GEIGER #2, by Image Comics on 5/8/2024, gives the Glowing Man and Nate the Nuclear Knight the unenviable task of catching and killing a raider in exchange for information.
Credits:
- Writer: Geoff Johns
- Artist: Gary Frank
- Colorist: Brad Anderson
- Letterer: Rob Leigh
- Cover Artist: Gary Frank, Brad Anderson (cover A)
- Publisher: Image Comics
- Release Date: May 8, 2024
- Comic Rating: Teen
- Cover Price: 3.99
- Page Count: 36
- Format: Single Issue
Covers:
Analysis of GEIGER #2:
Plot Analysis:
Previously, in GEIGER #1, readers were introduced to the Glowing Man as he wanders from town to town, looking for peace and a good book to read. When trouble comes, he handles it with extreme prejudice. This time, his path crossed with a former Nuclear Knight from Camelot of Las Vegas with dreams of becoming a wandering hero like Geiger. Before the Glowing Man can send Nate packing, Nate brings word of another glowing person like Geiger who found a cure.
In GEIGER #2, we catch up with Geiger and Nate wandering their way to the next town to find information about a supposedly cured Glowing Man. During their long trek, Nate happens upon a wild boar and charges to catch it for fresh meat. The chase leads to a cubby on a hillside, but Nate pauses when he sees the boar has a mate and piglets. Geiger intends to slaughter the bunch, but a moment of mercy weighs on him, and he only kills the male adult.
Later, Geiger and Nate arrive at the Silverton sheriff’s office. The sheriff knows the name of a cured Glowing Man who briefly stayed at Silverton, but he needs a favor before he’ll give it up to Geiger. The town has been plagued by a masked bandit who sets off explosives and sets fires to create a distraction while he steals supplies. If Geiger catches and kills the bandit, the sheriff will turn over the name and last known location of the cured one.
Geiger and Nate stake out the town for a few days until the bandit strikes again. Geiger jumps the bandit, but he gets away on a motorcycle. Geiger and Nate give chase on their motorcycles, leading to crashes, a foot race on top of a speeding train, and eventually, to the bandit’s wagon.
Geiger stops just before giving the killing blow when he sees the bandit is just a man stealing supplies to care for his wife and two children. Ultimately, Geiger lets the bandit go in exchange for his silence and bloody “proof” that he killed the man so he can get the information from Silverton’s sheriff.
The bandit takes the act of mercy as a second chance at leading a moral life, but he soon finds not every searcher he encounters is merciful.
Character Development:
Geiger’s journey to find what he’s looking for gets an added lift through his slightly buffoonish sidekick, Nate. The Nuclear Knight’s soft heart and clumsy demeanor act as a counterpoint to Geiger’s rough exterior, which causes the Glowing Man to make less ruthless choices. The longer the two travel together, the more you see Geiger’s personality balancing out.
Artwork and Presentation:
Gary Frank and Brad Anderson’s artwork is practically exquisite. Frank’s pencils/inks are detailed to the Nth degree, and his panel compositions are positively cinematic. Special kudos to Brad Anderson for making dusty earth tones pop and achieving eye-catching glow effects that light up the surroundings when Geiger activates his powers.
Art Samples:
Pacing and Structure:
In total, the story in this issue isn’t very big or does much to move Geiger toward his goal, but what the story lacks in scale, it makes up for in briskly paced scenes that serve a purpose and have meaning. Every chapter of every story should contribute in such a way that the protagonist is either changed or in a different place from where he started. In this case, Johns effortlessly achieves that change.
Thematic Exploration:
The core theme of this issue is the concept of mercy in the face of survival. Following a parallel track between the boar in the beginning and the bandit in the end, Geiger has to make a choice – kill to get what you want. In both cases, he chooses restraint.
Final Thoughts:
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GEIGER #2 serves as another step on Geiger’s path to find a cure while serving up a morality tale about mercy in a time of survival. The plot doesn’t move much, but every scene matters and the art team’s visuals are outstanding.
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