Review - Die Hard Year One #2

When you’re watching a movie that is part of a trilogy usually the second one is the best hands down. This theory can be applied to other things as well such as books, games, and most definitely comics. Die Hard Year One #2 accomplishes this as a perfect second issue to a series I see only getting better from here. The series is starting to dig deeper into John McClane’s past and the state that New York City was in back in the rough and dangerous 1970s. Following is my review so be warned as spoilers be ahead. Start off with a bit of a recap of the first issue. This series is showing young rookie McClane on patrol for his first time in the streets of New York City. Told in conjunction with his tale are two other stories occurring: one of a young woman trying to make it in the big city and two crooked cops shaking people down for money. Towards the end of the first issue the young woman Rosie witnesses the two cops beat and then kill a dealer, throwing into the three tales onto paths that will end in a collision. This first issue set a high bar for what this comic can accomplish and after reading the second one they topped it. This issue starts us at the scene of the murder with the two cops standing over the corpse discussing what to do with it as Rosie watches on from the alley entrance. She stumbles back in shock and spooks a cat making her worst fear at the moment a reality as the cops turn around to see her and begin to chase after her as she flees down the street. They eventually lose her in the crowd, leaving them cursing about how badly they are screwed if they can’t find her. We then leapfrog back to the rookie McClane on a beat with his training alongside Officer Bingham. While on their beat they come across a man flashing people wearing an American flag on his back and McClane kicks into action subduing the guy with his hands behind his back. This is where Officer Bingham decides to intervene and crack the guy upside the head with his club and being stopped immediately after by McClane. I liked how they wrote this as it shows the contrast between what sorts of cops the two are and how differently they approach work. It shows that even in the face of the status quo and with virtually no one caring for the job, McClane believes in doing the right thing and enforcing the law. This sets off Bingham into a mad tirade that boils down to showing McClane knows how to keep his cool and keep his mouth shut. You get a little more backstory about what he did before joining the police force. He served in Vietnam as a Marine, showing he has probably seen some crazy stuff yet can keep his cool. The day finds McClane and Bingham down at the docks in front of an enormous yacht to do a security sweep for a gala event. During the sweep McClane is being hit upon by the wife of the third richest man in the world, which is making him a little uncomfortable. We bounce back to our two cops looking for the girl and during the search they happen upon Officer Bingham and get him to keep a look out for the girl. Luck would have it they spot her in a crowd and begin to tale her waiting for a chance to grab and dispose of her. Rosie is lost in her own thoughts as the two cops get closer and closer until being startled from behind and seeing them she runs off in an interesting way. What makes it interesting is she was still heading to her job and was dressed in that star uniform to be a part of a giant American Flag and lost the cops as all the girls looked alike. The end of the issue finds us seeing an interaction between the crooked cops and the new guy and basically freaking out about how much trouble would come their way if they didn’t find the girl. This issue was a great read and artistically drawn to match with the feel of New York City. Throughout the entire issue they take a bit of time to talk about the city itself, what’s going on with the state of the people. It makes the city a character as well and when a comic can pull that off it makes that comic a much better read if the environment Is part of the story and not just there. With this series you can’t go wrong as the story is just compelling that will keep you reading and wanting that next issue. Makes you want to go back and watch Die Hard just to see some people get their ass kicked. Go pick this one up when it comes out next week (October 28) and you will enjoy it. Hope you enjoyed the review.

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