Terminal #2 Review – Better Than Issue #1

Terminal #2 (Image Comics, 8/26/26): Writers Robert Kirkman and Joe Casey & Artist Andy Kubert launch the grieving team on a mission to stop the assassination of a tech mogul, but the mogul’s plant is more than meets the eye. Strong character interactions and purposeful action make this second issue an improvement. Verdict: Better than issue #1.

• Writer: Robert Kirkman, Joe Casey
• Artist: Andy Kubert
• Colorist: Dave McCaig
• Letterer: Rus Wooton
• Cover Artist: Andy Kubert, Dave McCaig (cover A)
• Publisher: Image Comics
• Release Date: August 26, 2026
• Comic Rating: Teen
• Cover Price: $3.99
• Page Count: 32
• Format: Single Issue

Covers:

Analysis of Terminal #2:

First Impressions:

As Image’s answer to the X-Men, Terminal #1 was decent enough, albeit too scattered to win me over. Terminal #2 may have tipped the scales with a cleaner throughline and better character work. I’m not on board, but I’m getting there.

Recap:

In Terminal #1, Theed’s life had been changed ten years earlier by a mysterious light that seemingly caused his eye to become sentient, while a battle between Imp and Blaster ended with Imp escaping with vital data and Blaster being brutally killed. Marilyn Howe, desperate to find her missing sister Ali, had discovered a secret group of supers before Ali, now known as Crusher, rescued her from Imp and brought her to the team’s mysterious island headquarters. There, Marilyn encountered the sentient Maculox and learned of its plan to awaken humanity’s latent superpowers, and Ali had agreed to undergo the ascension ritual despite the unexpected consequences that followed.

Plot Analysis (SPOILERS):

Still grieving the loss of her sister, Ali chooses to brood alone. Assorted members of the team come to console her, including Dominik and Halle, but to no avail. During the contentious chat, we get a better look at Dominik and Halle’s mutations. Before the chat turns into a brawl, Maculox summons the team for a new mission.

Maculox, the giant, sentient eye, delivers a nebulous mission about righting the scales against the Obelisk’s forces. Theed translates the message, explaining a wealthy tech genius named Benjamin Wright is targeted for assassination. The team speeds off to infiltrate one of Wright’s R&D plants and stop the assassination without exposing their existence.

When the team breaks in, they find Wright’s research facility is producing something more unusual than just the next smartphone. Suddenly, Obelisk’s team teleports in, and a battle follows. The issue ends mid-battle and with a closer look at the heart behind Obelisk.

How is the story in Terminal #2?

Terminal #2 is better than #1, and it all boils down to giving the characters enough space for the readers to get to know them. Issue #1 suffered from trying to cram too much plot, world-building, and character-building into too small a space. Here, the issue focuses on the essentials to let the story breathe.

Kirkman and Casey now give readers a better sense of the individual team members, their abilities (mostly), their personalities, and the greater conflict at hand. It’s not a perfect issue, but it is a significant improvement.

How is the art in Terminal #2?

Andy Kubert is considered a legendary artist simply because of the Kubert name. The cleanliness and detail in the linework are outstanding here. The characters have distinctive looks, which gives their written personalities more weight, and the action is excellent. If the (unstated) goal is to create Image’s answer to Marvel’s mutants, you couldn’t have picked a better artist.

Characters

Ali, aka Crusher, carries the emotional weight of the issue. Still hurting from the death of her sister during the Ascension ritual, her grief makes her a tad reckless, and it forces her to question the motives/purpose of the team. Kirkman and Casey cleverly use Ali’s faltering faith to ask questions that inform the reader, which is a smart move.

Originality & Concept Execution

Terminal #2 is largely original in that there are more questions than answers. It’s not quite “mystery box” storytelling, but there are enough teases and open questions to get you wondering what will happen next. In that way, the issue is largely original, as long as you don’t try to draw too many parallels to the X-Men.

Pros and Cons

What We Loved

• Tighter focus on character introductions
• Amazing art
• An intriguing, last-page reveal

Room for Improvement

• The “how” is still a confusing mystery
• A subplot involving a theft comes out of nowhere
• The Obelisk’s team is also a confusing mystery

Art Samples:

The Scorecard:

Writing Quality (Clarity & Pacing): 3/4
Art Quality (Execution & Synergy): 4/4
Value (Originality & Entertainment): 1.5/2

Final Thoughts:

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Terminal #2 builds and improves on issue #1 when the team is sent on a mission to stop an assassination. Robert Kirkman and Joe Casey deliver a cleaner script (with a few gaps) to get the reader on board, and Andy Kubert’s artwork is amazing.

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