Review - Danger Club #2

It's probably best to just start by saying that I really liked Danger Club #1. It had a great mix of action and storyline and took a fresh look at the sidekick dynamic.

The second issue of the title published by Image Comics is written by Landry Q. Walker, illustrated by Eric Jones and colored by Michael "Rusty" Drake and Derek Hunter (letters by Richard Starkings and Comicraft's Jimmy Betancourt).

The issue opens up with the President of the Global United States, a wrinkled war veteran laying blame on the youths of the world for the rash of insurrection. He uses one of them for sending an explosive and messy message. That happened in the present. The rest of the issue flashes back.

Kid Vigilante is accompanied by an enemy in Ladybug. The two of them are visiting his brother, who's being kept in some sort of stasis courtesy of Red Vengeance. Kid Vigilante has some sentimental words for his brother before leaving.

Meanwhile, in Micro-Tokyo, Yoshimi Onomoto, is battling two Gigantobots who are chasing her down from treasonous crimes. She ends up coming away with a rather large toy herself that will prove useful in the upcoming war Kid Vigilante and the others plan on waging.

The issue plays out on two fronts. The Kid Vigilante scenes are sentimental, while the Yoshimi scenes are adrenaline-packed. Walker does a great job balancing the two and keeping the pace throughout the issue consistent. It's conceivable that the two conflicting stores could wreak havoc on pacing, but Walker deftly handles both speeds.

There's not much in the way of characterization, with the sidekicks seemingly relying on being quiet heroes. Maybe that's the intent, but by the second issue you've really only gotten to know Kid Vigilante. He's on a mission to save the world somehow, but it's still a little unclear regarding his motivation.

The art by Jones really shines. The scenes in Micro-Tokyo have an anime feel to them, while the other panels depict more of the emotional side of things. The fighting amongst the giant robots is presented very well, really capturing the mechanics behind a giant robot fight.

Drake and Hunter's coloring probably stand out the best though. The panels boast extremely rich colors, especially in Micro-Tokyo. The illustrations really pop off the page, courtesy of the coloring. It's obvious a lot of care went into the colors, and both Drake and Hunter deserve full credit for that.

Danger Club #2 is a strong second issue. The motivations behind the sidekicks and their quest are still a little vague, but the somewhat surprising act at the beginning of the issue will definitely have you intrigued. It's worth checking out, primarily because it's a superhero book with a slightly different take.

Danger Club #2 hits stores May 16.