Review – New Challengers #2: The New Recruits

New Challengers #2 – Scott Snyder, Aaron Gillespie, Writers; Andy Kubert, Penciller; Klaus Janson, Inker; Brad Anderson, Colorist

Ratings:

Ray – 8/10

Corrina: Single Member Focus Works

WARNING: SPOILERS BELOW

Ray: After a first issue that mostly focused on one member of the team and set up a version of the Challengers of the Unknown that was unlike anything we’d seen before, this second issue kicks the concept into high gear and finds its footing as one of the better members of the New Age of DC Heroes line. The series seems to be following the format of giving us one character’s backstory alongside the adventure of the month, and this issue’s focus is on Moses Barber, one of the new recruits who is the least happy to be there. This African-American genius hacker is also an agoraphobe who is heavily implied to be on the spectrum, and he’s a fascinating character. A brilliant man obsessed with the Deep Web, he’s holed up in his cabin for years until he stumbles upon something that he has to investigate further. He’s contacted by mysterious figures who insist on meeting him in person, and he courageously exits his cabin for the first time in years – only for it to turn out to be a horrifying mistake. Fortunately, he’s getting a second chance as a member of the Challengers.

Speaking of the Challengers, this issue shows them heading off on their first official one-hour adventure as a member of this team that’s caught between life and death. Their new boss continues to be extremely shady, making me wonder if he’s even fully human. However, this issue has what the last issue lacked – and that’s fun, in spades. The Challengers spend most of this issue undersea, battling Atlantean monsters and encountering Aquaman himself. Every issue has a ticking clock element to it, something that also plays into Damage but is used much more effectively here. The visuals by Andy Kubert and Klaus Janson are great, although the characters need a bit of work – they’re not very distinct, and some of them are still essentially blank slates. We’re left with a lot of remaining questions about how this ties into the Challengers Mountain we saw in Metal, but the cliffhanger indicates we may finally be getting some of those answers next issue. I wasn’t sold after the first issue, but I am now.

Corrina: I was intrigued by the first issue but it wasn’t enough for me to say “yes, this is going to be good.” This second issue, like Ray, sold me on what the team is doing. That’s because filtering the events through Moses was a terrific narrative device, allowing the reader to experience his fear, confusion, and obsession. That obsession seems to tie into the overall mission of this version of the Challengers, which might explain why Moses was chosen.

Plus, Atlantean monsters! Nothing not to love about that, especially with a clever way to equip the New Challengers underwater.

However, the arrival of the previous Challengers of the Unknown at the end of the issue adds yet another twist into all this. (Was this planned originally? Changed at some point? Impossible to tell by reading it.) So, the new boss is out of the way, leaving a team tied to the mountain. I’m guessing there is some interdimensional mess going on. Perhaps these original Challs aren’t the Challengers at all but yet more alternative universe doppelgangers.

To find reviews of all the DC issues, visit DC This Week.

Disclaimer: GeekDad received this comic for review purposes.