ESCAPE #2 – New Comic Review

Escape #2, by Image Comics on 9/24/25, cranks up the heat with Milton’s desperate gambit deep in enemy war zones, mixing the specter of lost futures and real, raw stakes.

Credits:

• Writer: Rick Remender
• Artist: Daniel Acuña
• Colorist: Daniel Acuña
• Letterer: Rus Wooton
• Cover Artist: Daniel Acuña (cover A)
• Publisher: Image Comics
• Release Date: September 24, 2025
• Comic Rating: Mature (gore, language)
• Cover Price: $3.99
• Page Count: 32
• Format: Single Issue

Covers:

Analysis of ESCAPE #2:

First Impressions:

Escape #2 wastes no time hitting hard. It’s a bleak tale that trades glamour for grit. The writing is sharp, yanking emotion straight from the trenches. This is war at its ugliest and most honest, with art that practically sweats atmosphere.

Recap:

Escape #1 set a brutal standard for wartime comics. Milton Shaw, a seasoned bomber pilot, found his plane shot down behind enemy lines. Alone in the ruins he helped create, Milton is forced to confront harsh truths as he becomes the hunted, not the hunter. The aftermath offers no comfort—just the promise of more hard choices and tougher survival ahead.

Plot Analysis:

The issue opens with Milton reflecting on the cost of war and the legacy he may never see fulfilled – a son who might only know his father as another forgotten name etched on a memorial. Flashbacks reveal how Milton tried to outrun destiny in peacetime, courting Ruth, building a fragile happiness, and trading his love for flying for a steady, earthbound life as a would-be family man.

Peace proves an illusion. The invasion comes swift, and Milton is forced by circumstance and propaganda, hammered home in campaign speeches and smoky newsrooms, to join the fight. Marriage and mundane routine disintegrate under the weight of national duty, setting Milton on a collision course with sacrifice and self-doubt.

The present narrative is a relentless survival trek. Milton is wounded, alone, and pursued by enemy soldiers through burning streets. The mission is simple: reach the city’s deadly Titan Cannon and destroy it before it can turn the tide of war. Each alley is a gauntlet; each memory is both a comfort and a curse, pressing Milton forward.

As the issue builds to its climax, Milton prepares for what could be a one-way trip, armed with six bullets and a single desperate plan. There is no rescue, no backup. Just guts, ghosts, and the possibility of making a difference before the final curtain.

Story

Rick Remender’s script captures war’s cruel calculus, balancing haunting monologues with razor-sharp dialogue. Milton isn’t a hero. He’s a man shoved into heroism’s jaws, and the writing lets him stumble and bleed in ways that feel painfully real. Flashbacks thread throughout, layering every present-tense maneuver with emotional context rather than slowing things down.

Art

Daniel Acuña’s work is the book’s soul. Grit smears every surface; the crumbling walls, the battered uniforms, the haunted faces peering from under helmets. Panels are thick with smoke and broken light, heightening a sense of claustrophobia, with shifting angles that punch up the chaos. Action scenes are as kinetic as they are brutal. Quiet moments linger, letting grief settle in the ruins.

Characters

Milton commands the page. He’s a soldier, husband, and regretful survivor, his complexity grounding the action. Ruth’s presence, seen through flashbacks, gives Milton stakes beyond survival, and even when she’s off-panel, her impact steers his decisions. Supporting figures, mainly seen as threats or memories, deepen the atmosphere rather than detract from the hero’s journey.

Positives

Poignant writing cuts right to the point, mixing heartbreak and horror without flinching. The war themes refuse easy answers, countering bombast with bitter honesty about loss, fear, and love. The atmospheric art delivers on every panel, soaking the story in grime and ghostly light, perfectly pairing with the bleak script.

Negatives

Some readers might wish for a plot that lets up on the tension or a hero who finds more triumph in the rubble. Good luck with that. The relentless misery, while powerful, risks numbing the emotional highs after so much darkness. Supporting cast members remain mostly in Milton’s shadow, fleshed out only as echoes or obstacles.

Art Samples:

Final Thoughts:

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ESCAPE #2 doesn’t just march through the war zone. It belly-crawls, fists bloodied, eyes wide, and teeth set. This is a comic that knows exactly what it wants to be: angry, tragic, and unflinchingly honest. The only thing brighter than the muzzle flashes is the hope that maybe, just maybe, someone will remember what Milton tried to do before the lights go out.

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