ALICE COOPER (VOL. 2) #2, from Dynamite Comics on 11/1/23, gives the legendary rocker his weapon of choice when Alice Cooper receives an angelic visitor bearing a powerful gift.
The Details
- Written by: Rodney Barnes
- Art by: Edu Menna
- Colors by: Adriano Augusto
- Letters by: Troy Peteri
- Cover art by: Stuart Sayger (cover A)
- Comic Rating: Teen
- Cover price: $4.99
- Release date: November 1, 2023
Is ALICE COOPER (VOL. 2) #2 Good?
Clean, clear, simple, and fun. Rodney Barnes takes the musical stakes outlined in the first issue and levels the playing field for Alice to do battle with the Devil in ALICE COOPER (VOL. 2) #2. Put another way, Barnes took everything that worked in the first issue and made it better here.
When last we left Alice Cooper, he was blissfully unaware that the Devil was taking out legendary front men and women so that humanity would have no choice but to praise the Devil as the world’s greatest musical performer. Alice knew something was up when he started to see demons and devils scouting out his performances. Now, Alice receives a visit from the angel Gabriel with a special gift – a mystical guitar whose music disintegrates demons within hearing distance. While the Devil tightens up his singing pipes, Alice increasingly becomes the target of demons who want to eliminate their boss’s competition.
If you read the first issue, you may notice a slight shift in the setup and Alice’s place at the heart of the Devil’s designs. In the first issue, Gabriel reached out to Alice and showed him that his music could disrupt the undead and demons appearing at his gigs, leaving them open to destruction. Now, Gabriel returns with a magic guitar that does sorta the same thing. Issue #2 almost plays out as if the first issue never happened, so the transition from the last issue to this one is… odd.
What’s great about ALICE COOPER (VOL. 2) #2? The setup, execution, stakes, and Alice’s presence as a reluctant hero with a musical weapon are pitch-perfect. Also, the Devil’s lack of self-awareness that his talent for Blues may not be up to modern standards is highly amusing. The issue doesn’t turn toward jokiness, but ALICE COOPER (VOL. 2) #2 does contain a little humor at the Devil’s expense.
What’s not so great about ALICE COOPER (VOL. 2) #2? As noted above, the transition from issue #1 to issue #2 is weird. The issue begins and proceeds as if the events shown in issue #1 never happened. It’s unclear if Barnes had a better starting point and just went with it midstream, or if some editorial adjustments were happening in the background, but the net result is strange.
How’s the art? The art is solid. Edu Menna’s character designs, particularly for Alice Cooper, are spot-on. The devils’ disintegrations are surprisingly satisfying for a battle that doesn’t involve punches or explosions. And Menna’s facial acting is great.
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What’s ALICE COOPER (VOL. 2) #2 About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]
Check out our ALICE COOPER (VOL. 2) #1 review to find out how Lucifer received musical advice from the greatest musicians of the 20th century.
We begin with a brief prologue explaining how Lucifer was the greatest musician in all of eternity. When he played, all the ages stopped and wept with joy. Unfortunately, the ultimate hater, God, commanded Lucifer to stop distracting his angels in favor of his new, favored creation – humanity.
Now, Lucifer’s minions make moves to sabotage, disrupt, or otherwise attack Alice Cooper to ensure Lucifer can reassert his role as the greatest musician. After a gig, Alice heads back to his dressing room, where he finds the Archangel Gabriel waiting for him with a gift. Gabriel bequeaths Alice with a magical guitar that can destroy demons just from the sound of its chords. Alice laments being Lucifer’s target, but he keeps the guitar when it proves to come in handy.
We conclude the issue with bad driver service, bad room service, and bad venue service.
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Final Thoughts
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ALICE COOPER (VOL. 2) #2 somewhat resets the events of the first issue with a cleaner, clearer plot involving Lucifer’s plans to become the world’s greatest musical star, as long as he can destroy Alice Cooper. Barnes adds a little humor and a lot of stakes. Plus, it all comes together with rock-solid art.
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