Writers: Amy Reeder, Brandon Montclare / Artist: Natacha Bustos / Marvel Comics
So… remember how last issue I was all about to propose to this series, talkin’ ’bout how Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur was The One you spend your whole life searching for (even though that’s kinda a myth)? Well, while we’re not in “forgot your birthday completely” territory, yet we’ve definitely moved into the area of “why it take your ass 8 hours to hit me back?” Let me explain.
One of the things that makes issue #1 of this series so engaging was how writers Reed and Montclare explored the complex inner world of Lunella, our Black nerd protagonist. In this issue, however, we lose a lot of that endearing struggle to fit in and gain a whole lot more… screaming. I’m not kidding, we open with Lunella understandably flipping out about being carried around the city by Devil Dinosaur, but the comic pretty much stays there for a full 8 pages. 8 pages! It’s the holidays yo, I ain’t got money to just spend on dialogue that looks like:
Devil Dinosaur: GRRRR!
Lunella: YAHHHHHHH!
Devil Dinosaur: ROAAAAARRRR!
Lunella: NOT GOOD!
Granted, there’s a little bit more explanation about Lunella’s scientific prowess thrown in, but this brings me to problem #2: if deus ex machina is not your thing, you probably won’t enjoy this issue very much, especially when it comes to the dreaded Killer-Folk (remember them?). If you’re like me and went through the worst of it with a six year commitment to LOST, however, the handful of questions raised shouldn’t affect your enjoyment too much.
The saving grace of this comic comes from artist Bustos’ stunning pencils which continue to bring an eye-catching cinematic quality to the story. When I tell you Bustos makes every single panel of Devil Dinosaur unique in its expression of fear, confusion, or heartbreak, I absolutely mean it. It’s worth reading all the way through to the end just to see how a giant red dinosaur can in fact make you shed a tear or two. Even the subway scenes come alive with her dynamic action sequences, capturing just enough energy to move your eyes across the page effortlessly.
All in all I’d say the low points aren’t a deal breaker; after all, not every moment can be perfect. What I’m really hoping for is to get back to those interpersonal and introspective moments that made issue #1 shine so bright. Otherwise, bae…
8.9 Helpless Screams out of 10
Are you following Black Nerd Problems on Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr or Google+?
Show Comments