Monarch #3 Review

 

Writer: Rodney Barnes

Artist: Alex Lins

Colorists: Luis Nct & Mar Silvestre Galotto

Letterer: Marshall Dillon

Cover Artists: Alex Lins & Luis Nct; Chris Visions

Publisher: Image

Price: 3.99

Release Date: April 12, 2023

 

Young Marli sits on her bed, gazing out the window at the night sky. At times, she's seen the stars move. When Miss Wilamae brought Travon into their Compton home, Marli realized he belonged to those moving stars. Yes, you read that right. There is nothing wrong with your digital platform. Do not attempt to adjust your browser. You are about to participate in the great adventure of Monarch #3!

 

Story

At Travon’s school, his friends Daysha and Kurtis search for Angie. Instead, they find fellow student Todd, who acts weird and remote. On an alien spaceship, Travon feels guilty. Designed to learn about Humans, he became one. The alien collective realizes this. They have found a new home to repopulate their species. Travon must not endanger their plan.

 

After Marli’s introduction, Rodney Barnes' story stands like a tripod. The first story-leg follows Travon as he leaves the spaceship and views the devastation his people have wrought. The second gives us a global view of the alien invasion. The third and final subplot follows Daysha and Kurtis as they search for Angie.

 

Marli’s introduction was touching, but how does it fit in? The cover suggests she's taking a journey, but all we see of her in Monarch #3 belongs to the past. Is she still alive and remembering? I also enjoyed the battle for Earth, even if the invaders' intention to wipe out humanity to repopulate their species is standard alien invasion fare. Daysha and Kurtis' adventure left me wanting to know what happens next.

 

Art

Alex Lins imbues Marli’s scenes with personality. He shows us the things she loves and cares about, how she felt after the death of her parents, and how much Travon means to her. He reveals how she recognized Travon wasn't Human, which we never saw in issue #1. Scenes at the school seem less detailed. The characters exhibit less personality. The damaged interiors show how bland this impersonal space has become.

 

Travon no longer wears clothes in Monarch #3. Ameoba or circuit-like shapes cover his body, although he still wears glasses. Spaceships destroy Earth's warplanes. Giant Walkers stride across land and sea, blasting everything in their path. Childhood memories clash with the destruction of Travon's neighborhood. I liked the page composition of Marli’s scenes, the epic battle panorama, and Travon's walk through the rubble. The cross-shaped operating table seemed to shout rather than suggest. I wondered why some Walkers had three legs and others four.

 

Luis Nct and Mar Silvestre Galotto paint the alien invasion in blue and pink. Like Travon’s operating table, are they suggesting a link between the aliens' repopulation plans and the resurrection Easter celebrates? Nct and Galotto color Travon's walk through the destruction in beige and tan. Are they saying everything Mankind has built will inevitably return to the Earth? School interiors are colored green, and windows beige and tan. Yet one room is bathed in red. You'll discover what that implies when you read Monarch #3.

 

Marshall Dillon relates Marli’s thoughts in green narrative boxes. He shows Daysha and Kurtis' conversation in white dialogue balloons. Big uppercase letters grow when they shout, and spherical dialogue balloons sprout spikes. Travon's thoughts also appear in green narrative boxes. Did the alien part of him read her thoughts, and he's only now becoming aware of it? The alien collective's words appear as white letters in black narrative boxes outlined in the same blue that colors the invasion. While he uses sound effects sparingly, Dillon spelled out the children's laughter to make one panel more powerful and haunting.

 

Final Thoughts

Touching scenes deepen our appreciation for Marli. Travon's love for Mankind puts his future at risk. Epic battle scenes reveal the scope of this global conflict. Sadly, the only subplot that advances this series is a psychological drama involving less-known characters. With its echoes of War Of The Worlds--and all the radio, TV, movie, and comic adaptations of the classic novel by H. G. Wells--Monarch #3 satisfies. Better advances in the story and greater consistency in the art will help this series reclaim the awesomeness of previous issues.

 

Rating: 8.4/10

 

To see both covers see my review at Comic Book Dispatch

 

 

Star Wars #33 Review

 

Star Wars #33 Review

Writer: Charles Soule

Artist: Madibek Musabekov

Colorist: Rachelle Rosenberg

Letterer: VC’s Clayton Cowles

Cover Artists: Stephen Segovia and Rain Beredo; John Tyler Christopher; Alan Quah

Publisher: Marvel

Price: $3.99

Release Date: April 5, 2023

 

Captain Blythe sent Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia Organa, Chewbacca, Lando Calrissian, Lobot, and Amilyn Holdo to the Great Hall of the Nihil. Can they pull the Path Engine from Amilyn’s wrecked ship? Can Luke reclaim the Jedi book he believes is essential to rebuild the ancient order? Can Chewie use a single Path Engine to help the Kezarat colony escape No Space? Secure your safety belts as we launch into Star Wars #33 and find out!

 

Story

The Killdroids guarding the Great Hall break Luke's lightsaber and the prosthetic hand holding it. As in the Wampa’s Ice Cave in The Empire Strikes Back, Luke’s only option is to wield the Force. Unfortunately, he’s felt severed from it in No Space. Meanwhile, Chewie’s grabbed the Path Engine while Lando and Amilyn laid down cover fire, but now they’re surrounded by Killdroids too.

 

Star Wars #33 explores Luke's growing relationship with the Force. Readers will enjoy seeing that in action. They'll also find Luke and Leia's discussion about the Force intriguing. As a fan of the movie since its release, Charles Soule suggests a metaphor that never occurred to me before.

 

The story puts Lando’s commitment to the Rebel Alliance in the spotlight and tests his character. The Empire Strikes Back portrayed him as a rogue who mostly looked out for Number One. It seems his time with the Rebel Alliance has changed him. He's not General Calrissian yet, but he's growing.

 

All this prepares our heroes for an attempt to escape No Space. They arrived by plugging the Path Engine into Amilyn's ship and pressing a button. Go! Transporting Captain Blythe's ragtag fleet requires more thought. Soule suggested in the previous issue that Chewbacca’s the brains of the Falcon crew. Teaming him with the cybernetically enhanced Lobot seems a promising combination.

 

While Torvan featured earlier in their No Space adventures, he only got one line of dialogue in Star Wars #33 and isn't seen after that. Given his admiration for Luke and their relationship, I wanted more.

 

Art

Chewbacca's getting strict with his carbs as our heroes reclaim their youth. Perhaps their rejuvenating break on Spira in Star Wars #29 took a while to manifest? Or is No Space a cosmic Shangri-La? Our heroes affect dramatic action poses, even if their expressions don't convey emotion as convincingly. Amilyn proves the exception: she always leaps off the page, whether firing weapons, conversing, or reacting to the chaos around her.

 

Madibek Musabekov treats us to a spectacular battle at the Great Hall of Nihil. The Killdroids—Iron Man's Mark I armor with spiky arms, glowing eyes, and Darth Vader mouth grills—never looked more menacing. Highly detailed backgrounds--spaceships, hanger bays, the Great Hall, and a packed auditorium--are utterly convincing.

 

The purple shading returns in Star Wars #33. Is it a unique feature of No Space? I've never witnessed the Aurora Borealis firsthand, but visiting the Kezarat colony and gazing out a viewport always amazed me. Shadows and highlights imbue our heroes with drama. The Auditorium lighting is particularly striking. Rich coloring imbues faces with realism and makes the action leap off the page.

 

Clayton Cowles provides uppercase lettering in easy-to-follow spherical dialogue balloons. He announces location changes with big upper and lowercase blue letters in rectangular black narrative boxes. His sound effects are colorful and dramatic. Luke's "Noooo!" battles a red-and-white "KRNCH" as the Killdroids crush his hand and lightsaber in the first panel. The yellow "THWM" as the Killdroid casts Luke aside cannot compare to the green-and-white "URRRR" as the Path Engine activates. All sound effects will look bland after the technicolor ones accompanying the attempt to return to known space and rejoin the Rebel Alliance. 

 

 

Final Thoughts

Star Wars #33 packs a battle with the Killdroids, Luke’s growing relationship with the Force, and Lando’s commitment to the Rebel Alliance in one spectacular issue. Filled with action and drama, it's sure to please fans of all ages, whether they've seen the Death Star explode twice or more times than they can remember.

 

Rating: 9.4/10

 

To preview interior art see my review at Comic Book Dispatch

Second Coming Trinity #1 Review

 

Second Coming Trinity #1 Review

Writer: Mark Russell

Artists: Richard Pace & Leonard Kirk

Colorist: Andy Troy

Letterer: Rob Steen

Cover Artists: Richard Pace; Howard Chaykin

 

Bonus Short Story: Extra Credit 3: The Groundskeeper

Writer: Tyrone Finch

Artist: Cayetano Valenzuela

 

Bonus Short Story: Ingredients Of Matter

Writer: Darrick Patrick

Artist: Ed Catto

 

Publisher: Ahoy Comics

Price: $3.99

Release Date: April 5, 2023

 

God The Father decides Earth could use a hand, so he sends his only begotten son to live with a superhero. Can Jesus help Sunstar create a better world? Let’s open our copies of Second Coming Trinity #1 to page 1 and find out!

 

Story

In Mark Russell’s story, Sunstar has helped complete work on humanity’s first space elevator. This achievement—envisioned by such novelists as David Gerrold in Jumping Off The Planet, Kim Stanley Robinson in Blue Mars, and Arthur C. Clark in 3001: The Final Odyssey—will make space exploration easier by reducing the costs of transporting people and materials out of Earth's gravity well. That such a long-desired dream has been realized so quickly underlines how superheroes could reshape our world. Still, the focus of Second Coming Trinity #1 is more down-to-Earth.

 

Sunstar attends Crannius’ trial. There seems little doubt the supervillain is responsible for many deaths. Yet Sunstar can't help feeling guilty. Did his actions shape Crannius' character? He remembers attending their 20-year High School Reunion. While Crannius tried to connect, Sunstar stood apart with his superhero friend Maris, Prince Of The Sea. When Crannius tried to fit in, Sunstar undermined his efforts. During a court break, Sunstar phones home. Babysitting Sunstar's infant, Jesus urges compassion. 

 

Art

Old School layouts make Second Coming Trinity #1 easy to follow. Sunstar and his friend Maris are readily comparable to Superman and Aquaman. Crannius’ swollen and cracked head reminds us of the Moon, where he perpetrated his alleged crimes. Mrs. Gaddis—the school's old lunch lady—looks and acts like Gru's mother in Despicable Me. Jesus could have walked out of a painting at your local church, and Sunstar's superpowered son Jordan is adorable.  

 

Andy Troy enhances Richard Pace & Leonard Kirk's 60's era art with soft, pleasing coloring. He loads his palette with complementary colors and shades with gray or darker tones. While he pays great attention to light sources and shadows, both are understated. Andy often adds a light background color that never distracts attention from the panels. His colors gradually strengthen as the story builds toward a satisfying climax.

 

Rob Steen's uppercase letters make this comic a blessing. Spherical dialogue balloons are easy to read and follow. Offscreen speech and inner thoughts appear in white narrative boxes. When Sunstar uses his cell phone, Jesus' dialogue manifest in a starburst. Jesus' counsel to Sunstar appears on scraps of yellowed parchment. Big yellow letters signal time and location shifts, and page numbers are a godsend in Second Coming Trinity #1. 

 

 

In Tyrone Finch's story, Extra Credit 3: The Groundskeeper, Bryce--a skateboard enthusiast--demolishes a cherished bed of rhododendrons. When Mr. Conrad orders him to repair the damage, Bryce discovers the groundskeeper’s office is stocked with wonders to rival the TARDIS in the Doctor Who story The Caretaker. This rousing adventure will test Bryce and give him insight into a man he never previously respected. Did Finch's character Thunderbolt prompt Cayetano Valenzuela to give Mr. Conrad a Thor-like aspect? Or was he inspired by Jason Aaron's seven-year run on Thor?

 

Ed Catto’s illustration for Ingredients Of Matter suggests the 1977 movie The Incredible Melting Man. Darrick Patrick's story seems closer to the 1980 movie Altered States. While Mark Russell’s Jesus speaks plainly, Ingredients Of Matter seems a metaphor for how education and experience expand our worldview. Readers of such trippy fare may enjoy the dark and disturbing Hairball #1, new this week from Dark Horse Comics.

 

Final Thoughts

Pleasing composition and imagery accompany inspiring ideas, character development, and story themes in Second Coming Trinity #1. Relatable characters and situations seasoned with humor and charm invite readers to reevaluate their lives and interactions with others.

 

Rating: 9.3/10

 

To preview interior art see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.

Junk Rabbit #1 Review

 

Story, Art, Color & Lettering: Jimmie Robinson
Cover Art & Variant Covers: Jimmie Robinson
Publisher: Image
Price: $3.99
Release Date: April 5, 2023

A masked man walks through a toxic landfill. A hovering camera streams (or "Thlinks") Steeper's hip slang to viewers in the domed city. Out of the corner of his eye, a rabbit streaks past. Steeper's cries of terror abruptly die. What happens next? Let's tune into Junk Rabbit #1 and find out!

Story
By 2198, consumerism has cluttered our world. The ultra-rich abandoned Earth for life on the moon and in space. In domed cities, the well-to-do live like the aristocracy of Britain's Edwardian Age or the passengers aboard the Axiom in WALL-E. The broadcasts of streamers like risk-taking Steeper--along with news, entertainment, and advertising--pour into their minds through bio-implants. These provide momentary distractions from the commercials played on immense digital signs.

Steeper's father, Chief Elder Richard Masters, orders stylish detective Chela Omina to investigate his death. Once she links the murder with the mythical Junk Rabbit, he tells her to report solely to him. Should she not agree, he will destroy her life.

 

 
Art
The first two pages of Junk Rabbit #1 convey how centuries of waste created a gulf between the rich and the poor. Immense domes separate the well-off from the wastelands. As in New Chicago in Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, citizens live in skyscrapers linked by walkways. They enjoy air and weather untainted by toxic materials outside the domes. Drones hover by each citizen, cossetting them with all they could ever wish to know or see. "Try blue, folks—it's the new red!"

Without robots to compact or process trash, shantytowns rise amid the toxic rubble. Unlike the Poor in the movie Ready Player One, they lack access to the info-sphere. They comb hills of garbage for anything salvageable. Even old cell phones, relics of the pre-implant age, are repurposed for local communication. 

 

In contrast to the highly detailed art in Junk Rabbit #1, Jimmie Robinson's limited palette colors the wastelands beige and the domes gray. People and objects get more attention and thus emerge from the background. Scenes set in the Sink resemble colored portraits on toned paper. While this approach lacks depth, it focuses the reader on the waste humans create, seemingly as a byproduct of their existence.

Jimmie Robinson employs a wide variety of lettering in Junk Rabbit #1. He conveys dialogue through uppercase letters in spherical dialogue balloons. History, news, and drone-speak come in rectangular yellow narrative boxes. Often these are underlined or outlined in red. Reactions to the info feed appear as black letters atop a yellow wash inside transparent boxes outlined in white. Shock, outrage, and alerts appear as red ovals within transparent boxes outlined in red. Symbols proliferate. Some readily communicate. Others we ponder.

 

Final Thoughts
While characters in the dome remain distant in Junk Rabbit #1, those inhabiting the Sink seem more relatable. The actions of Richard Masters and Chela Omina speak to class differences in a gender-neutral world. The relationships among the Poor—and their inherent sense of community—remind us that prosperity and happiness are not inseparable. Their devotion to a mythic hero underlines the power of faith.

The highly thematic nature of this comic invites contemplation. Is Jimmie Robinson's labor of love more than another byproduct of human existence? As always, you decide.

Rating 8.8/10

To preview interior art see the entry at Previewsworld.com

Star Wars: Return of the Jedi--Jabba's Palace #1 Review

 

Star Wars: Return of the Jedi--Jabba’s Palace #1 Review

Writer: Marc Guggenheim

Artist: Alessandro Miracolo

Colorist: Dee Cunniffe

Letterer: Clayton Cowles

Cover Artist: Ryan Brown; Lee Garbett & Laura Martin; Peach Momoko; Alex Maleev

Publisher: Marvel

Price: $4.99

Release Date: March 29, 2023

 

In Return of the Jedi, Luke Skywalker gifts Jabba The Hutt See-Threepio and R2-D2. The droid tasked with assigning duties mentions the last protocol droid angered Jabba and disintegrated him. C3PO watches as the droid gets torn apart. What's that droid's story? If you've got the mojo to enter Jabba’s palace, let's walk into Star Wars: Return of the Jedi--Jabba’s Palace #1 and find out!

 

Story

His name was Eightyem. He handled all of Jabba’s dealings. He was proficient at his job. Like Luke, the droid often gazed up at Tatooine’s twin suns at sunset and wondered if he could do more with his life. Remember the Twi’lek—the guy with the head-tails--who discovers Luke after he enters Jabba’s palace? When Luke says he wants to speak with Jabba, remember how the Twi’lek responds, "Jabba, no bother?" One day another Twi’lek joins his fellow. His name is Silvan Kaan. Like Luke, Kaan will eventually bother Jabba too. But first, Kaan will ingratiate himself with the master of Tatooine.

 

 

 

Kaan is a smooth talker who makes friends. He encourages Eightyem’s dreams of freedom and promises to remove his restraining bolt in return for three favors. The droid's actions—deviations from his duty to Jabba—give Kaan access to information that solidifies his position with Jabba. But not everyone is happy with the new order, and Eightyem is too naïve to realize the risks he’s undertaking.

 

Star Wars: Return of the Jedi--Jabba’s Palace #1 isn't a dialogue-heavy comic. Nor is it a five-minute read. Marc Guggenheim sprinkles in enough dialogue to help us feel what Eightyem experiences. The little protocol droid relates his story as a memoir. He understates and explains the accompanying visuals without drawing undo attention to his thoughts or feelings, waxing poetic, or blaming others for his errors in judgment. 

 

 

 

Art

Alessandro Miracolo’s art seems the perfect fit for the kid-friendly toy focus of Return Of The Jedi. He fills Jabba’s with all the aliens and bounty hunters we remember, including the little elephant musician. Eightyem looks cute but wistful. Clad in striking attire, Kaan affects dramatic poses. The Twi’lek’s eyepatch suggests he’s a pirate at heart. While most of the aliens look action-figure fun, Jabba never seems less than imperious. He is a Hutt and commands a criminal empire. Even more than in the movie, in Star Wars: Return of the Jedi--Jabba’s Palace #1, Jabba reminds me of Leto II Atreides, who ruled Arrakis—and thus, the civilized universe--for thousands of years in Frank Herbert’s novel God Emperor Of Dune.

 

Dee Cunniffe’s coloring may not be bold and vibrant, but his softer shades blend well with Eightyem’s memoir. Each character stands apart from his fellows. Nothing gets murky or lost in the shadows. His cinematic style makes Kaan and Jabba stand out as the orange rays of sunset stream through the circular windows of Jabba’s court. He even spotlights characters by subtly adding background light amid surrounding darkness. 

 

 

 

Clayton Cowles makes Star Wars: Return of the Jedi--Jabba’s Palace #1 easy to read with large print and bold stressed words. While most characters get circular dialogue balloons, Eightyem speaks with rectangular ones, and his connecting arrows resemble lightning bolts. Once, when Jabba is outraged, his giant words inhabit a white dialogue balloon outlined in red. But mostly, we follow Eightyem’s commentary of white letters in rectangular blue narrative boxes. Like Hansel and Gretel’s breadcrumbs, we follow the fragile protocol droid's footsteps until his journey ends.

 

Final Thoughts

This tale of a droid with grand dreams will charm lovers of Lucasfilm lore. Star Trek fans may hiss when Kaan makes his entrance; like Captain Kirk in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Kahn, they may feel compelled to yell, "Kaaaaaaaannnnnn!" Eightyem reminds me of Yoda's words to Obi-wan in The Empire Strikes Back. While the droid's thoughts are always far away, he has patience. And while Luke has anger in his heart, Eightyem doesn’t.

 

Droids fill the Star Wars universe. Some, like R2-D2, have great character. Others—like C3PO—have great comic potential. Most merely do their jobs—clocking in and out of their duty shifts—without drawing attention to themselves. Eightyem reminds me a little of L3-37 in Solo: A Star Wars Story. He would have cared about droid rights. He might even have fought for them. Who knows what he might have done but for the restraining bolt that held him captive in Star Wars: Return of the Jedi--Jabba’s Palace #1?

 

Rating 8.7/10

 

To preview interior art see my review at Comic Book Dispatch

Indigo Children #1 Review

 

Indigo Children #1 Review

Writers: Curt Pires & Rockwell White

Artist: Alex Diotto

Colorist: Dee Cunniffe

Letterer: Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou

Cover Artists: Alex Diotto; Tyler Boss; Tula Lotay; Jenny Frison

Publisher: Image

Price: $3.99

Release Date: March 29, 2023

 

In the beginning, there was darkness. Then lights appeared. The lights took form and became the glowing eyes of youths across the Egyptian desert. The youths’ feet left the ground, and they floated through the air toward the head of the ancient Sphinx. What happens next? Let’s tune into Indigo Children #1 and find out!

 

Story

Five years earlier, young Alexei boards an airplane. He glimpses a passenger’s past: the pain he suffered during the Chechen War in 1994. His mother notices his reaction and asks what he sensed. He whispers to her. She leaves to speak with a flight attendant. Suddenly a guard points his gun at the man, and the plane explodes. Boom! 

 

 

 

 

Donovan Price is tracking a story. The journalist corresponds online with his source. He travels to Russia. He meets with an aging professor who once knew Alexei. The professor piques his interest without giving him anything concrete to go on. Donovan calls in a favor. He wants to find Alexei: presumably one of the Indigo Children.

 

This double-length debut issue takes readers on a journey from Egypt to an unnamed airport and then to England before finally transporting us to Russia. Curt Pires & Rockwell White clutch the facts against their chests, making it difficult to parse what's happening. The journalist plays a videotape of young Alexei on a VCR. Yet he later claims his source sent him the video via email. The journalist uses a satnav instead of his phone. His cell phone—or his mobile phone, as he's in Europe—looks more like it belongs to the past than the present. Or is it a satellite phone? Initially, I thought the action took place in 1999. Later, I guessed the early 2000s. It wasn't until I Googled something a character mentioned that I realized that "Now," as stated in Indigo Children #1, must mean “Now.” 

 

 

 

Art

Alex Diotto’s simple, direct style gets the job done. While his characters aren't all that expressive, they're not supposed to be. The journalist asks questions. Those he asks--Russians, in this case--refuse to answer him directly. People always sweat when they're nervous. At first, I thought young Alexei was a girl. But then, I didn’t realize he was Russian.

 

Alex’s automobiles and buildings are good-to-impressive. Roads are lines with ink blotches. Bushes are inked-in forms or shapes with dots. Yet every scene provides scale. He portrays faces and bodies consistently. A laptop looks like a laptop. Old Polaroids, a well-used cup and saucer, an unlatched window that swings inward: every detail—including Russian lettering on signs and buildings--sucks us into Donovan’s journey.

 

 

 

 

Dee Cunniffe’s limited color palette enhances Diotto’s rough line art. Color combinations change with the scenes. Yet each combination fits the time, place, characters, and mood seems spot on. Light touches of shading and highlights suggest light sources. The coloring underlines the journalist’s dark journey through a land that does not know freedom.

 

Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou’s lettering conveys mood and intonation in Indigo Children #1. Sometimes symbols suggest a gasp or grunt. Dialogue balloons and attached arrows change shape. Lowered voices shift from uppercase to lowercase letters. I particularly like how he portrays psychic communication and suggests white noise pouring from a radio.  

 

 

 

 

Final Thoughts

Government conspiracies, a hint of Heinlein’s novel Stranger In A Strange Land, and an overt reference to The Truman Show make this an intriguing debut. After two readings, I don’t understand everything in Indigo Children #1, but I welcome learning more.

 

Rating 7.3/10

 

To preview interior art see my review at Comic Book Dispatch

Betsy Braddock: Captain Britain #2 Review

 

Betsy Braddock: Captain Britain #2 Review

Writer: Tini Howard

Artist: Vasco Georgiev

Colorist: Erick Arciniega

Letterer: Ariana Maher

Cover Artists: Erica d’Urso & Matthew Wilson; Ramon Villalobos & Jesus Abertov

Publisher: Marvel

Price: $3.99

Release Date: March 29, 2023

 

Betsy Braddock and Rachel Summers lead all known Captain Britains against Morgan Le Fay and her Furies. When she realizes the forces of Good will carry the day, Morgan Le Fay retreats. Betsy guesses Morgan will try to mold a potential Captain Britain, and Rachel locates one on Earth-76. Can Betsy and Rachel arrive in time to save a possible Captain Britain from falling under Morgan Le Fay’s sway? Let’s teleport into Betsy Braddock: Captain Britain #2 and see what happens next!

 

Story

In her London flat on Earth-76, Lizzie Braddock searches her poorly stocked fridge for dinner. She's overwhelmed when Morgan Le Fay appears. She’s heard others talk about Merlin, King Arthur, and Morgan Le Fay but never believed they were real. Lizzie's a capable member of S.T.R.I.K.E. with the mutant power of telekinesis. Morgan offers to help her become more. When Betsy and Rachel arrive, Morgan asks Lizzie to help her defeat them.

 

We learn more about British mythology—and how it relates to Marvel’s Multiverse—in Betsy Braddock: Captain Britain #2. We also meet Captain Peggy Carter, a WWII super-soldier recently discovered in the arctic. Revived, she now defends Britain on behalf of S.T.R.I.K.E. We learn that Morgan can emulate Madrox’s mutant ability to raise her game. Every hero gets her moment as each faces off against the legendary witch.

 

 

 

Art

Betsy and Rachel levitate, fly, and look at ease in the air. Lizzie appears far away when viewed from inside her mostly-barren fridge. Morgan Le Fay's black dress flows and splays out at the bottom, reminiscent of Morticia Adams. Lizzie's window bursts and fragments as Morgan hurls her power at Betsy and Rachel. While backgrounds occasionally give way to direction lines, most panels provide a fully realized setting. Pleasing compositions make the story easy to follow.

 

Red unites Betsy and Rachel. Black-clad Morgan casts green everywhere she goes in Betsy Braddock: Captain Britain #2. Lizzie and Betsy share lavender hair, and Betsy's power manifests in that color. A Harry Potteresque scene shows Morgan stave off Morgan's power—not from wands but foreheads. When she's injured, strands of Morgan's black hair turn gray. All turns black in one panel when Morgan hurls her terrible power at Lizzie. All we glimpse is Lizzie's glowing form, outlined in red.

 

Dialogue balloons arrangement makes them easy to follow. Psychic communication appears in puffy clouds with a hint of an X. Stressed words are bold. The Furies get black dialogue balloons with white lettering. Sound effects are expressive and inventive. If only the upper-and-lowercase lettering didn't start small and shrink for lowered voices. Older X-fans: give the physical comic to your children and keep the digital copy for yourself!

 

Final Thoughts

The first issue lured me in with a Tyrannosaurus Rex. Now it seems Britannica Rex may not regularly appear in this series. Even the Furies—a combination of Abe Sapien and Chappie-style robot warriors—don't get much screen time in this issue. Still, I enjoyed meeting new characters and seeing Betsy and Rachel force the legendary Morgan Le Fay to switch tactics. While much shorter than its predecessor, Betsy Braddock: Captain Britain #2 delivers a satisfying story with a uniquely British sensibility. Pair it with a strong cuppa and a Jammy Dodger for maximum enjoyment.

 

Rating 8.5/10

 

To preview interior art see my review at Comic Book Dispatch