DARKLAND #2, from Scout Comics on February 8th, 2023, finds Rose and Zed putting their trust in new and old acquaintances only to find out they’ve both made big mistakes.
The Details
- Written by: Nicholas Black
- Art by: Serg Acuna
- Colors by: Hackto Ashiro
- Letters by: Bernardo Brice
- Cover art by: Victor Santos
- Comic Rating: Teen+
- Cover price: $4.99
- Release date: February 8, 2023
Is It Good?
DARKLAND #2 slows down the pace of the plot to flesh out the world Rose and Zed inhabit, underscoring why each of their respective paths is dangerous. There’s not much action, and the majority of the issue focuses on Zed and Rose dealing with putting their trust in other characters, but the world-building is strong, and the character moments lead the story into dangerous territory.
The strength of Nicholas Black’s script lies in the thoroughly fleshed-out world Black created with eclectic characters with intriguing backstories. Through conversations Zed and Rose have in their respective subplots, we learn more about where they’ve been, the people who’ve made a difference in their lives, and the potential threats they’ll need to overcome before they finally meet.
That said, the action and plot movement takes a noticeable backseat in this issue. This issue focuses on introducing new (and old) acquaintances for the express purpose of setting conflicts later in the story. Introducing relevant characters isn’t a bad thing, but the momentum shift from the first to the second issue is jarring.
The art by Acuna, Ashiro, and Brice is very good. Again, there’s a lot of character introduction and world-building through conversations, so there isn’t much to see beyond the figure work. However, the figure work is excellent, with memorable designs to make the new characters stand out.
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What’s It About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]
Check out our DARKLAND #1 review to find out how Zed got her new job.
We begin with a flashback to Rose’s younger years when she and her mother spent friendly time together with her mother’s friends in the guild. The fight that brought them together has abated, and Rose’s mother makes plans to leave the guild to live a peaceful life elsewhere.
Now, Rose frees the young man she found wandering into her hideout after healing his leg. She holds him at knifepoint and insists he helps her find more medicine to replace what she used up on him. He agrees, and as they search, Rose learns more about the young man’s life.
Elsewhere, Zed sifts through desert encampments to look for an old contact – Mah – who leads a band of hardened scavengers and cutthroats. Zed and Mah have a history, and Zed asks for help finding Rose.
We conclude the issue with multiple double crosses.
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Final Thoughts
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DARKLAND #2 is a serviceable issue in the series that slows down the pace and plot to introduce a host of new characters that will presumably figure into the future of the arc. The dialog and world-building are excellent, and the art introduces memorably designed characters.
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