Writer: Dan Watters
Artist: Andrei Bressan
Colorist: Adriano Lucas
Letterer: Rus Wooton
Cover Artists: Andrei Bressan & Adriano Lucas; Riley Rossmo; Nikola Čižešija; Jeff Spokes; Yasmin Putri; Tyler Kirkham
Publisher: Image
Price: $3.99
Release Date: July 17, 2024
Destro’s concern for Darklonia reawakened when he realized he could profit from controlling the beleaguered country. Now, he can market MARS’ weapons without governmental interference as his cousin rules the coastal European state. But Xamot and Tomax view Destro’s investment as an opportunity. Their company, Extensive Enterprises, can attack the unrecognized state without angering the international community. Will Destro’s investment in Darklonia drive MARS into bankruptcy? Will the stresses of war break Destro’s sanity? Let’s strap on our armor, load our weapons, march into Destro #2, and find out!
Story
The attack in Darklonia occurs at a crucial time for MARS. Destro has secured an exclusive supply of Energon from Cobra Commander. Destro tantalized buyers at the arms fair that officially wasn't happening with military inventions that technically didn't exist. But Extensive Enterprises dispelled Destro’s aura of invincibility by deploying drones using cloaking technology that shielded them from MARS satellites.
Xamot and Tomax value people over technology. They focus on training their Crimson Guard and hire engineers to steal and recreate others' inventions. They wield an army of ruthless soldiers who prize reliable people as assets and liquidate liabilities. In attacking the Darklonian arms fair, they reduce demand for MARS weaponry and stand ready to deploy their Crimson Guard mercenaries in any conflict.
Dan Watters illustrates the similarities and differences between Destro and his adversaries in Destro #2. Destro may have smiled when he realized he was at war, but he’s angry now. Xamot and Tomax surprised and shamed him. The surviving buyers will return home with reports of deaths and a billion dollars worth of destroyed MARS weaponry. Xamot and Tomax claim Destro made a false flag attack on the Darklonian arms fair. Why shouldn't buyers believe Destro attacked the event with combat drones? Extensive Enterprises deploys Human power, while MARS sells the machinery of war.
Worse, Destro deployed his experimental Battle Android Troopers in the Darklonian attack using Cobra Commander’s Energon. Destro added insult to injury by insisting that he determines what he does with this limited resource. This unprovoked war risks exposing his secret "game-changing" power source to his competitors and losing his privileged relationship with Cobra Commander.
Art
Fires burn outside the crenelated stone walls of the former prime minister’s castle as Destro addresses his troops. Andrei Bressan shows Xamot and Tomax brief their legions inside their sleek modern building. While hundreds gather between fencing and tanks in Darklonia, thousands fill the vast interior of the Extensive Enterprises New York City headquarters. From a rubble-strewn cliff overlooking the ocean to harsh, snowy Scotland, Destro argues, attacks and communes. Yet Xamot and Tomax's expressions reveal a determination to win that rivals the man in the iron mask in Destro #2.
Yellow and orange flames choke the Darklonian air with gray smoke while Extensive Enterprises stands undamaged beneath bright blue skies. Adriano Lucas reminds us of the stark differences that divide the US political battleground as the rival leaders address their seas of green or red followers. Yet Lucas hints the two sides are not as different as they seem, as Crimson Guard fight amid the greenery of a training ground, and Destro’s wide red collar surrounds a silver face that reflects his soldiers' green uniforms.
Rus Wooton orders readers into Destro #2 with large uppercase black lettering in white dialogue balloons and narrative boxes. Wooton shows how business leaders conduct war, or warriors conduct business, as words embolden for emphasis but never swell or shrink. Sound effects help readers hear explosions knock Crimson Guard off their feet as Assault System Pods send MARS aircraft crashing. Thanks to Image Comics, Skybound Entertainment, and Hasbro for providing a copy for review.
Final Thoughts
Destro and his rivals Xamot and Tomax believe war refines the Human species and the most adaptable players survive. But Xamot and Tomax inspire others, while Destro values property over people and communion with the dead over the camaraderie of the living in Destro #2.
Rating 9.4/10
To view more cover art see my review of Comic Book Dispatch.
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