Writer: Matthew Erman / Artist: Stefano Simeone / Boom! Studios
Alright, quick recap: Good Luck is set in an alternate history where two god-like entities made a big splash in the Midwest and now luck is a tangible, physical force that people have to contend with except for those (un)lucky enough to be born without luck. Enter Artemis, Joseph, Cherry, and Hilde: all of them have zero luck. However, this cosmic non-alignment does make them prime candidates to enter the Kismet Zone where they have to venture to complete a variety of tasks to try and loosen the hold that luck has on the world.
Good Luck #2 starts fast and stays fast, and the quartet is thrust into a yet another training simulation. It quickly escalates outside of the intended parameters as the Unfortunates somehow end up somewhere else that the scientists back at base can’t quite place. To Erman’s credit, the plot is tight and the story beats are plentiful. The dialog of teens in desperate situations works, and the Ender’s Game energy is strong. I appreciate the banter and candid candor that the teens have and how they navigate the landscape. The dense technical exposition I struggle a little more with.
It’s very clear that Erman has this vision, has a comprehensive understanding of how the world works, and how all of the cogs in the machine fit together. However, that clarity also means that some of the pages are very word dense with jargon that teeters a little closer to prose than comic dialog. It mostly works, but Good Luck is at its best when focused on the teens in this out of context situation and when Simeone’s visuals of the supernatural forces at work carry the bulk of the page. Simeone’s artwork is beautiful and blends several aesthetics masterfully, and I’m here for it.
I like Good Luck, but it’s also a series that demands a little more attention and patience. This second issues suffers from trying to smooth over some leftover details from last issue, and I’m hoping that the next issue can dial back on the worldbuilding and let the stellar elements and dynamics of the core Unfortunates team take center stage.
8.5 “Horses” out of 10
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