After an outstanding debut issue, Masterminds #2 continues down the right track. In the latest issue, the story turns down the heat slightly to grow and focus on the relationship between our two central characters.
When we picked up Masterminds #1, we couldn’t put it down. Published by Dark Horse Comics and written by Zack Kaplan along with Stephen Thompson (artist), Thiago Rocha (colours), and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou (letters), the comic a struggling video game programmer dares to audition for a high-brow secret society in the gaming industry, known as Masterminds, he and a co-worker find themselves entangled in a web of deadly puzzles and games. We gave the comic a rare 5/5 score, praising its pace, action, and premise.
After a rollicking debut issue that both established the world and its key players, the second issue takes a slight step back to focus on the relationship between our protagonist Edward and his unwilling companion Angie. It’s not romantic; at least not yet. Moreover, it continues to explore the cultish ‘Masterminds’ — a high-brow, cliquey, secret society that enlists the greatest minds in programming and guarantees them success. It delves deeper into Edward’s motivations and state of mind, and reveals that Edward and Angie aren’t the only competitors ardently trying to get accepted into the Masterminds. Im order to progress, things must turn criminal.
One thing that particularly stood out to me in this issue was the exceptional panel work. The comic movies forward at a breakneck pace, keeping the reader engaged from the first page. The panels are sleek and clever — certainly not samey and dull. The artistry at work offers a gorgeous vision in this stylish neo-noir atmosphere.
While issue #2 didn’t hook me the same way the debut did, this series remains a must read for any fans of survival and Lit-RPG fiction. Kaplan is penning a story that unashamedly stands toe-to-toe (and often surpasses) the gluttony of other, similar, titles out there.
Rating: 4/5
Comments
Comments are closed.