By Thea Srinivasan

Adrestia has come back into the picture with even more action and an extra dose of humanity ironically enough. But I cannot go any further with this review without a warning. For anyone who has not read the first comic, please do not read this review. This is your only spoiler warning for this review. Turn back now if you DON’T want spoilers. Also, this particular issue will contain very triggering, graphic content in terms of murder, rape, and PTSD. For these reasons, I highly do not recommend this particular comic for anyone who cannot handle such macabre content.

Our story continues off with Adrestia trying to find her specific target. Only now, I begin to realize Adrestia true nature, her past and how she came to be overall. It’s because of this issue, I finally begin to understand that Adrestia is human. She is not some supernatural being, but rather is a woman with a mission to get revenge on what happened to her family.  It’s on this particular issue I see the pain and vulnerability that effects Adrestia on a day to day basis. Not only is the pain quite physical with the bullets and injuries she takes from her enemies, but we also get to see the mental anguish and drive she possesses to keep on going.

In one scene, in particular, I finally get to see Adrestia’s face and body under the mask. Normally, an unmasking scene is either vulnerable or comedic, depending on the superhero comic one reads. In this case, I find her unmasking scene to be filled with curiosity. I get to see the previous scars she had and wonder where and why she got them. I also see different tattoos on her body that make me wonder the purpose of them.  I think the author did such a wonderful job in this scene because although the author has revealed so much about who she is, there is still so much more I get to explore with her. Also, Adrestia’s morality is addressed somewhat in this issue as well. I get to see her empathize with someone for a little bit and try to understand them. But that moment quickly goes down the drain due to circumstances she couldn’t control. But it’s that small moment that makes me root Adrestia on even more.

Although Adrestia is still the main focus of the story. I do wish I get to see her interact with other allies or more permanent enemies. Even though I see a lot of personalities a lot of the enemies she encounters, the time I get to know about them goes away pretty quickly since they end up dying at her ends before the end of the issue. But it goes to show that even with her drive to get information, she still gives just a little bit of time for them to consider their answer before they get killed.

The art style has improved somewhat from the first issue to this one. I get to see more details when it comes to the characters. I see the injuries and the blood. I also to see more colors than just red to represent the blood. At this rate, it seems like the creator wants to focus on the characters and the particular scene they are in rather than just combining scenery with characterization. While this isn’t necessarily bad, it just further defines the art style of the illustrator.

Overall, I’m pretty pleased with this issue. The pace is fast enough that I don’t feel like yelling at the top of my lungs. Also, I like the character pace of the story so far and the advancement of the art style by the creators. This issue is a particular step up from the first issue, and I can’t wait to see more of what the author has in store. This issue is for the person who wants to get to know their chauffeur and have a more scenic route on this journey.

Score: 4/5

Any One of Us #2 - "21 Questions With An Asshole"
Vengeance Comics