Heroes In Crisis #2 is written by Tom King with artwork by Clay Mann and colours by Tomeu Morey.
You can pickup your copy of Heroes In Crisis #2 now where all good comics are sold!
Synopsis
Suspected of murder, [REDACTED] and [REDACTED] find themselves on the run from the super-hospital called Sanctuary —with each thinking the other one is the real killer! It’s up to Batman to solve this heinous crime, but suspicion falls on him when Superman and Wonder Woman ponder just how much Sanctuary’s A.I. is telling them. Meanwhile, [REDACTED] tries to make a shady deal to hide from the Trinity, while [REDACTED] searches out an old friend to help him out of this mess—and only gets deeper in trouble.
Review
Heroes in Crisis #1 (reviewed here) set a very high bar for this limited series. It injected a huge mystery in to the DC Universe whilst setting up some potential character conflicts.
With this second issue writer Tom King finds himself continuing to lay the groundwork for what is to come. If issue #1 was the inciting incident then issue #2 is the exposition which follows.
For DC’s trinity of Wonder Woman, Superman and Batman there’s little time to reflect on to the emotions of unfolding events. They are too caught up in solving the mystery itself. Instead their impact on this issue comes from video taped confessionals from Sanctuary.
The brief insight in to their thought process is what stands out in this issue for me. Seeing Batman vulnerable because he thinks he is safe is nothing short of revolutionary. Similarly, to see the normally impervious Superman reflect on his actions is a refreshing new spin on this type of storytelling.
The scene in which Wonder Woman confesses (or doesn’t) is intriguing. Diana normally leads from her heart and is easily one of the more emotional heroes in the Justice League. To see her react in a stereotypically male manner, clamming up and becoming defensive, is equally as interesting as seeing the others become vulnerable.
In the present day it is Flash who is the emotional centre of the story. His scenes with Booster Gold really amp up the impact of last issues deaths. Something which needs to resonate across this book but also the wider DC universe.
As for the mystery itself? I thought I had it all tied up following the show down between Harley and Booster in a Midwestern field. Now I’m not so sure.
Harley has more exposure in this issue. But her behaviour is more typically Harley. Her peak is easily putting on her classic costume before the Trinity arrives to interrogate her. She seems to be the key to the mystery at this stage making Heroes In Crisis potentially the most important Harley Quinn story in years.
Booster Gold’s behaviour is, however, concerning. Doing what he does best in ignoring his problems whilst trying to live up to his heroes. There’s potentially a Jekyll & Hyde aspect to his character which is going to unfold in this series. For now Tom King is just offering huge bucket loads of intrigue which I hope leads to a serious pay off down the line.
Clay Mann and Tomeu Moray once again provide stunning artwork. The book yo-yos from wide open spaces to tight confined frames. The title splash offers another great use of incorporating text in to the landscape. Whilst the Santuary confessionals remain tightly focussed on the subjects facial expressions. Heroes In Crisis is a sight to behold.
Verdict
Heroes In Crisis second issue is overall a decent follow up. It furthers the story whilst offering some very interesting insight into the mental state of DC Comics Trinity.
Whilst there are no great revelations we’ve still got seven more issues remaining to wrap but what is rapidly becoming an extremely engaging mystery.
7.5/10
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