Blackbird #2 Review

Writer: Sam Humphries / Artist: Jen Bartel / Image Comics Unburdened by heavy exposition and worldbuilding necessitated by the opening issue, Blackbird #2 enters at a much more natural pace. The opening pages blend Nina Rodriguez’s current home life situation with an absent, alcoholic father and her childhood when she and her sister, Marissa, experienced a domestic dispute over Christmas dinner. Humphries’ greatest narrative skill is the texturing of flashbacks to explain and bolster his characters’ traits. Having a fuller perspective on Nina’s caustic attitude makes her a much more sympathetic character and aligns the readers with her intentions as she continues to investigate the underlying mystical world occurring behind the scenes.

Nina’s journey through both the mundane and the magical aspects of her city is beautifully realized by the brilliant Jen Bartel. Bartel’s artwork remains absolutely breathtaking and incredibly charming in every aspect. Each character has an impeccable sense of fashion, easily recognizable profiles, and a personality conveyed expertly with their body language. Background panels oscillate between making locales as simple as a shoe store or gas station have a realistic, understated quality to more ephemeral, ethereal locations that entrance the reader. There is an excellent balance struck between writer and artist in Blackbird. The switches between the two worlds that exist in the world happen seamlessly and the differences are subtle but exceedi…