RISE OF THE DJINN #2, from Zenescope Entertainment on January 5th, 2022, brings Tamara into the hidden world of the Djinn as she learns her bloodline puts her at the nexus of a supernatural war.
The Details
- Written By: Kevin Grevioux
- Art By: Elmo Bondoc
- Colors By: Jorge Cortes
- Letters By: Taylor Esposito
- Cover Art By: Paola Pantalena, Chuck Michael Obach
- Cover Price: $5.99
- Release Date: January 5, 2022
Wait! Don’t Forget To Sign Up For The Comical Opinions Newsletter.
It’s 100% FREE. Sign up NOW!
Was It Good?
It’s a good thing RISE OF THE DJINN #2 is an oversized issue because it needs every scrap of panel space it can get to tell this story. In case the suspense is killing you and you can’t wait to read through the analysis, yes, this is a very good issue.
We praised the first issue’s story by Grevioux as possibly the most well-polished and thoughtfully constructed inaugural issue in recent memory. The care and attention to detail continue here in a different way. There’s a fair bit of supernatural action in this issue, but the main point here is world-building. We learn mountains of information about Tamara’s lineage, the concept of a Djinn, the different factions of Djinn and what makes each unique, the crux of the war, the ancient relic everyone is after, and what makes it so special, and more. Readers get a veritable cornucopia of information in a dramatic setting with an organic delivery.
In other words, you get a massive info dump that reads well. The issue reads well because the integration between the writing and art is strong, exemplifying a film playing out on paper without the dreaded “written as a Netflix pitch” lack of imagination. This issue has imagination for days with (again) attention to detail that fleshes out the imaginative ideas into something tangible. More comics writers should take note of how well Grevioux built a world from scratch here.
Bondoc turned in a fine performance with the pencils/inks in the issue. The attention-grabbing component is the heavy use of thick black inks to emphasize heavy, dramatic shadows. Even brightly lit police station rooms and scenes playing out in broad daylight feel heavy and moody with the amount of black shadow used in this issue. And as noted in the review of the last issue, the Djinn character designs are a creative mix of demon and mythological adornments that gives the horror elements of this book a feeling of old-world authenticity.
What’s It About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]
It’s been a minute since the first issue came out, so if you need a refresher, read our RISE OF THE DJINN #1 review.
We begin with a late-night meeting between the Shiqq and Palis Djinn (two of the warring Djinn factions) in a park. The Palis make an offer to settle their differences with a truce, but Musarra the Shiqq disrespectfully declines the offer.
Next, we catch up with Tamara as she meets privately with Shedim, a Hinn, who clues her in on the four Djinn factions, the war, and Tamara’s place in all of it. At first, she’s skeptical but the emergence of her powers and the things she’s seen give her ample motivation to come around. Once she accepts the potential of her power, Tamara sets off, against Shedim’s counsel, to use her powers to resurrect her husband. When Tamara arrives at the cemetery, followed closely by Shedim, her wishes don’t go as planned when a group of Djinn that looks like a trio of Medusas arrives to either capture or kill Tamara. The battle is quick, decisive, and final for many present.
Later, Tamara regroups at police headquarters where she talks with those around her who are hidden Djinn. Now that she knows their secret and can “see” them, their private conversations take on an urgent tone with Djinn trying to convince Tamara what direction she should take. Ultimately, one of the FBI agents/Djinn convinces Tamara to use her powers to find the relic they have been searching for as it holds the key to ending the war.
We conclude the last third of the issue with Tamara using her powers to find what otherwise couldn’t be found, a betrayal, a death, and a cliffhanger of the worst case scenario.
Final Thoughts
RISE OF THE DJINN #2 is a successful sophomore entry in the series that delivers tons of character-building, world-building, drama, and emotion. Despite the tidal wave of information in this single issue, it’s presented in an organic way with perfect pacing, plenty of creative art, and an equal mix of dialog and action.
Score: 9/10
As an Amazon Associate, we earn revenue from qualifying purchases to help fund this site. Links to Blu-Rays, DVDs, Books, Movies, and more contained in this article are affiliate links. Please consider purchasing if you find something interesting, and thank you for your support.
We hope you found this article interesting. Come back for more reviews, previews, and opinions on comics, and don’t forget to follow us on social media:
If you’re interested in this creator’s works, remember to let your Local Comic Shop know to find more of their work for you. They would appreciate the call, and so would we.
Click here to find your Local Comic Shop: www.ComicShopLocator.com