CHILDREN OF THE BLACK SUN #2, from Ablaze Publishing on February 1st, 2023, finds Clem and Matthew experiencing the terrifying power of their older friends.
The Details
- Written by: Dario Sicchio
- Art by: Letizia Cadonici
- Colors by: Francesco Segala
- Letters by: Ingegni
- Cover art by: Letizia Cadonici
- Comic Rating: Mature
- Cover price: $3.99
- Release date: February 1, 2023
Is It Good?
CHILDREN OF THE BLACK SUN #2 is unsettling in all the right ways for a sci-fi/horror comic. Dario Sicchio delivers a disturbing second issue that unveils just a taste of the dangerous power the children possess. When Clem decides to use her power to spread happiness, her naivety results in horrific consequences.
The key to this issue’s success is that one word – unsettling. Dario Sicchio earned our praise in issue #1 for expertly setting up a scenario where unusual children, born from a Black Sun, appear to have an unconscious agenda waiting to come out of them. Now, we see the power that fuels the hidden agenda, and if the children’s appearance doesn’t creep you out, what they can do to people will. A horror comic’s first responsibility is to knock you off balance, and this issue lives up to its responsibility beautifully.
While all the children get a moment or two to shine, CHILDREN OF THE BLACK SUN #2 is a Clem-centric issue as she’s brought into the older children’s confidence and shown what she’s capable of. Through Clem, we see a hopeful and kind spirit who tries to use her power for good, and experience shock over the outcome of the use of her power. Your heart breaks for Clem as much as it does for her “victim,” so this issue will creep you out and break your heart with the tragedy of it all at the same time.
To be clear, this issue is a slow burn, so you’re not going to find big wow moments or breezy pacing. However, the slower pacing works for this story because it allows the gravity of the events to press on you. Clem is trapped by her very nature, and every development, no matter how small, tugs Clem toward whatever tragic fate is waiting for her. Despite the slower pace, readers will pick up all these revelations and more through the delicately nuanced scenes and pinpoint precise dialog.
Letizia Cadonici’s art style suits this material to a tee. Cadonici’s line work isn’t the cleanest or super detailed as you would expect from a Big 2 comic, but the basic character forms remind you of paper dolls in a children’s book. In other words, Cadonici’s style enhances the child-like themes of the story, especially through Clem’s inexperienced view of the world, so the art helps you to see the world as simplistically as Clem sees it, enhancing the shock when Clem’s efforts go horribly wrong.
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What’s It About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]
Check out our CHILDREN OF THE BLACK SUN #1 review to find out what cosmic event brought the children into being.
Clem and Matthew agree to meet the older children in a secluded spot outside of Brightvale for their first lesson in what it truly means to be a child of the Black Sun. Matthew is too eager to learn, but Clem is apprehensive. Clem has a kind heart and only wants to spread happiness to her father and friends through her writing.
When the children meet, the elders have Russell, the man who tried to hurt Clem, chained up in a clearing. Clem and Matthew’s first lesson involves understanding the vibrations of life and how their unique vibrations are overwhelmingly strong enough to impose their will on others.
We conclude the issue with a speck in Russell’s eye, foolishly equating love with happiness, and the horrific outcome of despair.
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Final Thoughts
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CHILDREN OF THE BLACK SUN #2 takes the unsettling mood of issue #1 and blossoms into full-blown horror when the children manifest their potentially deadly powers. Sicchio’s slow-burn script pays off the wait exponentially, and Cadonici’s unsettling art gets under your skin.
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