Looking for answers about her adoption, typical American teenager Naomi has broken into the garage of local mechanic Dee. A photograph of him in earlier days shows him with a woman who looks like her. Is he her father?
What he is, is a former spy for Thanagar, stranded on Earth after a mission on a well-known DC world went wrong. As for the woman, Queyala was his partner and love – but she never made it here. Social anxiety-suffering Dee, already stressed by having Naomi invade his safe space, is devastated at having to confront sad memories. And then Naomi’s mom, Jennifer, arrives…
I’ve moaned a bit about previous issues being a tad slow, and while this one also takes its time to get to a big, last-page reveal, I loved it. Writers Brian Bendis and David F Walker get the pacing just right, eking out the drama not just in the secrets that come out, but in the moments in between. They do a wonderful job in making their characters sound real, with a scene between Naomi and dad Greg outstanding – love just shines from this guy. As for our heroine, we knew she was smart and driven, now we see that she’s empathetic too.
The effectiveness of the book is equally dependent on Jamal Campbell, illustrating in full colour. He was impressive in the debut edition and he’s growing in skill with every issue – the emotions on display here are unmistakable without ever being overwrought. Whether it’s the intimate conversational scenes, the action-packed flashbacks or the Great Outdoors, Campbell nails it. Subtle details like the close-up on Dee, revealing his bird like eyes and eyebrows, add visual and narrative texture. The way Campbell dresses Naomi’s parents is outstanding – rather than non-era specific comic book gear, the clothes really do look like modern pieces chosen by regular folk with personality. And extra points for a very appropriate wink to Michelangelo.
Look at Dee arriving on Earth; while I usually dislike silent sequences, this gorgeously drawn page really sells the drama of the moment, with multiple images of the former flyer falling from the sky, before he sits up and reacts to his loss.
A nod, too, to letterer Wes Abbott, whose smart work made me forget how much I hate ‘uppy downy’ font. And there’s a very clever tweak to the word balloon pointers as we’re ‘hearing’ a conversation from outside a car.
The cover is pure comics melodrama, but plays fair, just great stuff.
I hear that the opening salvo in Naomi’s story will be six issues long. Suddenly, I’m savouring every page.
Too Dangerous For a Girl 2 
I’m totally with you on this series! Each issue has built to a cliffhanger and each subsequent issue has paid that cliffhanger off. I’m down with that! Bendis’ story may sometimes take a while to get where it’s going issue from issue, but I have been enjoying the journey he takes to get us there.
The dialogue is great! I love a book that tells its story through conversation and people interacting (as opposed to narrative boxes or page after page of action sequence. Not that there’s anything wrong with either of those things, but I’m a sucker for people talking to each other).
And the art!
Love Jamal Campbell’s artwork! It’s expressive and dramatic and so so pretty to look at.
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I liked Rich Johnston’s theory over on Bleeding Cool that the whole town is full of alien refugees, and Naomi is the only ‘normal’. Which reminds me, whatever happened to that Haven place?
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Liked this issue as well.
The mystery deepens.
Trying to figure what alien race we peek at in the end reveal. I Rann to one answer pretty quickly but wonder if I’m wrong.
The story is a slow burn. But for now, it is enigmatic enough to keep me interested.
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Oh, it has to be Rann, her dad is a chubby Adam Strange – adorable. But I do not like that Jennifer, the violence comes far too easily to her.
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