VICTORY #2, from Dynamite Comics on 7/19/23, brings Victory into the Dept. of After-Life Affairs because the only thing standing between existence and oblivion is the Belial ring bonded to her finger.
The Details
- Written by: David F. Walker
- Art by: Brett Weldele
- Colors by: Brett Weldele
- Letters by: Taylor Esposito
- Cover art by: Dave Johnson (cover A)
- Comic Rating: Teen+
- Cover price: $3.99
- Release date: July 19, 2023
Is It Good?
It’s not clear if David F. Walker is trying to be funny in VICTORY #2, but if he is, it’s not working. Imagine an angel, a demon, and a cynical human engaged in middle school-level insults and bickering for an entire issue, while not moving the plot forward, and then wrap all that noise in pretty amateurish art. That’s VICTORY #2.
When last we left Victory, she fought off a pair of demons hungry to kill her and claim the Belial ring for themselves. The demons were defeated with the help of an angel (Gabriel) and a shape-shifting demon who happens to be a former lover of Victory (Lucy). The unlikely partners arrived to take Victory to the Dept. of After-Life Affairs for an undefined purpose. Now, the trio engages in a non-stop stream of childish name-calling, bickering, and arguing all the way to the Dept. and continuing through an interview process until we finally find out existence is in jeopardy.
That’s all you really learn. You don’t learn how or why existence is in jeopardy. You don’t learn how Belial’s ring is the only thing that can save existence. You don’t get clarity surrounding how a celestial department exists that’s populated jointly by angels or demons. We’re two issues into this arc, and we still have no idea what’s happening other than every character treats every other character like a pack of snippy mean girls.
What’s great about this issue? Not much. Sorry to be a downer on this one, but there’s very little value in this issue. At best, you get a better picture of Victory’s childhood under an oppressive father, which helps to inform her personality and motivations.
What’s not so great about this issue? Nearly everything. Walker’s attempt at irreverent humor is grating, verging on insulting, the pacing is glacial, and the plot’s inciting incident hasn’t yet appeared, so the characters are effectively treading water until they get their act together. And then there’s the art…
Brett Weldele’s children’s book style is rough, unpolished, and tonally at odds with the story Walker is telling and the maturity level of the content. Imagine telling a Vampirella story, drawn like a Peanuts comic strip with less nuance or finesse. Weldele’s style is too underdeveloped to match the nature of the characters and convey what little wit Walker injects into the script.
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What’s It About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]
Check out our VICTORY #1 review to find out how Victory was rescued by a demon and an angel.
We pick up just after the attacking demons are tied up and ready for pick-up by celestial authorities. Gabriel and Lucy tell Victory she needs to accompany them back to the Dept. of After-Life Affairs for an important mission. Despite Victory’s repetitive questions, the emon/angel partners divulge nothing.
After an endless stream of bickering, name-calling, and insults, Victory eventually learns the power of the Belial ring bonded to her finger is the only thing stopping existence from getting wiped out. That’s it.
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Final Thoughts
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VICTORY #2 is an irritating, pointless mess. Walker’s obnoxious mean-girl humor doesn’t work, the plot barely moves an inch, and the art is inexcusably rough.
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