By Damien Becton

Rick Remender has built a name as one of the comic book industry’s most recognizable and consistent writers. He’s had stints with the biggest publishers, including taking on the writing duties of characters like Marvel’s Captain America and DC”s Booster Gold. He has a reputation for creating some of the weirdest, but most intriguing and entertaining comic books on the stands today. With the second issue of Death or Glory, Mr. Remender protects the reputation that he’s established throughout the years with a story that continues to get even stranger and increasingly immersive.

Death or Glory #2 picks up where the previous issue left off and dives deeper into the situation, having the titular character, Glory, dealing with the aftermath of the chase. This issue fleshes Glory out a little bit, giving you an idea of how long her marriage lasted, why it ended in the first place, and her moral compass. The protagonists of the book realize that it may be necessary for them to steal a car but Glory is reluctant to do so - that is until a situation arises that allows her to do so. It’s a short and simple scene, but let’s you know how Glory and her mind works.

Did I mention that Remender is known for his weird and strange stories? You get a lot of that in this issue, even though this book takes place in an extremely realistic and grounded world. With issue #1, the “weird” kicks off with a sinister man killing workers at a restaurant with liquid nitrogen - in this issue, you get the “weird” with scenes of human trafficking, organ trade, and, the most “what in the hell?” moment I’ve read in a while. You’ll probably know it when you read it - but it has to do with a police officer and a chilli pepper. That’s not to say this weirdness is a bad thing. Although it may not be everyone’s cup of tea, the scenes that Bengal and Remender are able to create are definitely entertaining.

Bengal, the books illustrator, also deserves praise for the scenes that he is able to produce. Glory, again, looks amazing, even if she’s just resting on the hood of a car. The scene that shows actual harvesting of an organ is brutal, frightening, and makes you feel sorry for the poor man due to the emotion that Bengal is able to convey. When looking at the pencils, I saw shades of Chris Bachalo, one of my favorite artists of all time. If you are mentioned in the same sentence as him, you are doing something right.

Overall, the Death or Glory #2 is an extremely enjoyable book if you are into the weird, out-there stuff Remender is known for. Remender is able to take the story to even weirder heights, without sacrificing character moments or scenes that will get you invested into the characters. Bengal is masterful with the art one again, pencilling scenes that conveys pain and fear effectively. This definitely worth the $3.99.

SCORE: 4/5

Death or Glory #2
Image Comics