Gun Honey: Doubles Down #2 is written by Charles Ardai and published by Titan Comics. Artwork is by Ang Hor Kheng, colours are by Asifur Rahman, and letters are by David Leach. Main cover art (left) is by Derrick Chew.
Gun Honey: Doubles Down #2 is available from today, in comic book stores and on digital platforms where all good comic books are sold. Grab your physical copy from Forbidden Planet or digitally from Amazon Comixology UK.
Synopsis
When a botched attack on the dictator of Russia sends three identical-looking men fleeing Moscow for Siberia, Finland, and the Black Sea, Gun Honey Joanna Tan is offered $10 million to separate the real target from his doubles — and make sure the right man dies.
Review
You know exactly what you’re getting when you pick up a Hard Case Crime title: a full embrace of pulp fiction sensibilities. This is mature content with a capital M.
Gun Honey: Doubles Down #2 follows Joanna Tan as she continues her mission to track down three Russian lookalikes. She soon finds herself held captive in a Russian military outpost in Siberia, armed with nothing but her wits and a few well-hidden tools. Danger lurks around every corner, and death is never far away.
Charles Ardai’s writing is sharp and relentlessly paced. He keeps the story charging forward without sacrificing character in favour of spectacle. And there’s plenty of spectacle, make no mistake. While Doubles Down #2 doesn’t shy away from its X-rated material, it also delivers a tightly plotted, confidently written espionage thriller. In many ways, the nudity underscores the unique dangers a female spy faces that her male counterparts simply do not.
Ang Hor Kheng’s artwork is undeniably sexy, but not because it exploits Joanna Tan. Instead, Kheng embraces the bold visual language of classic pulp. The art pushes right up to the edge of gratuitous, but knows when to pull it back before it comes leering. Every page feels richly detailed; the action bursts on every page. And what a setting to explore—a Russian outpost hidden beneath an eighth-century archaeological site in Siberia! This is one fun ride.
Gun Honey: Doubles Down #2 maintains exactly the momentum you want from a spy thriller. Joanna Tan remains a compelling lead who feels distinct in her own right rather than a pastiche or a male fantasy. She is every bit as resourceful and capable as any male spy, yet she must also navigate dangers unique to women in her profession. The prison sequence, in particular, is tense, deeply vulnerable, and genuinely nerve-racking. Even so, Tan never becomes a victim. She refuses to surrender, proving once again that she’s one of the toughest protagonists in comics.
Verdict
Stylish, sexy, and tightly plotted, Gun Honey: Doubles Down #2 is an arousing, pulpy spy thriller. Aradi’s story flies by at a breakneck pace, and Ang Hot Kheng’s art will keep you glued to the page.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
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