You probably just caught my review for the first issue this past weekend and here we are already talking about the second issue. Well isn’t that better? You don’t have to wait to hear me talk about one of Titan’s breakout series of the year. Ever since Titan started publishing single issues they’ve managed to release comics that really have never been seen on the market before and Ordinary is included in that statement. The story opens with the U.S. Government deciding what they’re going to do about the entire populace having super powers. We meet the Vice President and let’s just say he’s a god fearing, warmonger. They bring in Dr. Tara McDonald and she says that they need to find a cure before the world goes nuclear. She tells VP of crazy that it hinges on finding one person unaffected by outbreak that has already spread around the world.
Back in New York, Michael is still trying to get to his son. It’s his mission and though he seems like the type of guy that would quit at the first sign of difficulty he continues to push through. Currently though he’s fucked because they’re not letting people into Manhattan.
Michael’s cosmic Taxi driver offers to create a distraction for him and it works, even if he loses control of it. Michael runs for the tramway and barely gets a shoulder on. One of the passenger’s attempts to help him, but then his arm breaks off and Michael nearly falls. A different passenger helps him and we discover our first kind citizen was actually a zombie. The tram offers a terrific scene and tests Michael’s humanity and how he is under crisis situations. He’s tested again after he gets off the tramway and this is again an important test. I won’t say what happens, but I will say that it made the story deeper emotionally and developed Michael’s character significantly.
With the first issue I didn’t personally care one way or another about Michael. You kind of assume since he’s the star of the book he’s going to at least make it through to the end, but I didn’t need to root for him. After this issue and seeing his determination to get to his son, I’m rooting for him. He constantly says he’s quitting, but it’s all talk. It’s what you say when you’re up against a task that you can’t fathom finishing, but you keep plugging away and you manage it in the end. Rob Williams continues to write terrific dialogue that is humorous, heartfelt and more importantly believable.
If there is one thing I can definitively say about this series, it’s that it’s beautiful. D’Israeli’s artwork is clean, detailed and captures the imagination. Seeing all the powers that he’s drawing and seeing that no two are alike is incredible. There’s a person with snails for hair and it’s disgusting looking, but I stared at that panel like a dead body in a coming of age tale. In particular the Zombie guy was awesome as D’Israeli’s artwork brought out the humor of Williams’ dialogue. The entire tram scene was intense and extremely well executed by D’Israeli.
The cliffhanger at the end left me wanting more, but I want to point out that the series does their cliffhangers differently as they actually give you a preview of the next issue after the cliffhanger. This is very rewarding as it serves to wet ones whistle. This is shaping up to be a great series. It’s perfect for fans of the superhero genre, but it offers them something completely different from what they’re used to. Give it a shot if you haven’t already, the balance of story and humor, paired with great art is worth the purchase.
Score: 4/5
Writer: Rob Williams Artist: D’Israeli Publisher: Titan Comics Price: $3.99 Release Date: 6/25/14 Format: Mini-Series, Print/Digital