By Cat Wyatt

The last issue of Freelance left us with the rift still open, and Lance and the Mayor in danger of the rift (remember; the Mayor got sucked into it, while Lance jumped in after him in a daring but stupid rescue mission). Our intro gives us a brief glimpse into how the world looks on the other side of the rift – and I have a feeling that’s just the first taste of it.

I’m pretty sure there’s a super-secret superhero handbook out there, and one of the requirements list for being a hero is to be perfectly skilled in brooding. Good news is, if that is a requirement, Lance is totally set. He’s carrying just as many questions as he is guilt, which is saying something.

I have to admit I’m surprised by how quickly events go from here; the rift is open, Tasha is hunting for the real device that can close them, Apollyon is on the loose, plus all of the interpersonal issues among the team. There are a whole lot of things in the air in this issue, and I have a feeling they’re not coming down anytime soon.

Cut to Istanbul, where John was supposed to arrange a meeting with some contacts he had. I say supposed to not because he failed, but because what happened was in no way, shape, or form, something I would consider a meeting to be. Unless it’s standard for brawls to accompany meetings that is (which I suppose could happen in some circles…).

Thankfully John’s ex (I believe that is her status) is here to save the day, and may I just say she’s a total badass? I almost feel like she should join the team (though that would likely put a huge crimp in John’s current courtship…so there’s that). She cleaned up the fight like it was nothing, and then handed off vital intel they needed (she said there’s no cost, but I suspect she knows how bad things would go if everything isn’t handled swiftly; plus she clearly still has a soft spot for John).

I have to admit, seeing a ‘tough guy’ like John get all flustered and red in the face over Lance is…well it’s endearing. It’s so common these days to have a masculine character refuse to show his emotions, and I am so happy that Freelance has chosen to do away with that trope. John is a well-rounded and fully balanced character, with real struggles and emotions and everything else one would expect an actual person to have.

While all of this has been going down, Apollyon has been on the hunt. If I’m being honest I’m not really sure what she’s looking for, but I’m sure that will be revealed in due time. To say that Apollyon is terrifying would be an understatement. The fact that she can kill so calmly and easily (she literally smothered a soldier to death)…it’s freaky. I haven’t seen an understated villain like her in quite some time.

I’m glad at least one of the characters on the team is willing to talk open and honestly about relationships. Granted, Tasha isn’t talking about her own relationship, so I imagine that makes it a whole lot easier (she actually strikes me as the type to be pretty tight lipped about her own, at least while they’re on the newer side). And frankly I think Lance deserved the good natured ribbing from her. Hopefully she’s helping John’s case, rather than hindering it.

Speaking of Tasha…she gets quite an informational bomb dropped on her. Her mother is alive and well…and working with Apollyon. I can only imagine how awful it would feel to know that the woman who raised you went off to the dark side (sorry, couldn’t resist!).

Now that everything has been set up in this world, I’m anticipating things will continue to pick up speed. We know all about the protagonists and their emotional states, we’ve met the antagonist and her new accomplices, and we more or less know what her goal is. I think the writing has been pretty solid up until this point. There’s a lot of focus on the relationship side of things, but it’s honestly a refreshing change from the norm, so I’m content with it (while I realize others may not be).

As for the artwork; I still love Apollyon’s character design and color palette. I know we’re only two issues in, but the cover with her standing there dramatically is by far my favorite. My other favorite scene for this issue would have to be the rift opening up around all those bright race cars. It was dramatic, detailed, and bright. All of my favorite things rolled into one.

Score: 4/5

Freelance #2
Chapterhouse