The Vigil #2 – Ram V, Writer; Lalit Kumar Sharma, Artist; Rain Beredo, Colorist
Ray – 9/10
Ray: Of the three new Asian-led titles to come out of last month, this one was the hardest to get the measure of after one issue. While City Boy had a relatable lead and Spirit World immediately pulled us in with its engaging and epic plot, this Indian spy thriller has more in common with Ram V’s creator-owned work than his other DC work. It also kept its leads fairly close to the chest in the first issue, making them as mysterious as their work. That changes this issue, with a focus on the powerhouse of the group—Arclight. A loyal soldier, he saw his life fall apart when his wife and daughter died in a chemical leak. He’s unable to put the loss behind him and becomes increasingly convinced that the government is lying about the cause of the disaster. As he starts to slip in and out of madness, he’s given a second chance that leads to him becoming this unique electric-driven operative.
The main plot of the story finds him chasing down strange energy and weather patterns that lead him to the weapon unbalancing the climate—a little boy with what looks like a TV on his head, as part of a twisted experiment that turned him into a living weather vane. It’s a disturbing visual, and a way to immediately turn us against the people on the other side. It’s also a great way to humanize the character of Major Khan, the man under the mask, as we see that this isn’t someone who has lost his humanity because he lost his family. Rather, his pain motivates him to do better and help others. I think he could be the breakout of this series, but the other main players have a lot going for them too. There are some very intriguing supernatural mysteries around the fringes of the series that make me think Ram V is building a potential classic here. It’s another win for one of DC’s best writers at the moment.
To find reviews of all the DC issues, visit DC This Week.
GeekDad received this comic for review purposes.
