America’s got Powers #2
Written by: Jonathan Ross
Art by: Bryan Hitch
Published by: Image comics
You can tell that Jonathan Ross is somebody with alot of journalistic experience who understands how the world of television works.
This second issue is a world building issue as Ross aims to show you just how far the world where super powered individuals were reality TV stars (I think this might have been a premise in an X-men alternate reality story) stretches. He maps this world from the man on the street, right up to millionaire with vested interests in the TV show who also have ties to the government (and shows an underlying conspiracy).
Despite this world-building and the huge scope that this can potentially stretch, he also has time for character moments as he shows an incident from Tommy’s, our protagonist, past and a moment with new characters that will lead to future story and drama.
Helping these quiet moments is a shift in Bryan Hitch’s art, he’s more known for high stakes, huge explosions and all out chaos but he has a clean style and a gift for facial expressions (with hints of photo referencing) that allows the reader to see plainly how the character is feeling and creates tension and atmosphere on the quieter levels (like this issue’s ‘power recovery group’ scene which read like an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting).
That’s not to say that this issue is without action, Hitch still gets to flex those muscles as they vary from showing the aftermath of last issue’s brawl to the group of super heroes state of the art training facility. Hitch gives this kinetic, lively action renditions that leap off the page.
Ross and Hitch continue to deliver in this issue, giving a shock twist and a host of relatable characters with varying motives, as we hit the half way point of the mini, I can’t wait to see what they have up their very creative sleeves next!
Rating: 8/10
