Review - Jirni #2

A daughter's quest to find her mother is one fraught with peril and emotion. For whatever reason, the mother needs to be found and Ara is hellbent on finding hers. Her journey continues in Jirni #2 from Aspen Comics.

The issue is written by J.T. Krul, illustrated by Paolo Pantalena, colored by Brett Smith and lettered by Josh Reed.

Ara and Nylese continue their quest, with Nylese inquisitive about Ara's kingdom Janna. Ara dishes on the city, including King Graim's attack on the city, subsequently leading to the enslavement of Ara's mother. Ara is hidden by her mother to little avail, an assault that prompts her to unleash her anger and take on her captors. All that past information brings her back to the present, where's faced with an old woman, a well and a monster. Things get a little crazy after that.

Krul's pacing the story very well, ensuring that Ara and Nylese are moving forward on their journey while also relaying information about Ara's past. Mixing in the flashbacks contextually with the scene really emphasizes their importance to the series as a whole. For example, the flashback is mixed in while Ara and Nylese are dealing with another mother and her child, highlighting the lengths a mother will go to protect her daughter. There is something of a sharp contrast between Ara and Nylese which slows the story down a tad, but it's nothing too bad.

Pantalena's art is phenomenal. He does a great job with the characters and settings, presenting a world that's larger than life. The Djinn makes another (albeit brief) performance and it's just as terrifying. If there's one minor gripe, it's that there are a few panels where Ara is illustrated very vivaciously, almost to the point where it's distracting from the story itself. Other than that, Pantalena fills the pages with great illustrations that give the reader a picture of the world throughout the journey.

Jirni #2 is a good follow-up to the initial issue. It amplifies the concept of mother and daughter by playing up the lengths of that relationship. That emphasis serves as a great reinforcement for Ara's character and her quest, proving that a strong motivation will send anyone great distances. Jirni is shaping up to be quite interesting indeed and is definitely worth checking out.

Jirni #2 is in stores now.





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