Review: Wynonna Earp #2
Wynonna Earp is back in a decent way. Issue two of the comic book based on the upcoming TV series has some improvements from the first issues while keeping a few of the flaws. This issue continues the story of Black Badge Agent Wynonna Earp as she continues hunting for her arch-nemesis and leader of “The Cupacabra Cartel,” Mars Del Rey. This leads her to Malad City where the population is a mixture of humans and flesh eating creatures that can look like humans. In this city Mars Del Rey is heading an operation to transfer human organs to sell to demonic customers all under the cover of a milk producing company. Gross, right? I thought the horror element in this issue was campy and fun. There is a decent amount of gun violence and blood splattering in this issue. It feels a little unnecessary as does some of the mature language. At times I found that it took me out of the story and was just there for shock value. Being that this is going to be a Syfy TV series that makes a little sense. Wynonna is a fun character to read. Unfortunately the supporting characters such as her superior Agent Dolls, appear to be more plot functions than fleshed out characters. This was a problem I had in the first issue. An improvement was made with the introduction of the character of John Henry, who serves as an ally to Wynonna during her mission. He has enough of the mouthy sarcastic persona that he is able to have entertaining banter with her. Mars Del Rey was a big bad mentioned in the last issue that did not appear. The build up from last issue was that he would be a major villain. That didn’t come across in the way he was drawn and portrayed in this issue. From the moment he’s introduced he looks like a normal dude and doesn’t stand out as someone to be feared. Without giving too much away the confrontation between him and Wynonna was the least action-packed point in the story.
I had my reservations about this title since it is a TV show tie-in but I think the way this issue wraps up opens the door for more fun stories to be told. I’m not sure how many of these issues will be direct adaptations of episodes. My feeling is that if one is more entertaining than the other than I will pick it up or tune in. Luckily the comic came first so the bar is set. We’ll have to wait and see if the quality of this book equals or surpasses the quality of the TV show. Either way I had a good time reading it and I’m looking forward to the next issue.
Score: 3/5
Wynonna Earp #2 Writer: Beau Smith Artist: Lora Innes Publisher: IDW Publishing Price: $3.99 Release Date: 3/16/16 Format: Ongoing; Print/Digital