Villain #2 is a comic written by Joshua Metzger with art by Grzegorz Pawlak. This is the backstory issue! Well part of it. We do get a look at Gil Grimes’ past life and understand the origins of the mostly one-sided beef between him and Mongrel. This mostly functions as a setup issue, as it lays the groundwork for a couple plotlines. We also get a close look at another key character named Lilly Sanchez. The plot for the most part is just taking us through another day in the life of Gil Grimes. There is about twice as much action in this issue compared to the last, and it helps push the plot. The dialogue is realistic but there are an awful lot of words in some of these bubbles. Though the story being told is interesting it can read like an info dump, some pages have way too many words and it slows your pace to halt. But keep in mind this is the “calm before the storm” so they have to tell us all they can before things hit the fan. In Villain #2 we learn a lot about these characters and the events in the past that shaped them into what they are now. There is also a bonus comic focusing on Mongrel and his ongoing investigation into something sick and twisted.

            Now this comic is colored in two different ways; when the story takes place in the present it is colored normally but when it takes place in the past it looks like Sin City, mostly black-and-white with the occasionally highlighted color. Many different locations are hit as the characters move around a bunch but most of the time the location is shown strongly in the first panel and may or may not make an appearance in the panels that follow. You won’t forget where you are though. This comic has a decent amount of expressions, but Gil Grimes tends to seem a bit stiff, especially in the face. But I don’t think this is an art problem, I think that’s just his character. We finally get a good look at some super outfits and they have a hockey/baseball look to them. The action scenes look good and heavy and the flow alright. You might get lost on a couple panel transitions but for the most part it’s good. This is a gritty art style that leans into the dark.

“Is this worth reading?”

Yes.

“Would I like this?”

If you like gritty looks at supervillains AFTER they’ve been punished for a crime this is for you. Also if you like stories about tough living.

“What would this comic’s film rating be?”

R.

“Could I get a quote from the comic?”

“Look at him, goin’ on with his life like nothing happened.”

 

Digital Link: https://nosleeppress.gumroad.com/l/hegfX

Kickstarter Link: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/894914261/metzger-and-pawlak-presents-villain-2-noir-edition/description

***IN-DEPTH COMIC STATS BELOW***

Probably Contains Spoilers

*
*
*
*
*

Actual Pages(not counting covers and credits): 30

Violent Pages: 7, for 23% of the comic

Sexy Pages: 3, for 10% of the comic

 

**The levels below aren’t necessarily maintained throughout the whole comic, but they were definitely reached**

 

Violence Level – 3

“Wasn’t no tussling at all.”

“Sometimes you gotta hit somebody.”

“I’m getting charged with how many counts of assault?”

“This was a tournament arc.”

“All my life I had to fight.”

 

Gore Level – 3

“The only thing leaking out your face is tears.”

“Looks like somebody spilled some ketchup.”

“Might need to soak that up with a bath towel.”

“That isn’t supposed to be outside the body.”

“This is a slaughterhouse.”

 

Death Level – 2

“And everybody lived happily ever after.”

“We might have gone to a couple funerals.”

“It just LOOKS like a serial killer was here.”

“Yeah this was a tragedy.”

“Think Gettysburg.”

 

Porn Level – 2

“Everybody kept their clothes on.”

“I guess it was too hot for a bra.”

“Sometimes you got to let everything air out.”

“This is like late night Cinemax in the early 2000’s.”

“Oh. This is porn.”