A new wrinkle along the path of revenge.
Creative Staff:
Story: Ted Anderson
Art: Jen Hickman
Letterer: Marshall Dillon
What They Say:
Niki’s hunt for Wolfe, takes them to a high-class party where the elite rub shoulders with the city’s criminal underclass. With billions in wealth in the room, security’s going to be extra tight—so if Niki wants to live up to the mantles of their parents, it’s going to take all their skills to make it in and out alive …
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers):
The opening issue of Moth and Whisper hit a sweet spot for me that really clicked with what it did in providing an interesting setup, a lot of background, and then a great twist along the way that cemented it as a must-read project going forward to see how it pulls it off. At its core, Ted Anderson has a story of revenge going on here but it can twist and turn in oh so many ways to really go big but still have a strong personal connection to it. It’s also made strong by Jen Hickman’s artwork as I love the flow of the pages with its panel out as well as the simple creativity of the character designs and the weaving/transformation process as well. The result is a book that’s familiar and accessible but strong in being its own thing.
With so much introduced we’re now able to follow Niki more clearly in his mission to take down Wolfe. The book opens with a nice nod to the past in how Niki’s existence has been kept secret and the identities that were set up for him to exist in public over the years without any problems. It’s a better understanding of the family dynamic and just how prepared Niki was in order to move into the same kind of life they had but with a greater early understanding. Watching him as he uses his parents’ old supplier, someone named Carbon, to acquire things he needs and luck out with some additional codes that’ll ease another project also highlights just how easily he’s moved into their life since their death. It’s a small thing and it may show a little overconfidence on his part but the way he navigates the city with all its surveillance is very well done.
The bulk of the focus is on a party being hosted by Derry Waverly, the big crime boss of the city that has his respectable cover as well. It’s a creative series of events as we see how Niki infiltrates as Aada and works his way through to gathering information and fingerprints that will let him get to a computer where he can slice his code in to find out details on Waverly’s opponent in Wolfe. What makes it all work beyond the basic tension is seeing how he accomplishes this while also dealing with Derry’s son Walter who is being groomed to take over. Playing as Aada at first and then a security guard later, you can see an interesting bond being formed by the two through some awkward encounters via a shared goal. I really liked how Niki handled things until he lost his cool at the end, reminding us of his age, and then getting to see Walter see opportunity and seize it for his own benefit even if it helps Niki along the way.
In Summary:
Moth and Whisper really wowed me in its debut and this is a solid follow-up that has me hopeful that they can stick the eventual landing. We get a more singularly focused installment this time around with a little background, some setup, and then the mission itself which is radically different from the background-heavy first issue. There’s a lot to like here as Niki works his job and deals with all the things his parents left him and it leaves me wanting more once again. The Waverly mission is solidly executed here and I like all the background pieces from the reports at the start on the news to his acquisition of codes. Anderson has set a pretty good voice for Niki with Walter coming in strong as well while Jen Hickman just nails it throughout. I love the look of everything from top to bottom that makes a good book and even greater book. I can’t wait for more.
Grade: B+
Age Rating: 16+
Released By: AfterShock Comics
Release Date: October 10th, 2018
MSRP: $3.99
@aftershockcomix @TedlyAnderson @Umicorms
