Our sirens (Cat Woman, Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn) have infiltrated their way into a nightclub that finally opened up to the public after being suspiciously exclusive for so long. Once our crew realizes that the prize d possession they’re looking for is a child trapped in a cage they realize something very fishy is going on and this second issue has them start to catch onto and fight against Despero! The villain behind all of this!
Leah Williams’ second issue is the first extended fight scene between the sirens and Despero. Almost the entire issue is devoted to this fight scene which helps to show why Despero is so impressed by the sirens because he really has to handle a lot of attacks before getting the upper hand. The pages don’t shine a light on our main characters as much but rather focus on the kind of character Despero and the conduit are. I find this balance to be pretty good as we had the assembling of the team in the first issue to contrast with the villain’s personality being in the forefront here in the second issue. I also like that the conduit child is complicated and scared, unable to choose a real alliance because they’re just a child while also displaying a range of emotions throughout the battle. So far the character building in these comics has been really solid and works towards making the fight scene about different interests that aren’t exactly clear yet but peak my curiosity and make me want to continue reading this series!
I’m not a huge fan of the setting though. The club environment leads to a couple off handed jokes but doesn’t feel like a character of its own. It’s a setting for Despero to have a bunch of people come out of nowhere I guess but it feels really weird to me that he would know anything at all about organizing and maintaining a club. Like imagine Despero trying to book a DJ for the night and getting the right sound system and it all just starts to feel very silly to me. It’s not a huge problem with the series but it does take me out of the immersion a bit and I wish there was a setting that felt a bit more outlandish or just a bit more background as to how this club came to be. Because otherwise the club setting just seems like a convenient tool for the writer and not a fully fleshed out plan from Depero.
Whenever I review an issue that focuses mostly on combat I definitely care a lot about what the artists do to make it worthwhile. I like to see exciting pages with experimental and fluid panels to showcase powerful hits that strike me immediately but leave me lingering on the page while I tend to my wounds. The art by Haining does not disappoint. Every panel during the fight allows us to see the three different sirens as they engage with the villains using their powers and different fighting tactics. The diversity of panels and powers means that you always get something new and exciting on the next page with the amount of space on each page to really let you soak it all in.
The colors by Alex Guimaraes feel very moody and dark which fits the fight scenes perfectly. A green flame envelops the page and blue and red figures try to control the fiery fierce fighters forcing their way through the club with the hopes of acquiring the conduit. The green is sickly and sticks onto whatever it touches while the red and blue are more like the accents to every moment, adding an extra kick to whatever you look at. I also love the letters by Tom Napolitano who’s been very consistent on other projects I reviewed and still always manages to bring his A-game. The extra layer around whatever Despero says for example really sets the villain apart and makes them more intimidating and always in command which you’ll find is very apt for their character!
Recommended if:
- A big fight scene always has you hyped
- You’re curious to find out more about the villain’s personality
- This trio is your dream team
Overall
This series is entertaining and has potential to be a great story. I’m excited to see the characters get fleshed out and I’m enjoying how everyone is written so far! The art is also really fun to look at and I think everything is going really smoothly!
Score: 7/10
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