Adam Strange #2 Review

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Reviewer: Chris Delloiacono
Story Title: Planet Heist: Part Two

Written by: Andy Diggle
Art by: Pascal Ferry
Colored by: Dave McCaig
Lettered by: Rob Leigh
Associate Editor: Tom Palmer Jr.
Editor: Stephen Wacker & Eddie Berganza
Publisher: DC Comics

It’s not too often that I circle a limited series on the schedule far in advance, but Adam Strange was one that I’ve had my eye on since the initial announcement. For one thing, I’ve always enjoyed Adam Strange’s guest appearances. I love sci-fi, and Adam Strange’s adventures, with the love of a woman at its heart, was one of those concepts that I easily latched onto. Secondly, the creative team is, if you’ll excuse the pun, out of this world! Andy Diggle’s current Vertigo series The Losers is one of the best titles on the market. I haven’t seen much of Pascal Ferry’s work in the past, but when the first images were shown, any doubts about buying the book were quickly dispelled. Adam Strange had a team capable of producing a winner, and now that issue #2 has come, I think it’s safe to say they’ve delivered!

Adam Strange #1 seems to get kudos all-round the ‘net. Including last mont’s review by The Nexus’ own Mathan Erhardt. I agreed with everything that Mathan said. That debut was an absolute rarity of perfection. Not only did Diggle’s script concisely retell the history of Adam Strange, but we were introduced to the crux of the new miniseries, as well as receiving a nice portion of action.

The second issue doesn’t waste any time either. We continue from our cliffhanger last issue, as Adam Strange, now equipped with a jetpack, battles a bounty hunter high above Gotham City. The action is fast paced, but engaging. Strange gets to show off his dexterity, and prove why he’s the Champion of Rann. Strange briefly returns to his demolished apartment, where we get a quick explanation of the reasoning behind the events of the first two issues, and then Adam Strange is off, in his redesigned costume to the site of the believed-destroyed planet Rann.

Diggle has done an amazing job building up Adam Strange’s dislocation from Earth, and his need to be on Rann with his family. Adam Strange is 100% earthling by blood. Yet, Strange finds no kinship with earthlings any more. The search for answers about the seemingly-destroyed Rann is an outstanding starting point for the series. Adam Strange has a vested interest in getting to the end of the series and finding out what’s going on. Are his wife and child still alive? What is the true fate of his adopted home? There’s nothing mechanical or contrived about the story thus far. Adam’s search for answers is totally believable, and as a reader, I haven’t been this excited about a book in a while.

As good as Andy Diggle’s scripts have been its Pascal Ferry’s contribution that makes this book work. The blistering pace, weird locales, and strange beings we’ve seen thus far would lose their impact if not for Ferry’s uncanny ability to render movement and the visually-odd dynamically. The chase sequence between Adam Strange and a bounty hunte’s smart missiles is eight pages long, and not a single panel is unclear or boring. This is some of the finest action that I’ve ever seen portrayed on a comic page. The clarity and vision is unbelievable! Pascal Ferry is a superstar!

While we’re at it, let me just say, Andy Diggle’s a superstar too! That’s right, you heard it here first. After enjoying The Losers for the last year-and-a-half and the addition of Adam Strange, I can say that there may not be a better writer in the business when it comes to dialogue, and narration. Diggle perfectly brings out his characters with a believable voice all their own.

So, in short, Diggle and Ferry are superstars, and Adam Strange should not be missed!