Livewire #2
Publisher: Valiant
Story: Vita Ayala
Pencils: Raúl Allén
Colors: Patricia Martín
Letters: Saida Temfonte
Cover: Adam Pollina & Ulises Arreolla
The bar was set fairly high with the first issue of Livewire’s solo series and it’s good to know that the second is just as satisfying. Vita Ayala continues to deconstruct Amanda McKee while expanding on the severe consequences of her actions against the world. They keep Amanda accountable on all fronts which is expertly played out as Livewire and one of her captors go back and forth in regards to the effects of her actions. And though Amanda has a reason for everything she’s done, her point of view isn’t shared by all. Ayala’s dialogue here is visceral and hits like a superkick to the chin as they continue to not pull any punches. This is pretty much on par for the entire issue as solid pacing and character building make this both new reader friendly and still satisfying for you long time Livewire fans out there.
When it comes to the visual storytelling of the series it’s in great hands with Raúl Allén and Patricia Martín. If you’re familiar with their work then you already know how well they deliver. If you’re new to this series then I actually envy you for discovering their art for the first time. They move the narrative with a precision that is nothing short of exceptional. The amount of detail in each character that draws out who they are and the emotion necessary to carry a scene is truly a highlight. They even made that exchange between Livewire and the guard an ugly sequence that you couldn’t turn away from. Going back and forth with the warm and cool colors just heightened the moments in those panels. There’s also a very noticeable panel many will recognize right before the fight starts and it perfectly set the stage and attitude for what was about to happen.
The creative team is laying out a solid introduction to Livewire and it’s a great place for any new reader to start. The recap before the story tells you exactly what you need to know before you get in though as a personal preference I always want a reference to the series these events took place in. If anything just to give potential new readers a specific place to start. So if you don’t already know, Livewire is a series that should definitely be in your read pile.
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Infinite Speech
infinitespeech@comicattack.net
