Collapse: Isolation #2 manages to be an infuriating comic book. Not because it’s bad, quite the opposite actually. What it does, is capture the human condition quite well as it shows our group of underground survivors thinking more with their goddamn hearts, than with their brains. In the first issue we learned about our society that was essentially living in a sophisticated underground complex meant to protect them from the poisoned outside world. Two of the members took their yearly trip the power plant to keep the juice running and now we pick up after the duo have been gone for a week. The team is getting worried. In particular, the daughter and the girlfriend of the two men that left. I mean, if that’s not a conflict of interest then I don’t know what is. Sam our daughter and gf (not to the same person by the way) spends most of the issue convincing the rest of the team to go find her family.
There are two other storylines running in this issue, but I don’t want to spoil them. One is still pretty subtle and it’s not clear how it’s going to play out with the rest of the story, while the other is earth shattering.
The writing is very good. When you can make me frustrated and yet care about a character the way they do with Sam, then you have a good series on your hand. I wanted to shake her and tell her, “No! Stop and think for a moment!” but I couldn’t. She’s a fictional character, but credit again to the writing for invoking such a strong response. The post-apocolyptic world that’s been created here is interesting and different enough to stand out in a crowded genre. The ending of this issue has me desperate to read more as the landscape of our world is surely going to change.
The art continues to be a strong part of the stories success. I really enjoy the character with the comb over because it shows that this society is populated by real people. If you think that there won’t be a dude with a comb over in your fallout shelter, then you’re wrong. You may even end up being that person. The art presents real people. Not beautiful comic people, but real characters that make the world and story feel like our world. It’s probably why I feel so passionate towards them when they do something dumb.
The second issue of Collapse: Isolation is better than the first. The first had the hefty job of introducing the world, the characters and some of the mystery. The second issue had the advantage of building upon all of that and it’s better for it. I don’t know if anyone is really looking for another post-apocalyptic survival story, but if you are or a fan of the genre then this is the one you should be reading.
Score: 3/5
Collapse: Isolation #2 Writers: R.P. Foster & Russ Pirozek Artist: Pablo Lordi Inker: Jake Isenberg Publisher: Rising Sun Comics Price: $4.00 Format: Ongoing; Digital Website