In SOLO: THE SURVIVORS OF CHAOS (VOL. 2), available from Titan Comics on July 20th, 2021, Solo and Lyra begin to carve out a life together amid constant threats of attack from humans and beasts. When an old friend creates a rift of jealousy, Solo strikes out on his own to find peace and purpose.
The Details
- Written By: Oscar Martin
- Art By: Oscar Martin
- Cover Art By: Oscar Martin
- Cover Price: $16.99
- Release Date: July 202, 2021
Was It Good?
It was better than good. It was excellent.
It’s always a welcome surprise when a creator can take unusual characters (anthropomorphic animals) and put them in unusual circumstances (post-apocalyptic wastelands ravaged by war), and still create an immensely human and relatable story.
The art is outstanding. There’s a cartoonish feel to it that’s reminiscent of Don Bluth’s work in his prime. If you’re familiar with that name, imagine an entire drama that looks like it fits as a spiritual, future sequel to The Secret of NIMH. Although it has the cartoonish Bluth feel, the action and situations absolutely work for the serious nature of the material.
Wait! Don’t Forget To Sign Up For The Comical Opinions Newsletter.
It’s 100% FREE. Sign up NOW!
What about the story? It ranges from good to very good. It has a soft beginning where you pick up with these characters from the first volume, so if you didn’t read the first volume it takes a few pages to settle into the assortment of characters and species. That said, the writing is good enough that readers can pick up the gist of each player pretty quickly and the amount of time you might feel lost is minimal.
Overall, this volume contains great art and human, emotional storytelling.
To get a hint of what’s in store, check out our SOLO: THE SURVIVORS OF CHAOS (VOL. 2) preview right here.
What’s It About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]
Solo has a small home in a small encampment with Lyra. The two share a deep emotional connection, but life in the wasteland prevents settling into traditional trappings like “home” and “family.”
One day, a group of refugees arrives and of their number, Grande, is a childhood friend of Lyra. She’s immediately overjoyed to see a friendly face, and Lyra invites Grande to stay with her and Solo until he can find a place of his own.
Immediately, Solo’s reaction to her invitation is palpable jealousy. Lyra is adamant that she has no feelings for Grande, but the intrusion on their domestic life hits Solo hard. Martin does an excellent job conveying so much raw emotion in simple expressions through the eyes and body posture, it’s impossible not to know what the characters are feeling.
The feelings of resentment and jealousy build over the next couple of days. Finally, Solo snaps and decides to leave rather than see the person he loves get taken from him in real-time. Solo slips away in the night to find another life rather than have his heartbroken by this one.
Solo wanders the wastelands looking for another camp or colony willing to take him in as a capable hunter. Eventually, Solo encounters a pair of nomads willing to take on a third, but he’s shocked to learn the nomads are his long-lost younger brother and father.
Their separation, from the first volume, was a matter of survival, but now that they’re reunited, solo uses their time together to catch up, to say what was left unsaid, and to make the moments count. When solo tells his father about Lyra, his father guides Solo to realize that love and family will always come with risk. Leaving willing never stop the pain from coming but the life worth having is the life worth fighting for.
Solo takes his father’s advice to heart and sets out on his journey back to the encampment and Lyra. We conclude the latter portion of the GN with Solo encountering dangers along the way and shocking developments when he arrives at the camp.
How Does It End?
The humans are collecting female rats for a specific purpose. Solo’s instincts about Grande are correct. There is no right time to start a family.
Final Thoughts
SOLO: THE SURVIVORS OF CHAOS (VOL. 2) mixes beautifully rendered art with incredibly emotional acting and writing to craft a story about living through trials, big and small.
Score: 9.5/10
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