Excellence #2 Review

Writer: Brandon Thomas / Artists: Khary Randolph, Emilio Lopez, and Deron Bennett / Image Comics/Skybound Since issue #1 of Excellence, multiple people have independently hit me with the “Have you read this new comic?!?” The deserved buzz is growing, as more folks dig into this comic created by Brandon Thomas and Khary Randolph. For good reason, this is one to watch. The aesthetic, energy, and narrative are as tight in #2 as you’d expect. The comic uses a time-jumping style, paralleling experiences from Spencer Dales’ distant past, near past, and present. This has some strengths and some drawbacks, but ultimately gives a forward leaning feeling to the whole comic. There’s so much history, all leading…where?

Two: Me and You The set up at the end of #1 was pretty clear: GG, the giver of the best fades and the most valuable tricks in the book, is dying. Spencer wants to use his powers to save her. His father sees more risk in that than reward and refuses. None of this is particularly unique. You know from the start that no matter what happens, Spencer has no idea what he’s in for. You know the world will counsel him to chill the entire F out. You know he will ignore their advice and go off filled with righteous rage. The power in this comic is in how that story is told.

The story dives deep into what kind of person Spencer is, his rage, his combative style, and his inventiveness. He’s a hero, but also a brat, the kind you hope learns his lesson so you can root for him whole …