasn't as strong as the first volume。 A lot of it is exposition that's very dense， and it's only in the final 20 or so pages that we receive any kind of developments plot wise。 This wasn't as strong as the first volume。 A lot of it is exposition that's very dense， and it's only in the final 20 or so pages that we receive any kind of developments plot wise。 。。。more
Alana
，
I really don't like the art。 The story's a little loose here too。 I really don't like the art。 The story's a little loose here too。 。。。more
Sam
，
It just keeps getting crazier and better。 The Bigfoot issues were really sweet and personal and helped ground the storyline a bit。
Jamie Connolly
，
This books is interesting。 The premise is pretty originalish and super interesting。 I do feel like I'm two volumes in and there hasn't been too much story because they are constantly explaining stuff。 I like the artwork well enough but the paneling and sequencing can be a bit confusing at time to me。 I'm not sure if that's just me or not。 Anyway I'm definitely gonna keep reading this one probably until it finishes or is cancelled。 4 stars。 This books is interesting。 The premise is pretty originalish and super interesting。 I do feel like I'm two volumes in and there hasn't been too much story because they are constantly explaining stuff。 I like the artwork well enough but the paneling and sequencing can be a bit confusing at time to me。 I'm not sure if that's just me or not。 Anyway I'm definitely gonna keep reading this one probably until it finishes or is cancelled。 4 stars。 。。。more
Ryan
，
The plot gets thicker and the twists keep coming。 Fantastic work by Tynion and Simmons。
Alex McCullough
，
Yup， it's still amazing。 Especially loved the Bigfoot chapters。 This is shaping up to be one of my all time favorite series。 Yup， it's still amazing。 Especially loved the Bigfoot chapters。 This is shaping up to be one of my all time favorite series。 。。。more
Steve
，
DNF @ 35%
jedioffsidetrap
，
A lot of exposition in this one， and we meet Hawk， an old operative of the DoT whose specialty is tearing down the manifested conspiracies & monsters。 Turns out Hawk was behind the whole creation of the Star-Faced Man， exploiting & amplifying the image drawn by a young Cole （“a live candidate for a fiction”）。 It’s the undoing of the fictions that manifest that is the other half of the DoT’s job， and we go deep into that here。 Secret HQ of a global conspiracy beneath Denver Intl Airport。 Hunting A lot of exposition in this one， and we meet Hawk， an old operative of the DoT whose specialty is tearing down the manifested conspiracies & monsters。 Turns out Hawk was behind the whole creation of the Star-Faced Man， exploiting & amplifying the image drawn by a young Cole （“a live candidate for a fiction”）。 It’s the undoing of the fictions that manifest that is the other half of the DoT’s job， and we go deep into that here。 Secret HQ of a global conspiracy beneath Denver Intl Airport。 Hunting Bigfoot， and the man whose unwavering belief manifested it。 。。。more
Zenik
，
James Tynion IV creates a world where the rantings of right-wing political pundits， the screeds of in-the-woods radical libertarians， and the platitudes of limp-dicked liberals are all correct， are all lies， and are all coming true right now。 The pages of this book are are non-stop adrenochrome-drenched conspiracy theorizing， their text the in-the-margins scribbling of madmen driven by nightmares of black helicopters， Bigfoot， and Satan running the Deep State。 The too-real world depicted here ha James Tynion IV creates a world where the rantings of right-wing political pundits， the screeds of in-the-woods radical libertarians， and the platitudes of limp-dicked liberals are all correct， are all lies， and are all coming true right now。 The pages of this book are are non-stop adrenochrome-drenched conspiracy theorizing， their text the in-the-margins scribbling of madmen driven by nightmares of black helicopters， Bigfoot， and Satan running the Deep State。 The too-real world depicted here has placed the fringe is in the mainstream， the mainstream is in the basement， and the basement contains ntohing but a bile-spewing hellmouth with the face of Ronald Reagan and the voice of an angel。The scariest thing about this book is that hiding within the psyche-breaking hurricanes of terror is weaves lie breadcrumb after breadcrumb of truth about the history of America， of western civilization， and about humanity itself。 The things that will trickle ice down your spine while consuming this manifesto are not just the the horrifying visages of hideous face-trading tulpas， but the realization the inferno we sit in now was set in motion thousands of years ago and that the gears slowly grinding you and I into gore could be stopped by those who wield the levers of power simply choosing to say no。 Instead of these leaders and visionaries becoming our saviors， they choose to become modern pharaohs under a red， white and blue sky， content to bury themselves within pyramids of bone and gold while the rage of the sun burns us， their abhorred slaves， to ash。What government， what country， what god can save us when we are born into the bottom of an ocean of blood with our only choices being hold our breath until the darkness comes or to inhale a fathomless and boiling crimson insanity？Five stars， highly anticipate the next trade。 。。。more
Joshua Lawson
，
If this isn’t the best comic out right now someone out there is due massive kudos cause wow。
Deane Hariss
，
I don’t think there’s many moments in any issues of this series that you don’t constantly press on and subconsciously think what the f*ck what the f*ck what the f*ck。 And I like that。
Eric Mikols
，
I think the three stars for this vs the four stars I gave the first volume have to do with losing some of the initial buzz from the introduction of the concept。 It was still an interesting read， but it's also just someone explaining conspiracy theories with art that sometimes lines up with the dialog。 So， still interesting， but I'm less enthused than I was going in。 I think the three stars for this vs the four stars I gave the first volume have to do with losing some of the initial buzz from the introduction of the concept。 It was still an interesting read， but it's also just someone explaining conspiracy theories with art that sometimes lines up with the dialog。 So， still interesting， but I'm less enthused than I was going in。 。。。more
Alex Sarll
，
"Certainty is a drug， Cole。 It slows the mind， makes you miss the important shit。 I hear you think you know what the Department is， what it does。 But I've been working here since you were in diapers， and I still don't have a fucking clue what we are or what we do。"The conspiracy thriller deepens， even while maintaining its core tension - because the series' central premise remains that conspiracy theories are generally bloody stupid， and that the people you should really question are the ones tr "Certainty is a drug， Cole。 It slows the mind， makes you miss the important shit。 I hear you think you know what the Department is， what it does。 But I've been working here since you were in diapers， and I still don't have a fucking clue what we are or what we do。"The conspiracy thriller deepens， even while maintaining its core tension - because the series' central premise remains that conspiracy theories are generally bloody stupid， and that the people you should really question are the ones trying to sell you on them。 While lots of people think they're honouring Alan Moore's revolutionary comics work by making superheroes swear， or by doing 12-issue series on 9-panel grids， Tynion and Simmonds are instead pairing the unsavoury excavations of Brought To Light with the magus' later work on Ideaspace， and tapping into the real juice of it。 Just without the ability to maintain that same bedrock of hippy optimism。"It really feels like the truth should be more powerful， doesn't it？ That shining a light on the lies should make the world better。 But more often than not， it doesn't do jack shit。" 。。。more
Chris Lemmerman
，
Department Of Truth skips a few fill-in issues （which I assume will be collected later） before heading into its second big arc that drags poor Cole even deeper into its conspiracies。 DoT's ideas are huge， and I love watching them play out。 But it does sometimes get bogged down in explaining all its big brain ideas - the few issues here that focus on Bigfoot with the prose stuff midway through are a bit of a slog， and sometimes it feels like the issues are just one big monologue。 It's compelling， Department Of Truth skips a few fill-in issues （which I assume will be collected later） before heading into its second big arc that drags poor Cole even deeper into its conspiracies。 DoT's ideas are huge， and I love watching them play out。 But it does sometimes get bogged down in explaining all its big brain ideas - the few issues here that focus on Bigfoot with the prose stuff midway through are a bit of a slog， and sometimes it feels like the issues are just one big monologue。 It's compelling， but it definitely takes a bit of willpower to sit down and read; once you get started you'll be sucked in though， it's just getting there that takes some doing。 The super scratchy artwork's also an acquired taste - it works well in my opinion for the subject matter， but it does make some of the more down to earth scenes come across a bit strangely。A definite headscratcher of a book that I'm really enjoying once I get around to reading it， but I do worry that it might get crushed under its own desire to turn essays on conspiracies into a full on story。 。。。more
Dávid Novotný
，
Second volume continues with exploring the world， bringing new characters in play and evolve the plot。 There are still many unanswered question， and main story line moves quite slowly， thanks to the few side ones。 What really piss*d me off off， was letter， that was too long， unnecessary and cheap。 You don't want to draw to much？ Put there 15 pages of letter， that explains motivation of side character and bore reader to death。。。 Second volume continues with exploring the world， bringing new characters in play and evolve the plot。 There are still many unanswered question， and main story line moves quite slowly， thanks to the few side ones。 What really piss*d me off off， was letter， that was too long， unnecessary and cheap。 You don't want to draw to much？ Put there 15 pages of letter， that explains motivation of side character and bore reader to death。。。 。。。more
Austin Sill
，