Image Comics reviews 8/23/23 – Big Game #2, No/One #5, The Schlub #1

Big Game #2

The second issue of Big Game isn’t so much a question of can the heroes rally to stop the villains’ plan from playing out, but will enough of them survive this issue to strike back?

Writer Mark Millar has steadily built up an impressive roster of heroes only to take out a staggering amount of them this issue. That would be an event destroyer for some creators, but Millar makes shocking moments like this work because it’s so unexpected. And he doesn’t lean on the shocks to make the story. It’s part of it regardless if there’s some equally surprising twist that makes these deaths get reversed by the end of the event.

Another stellar aspect of Big Game is how Millar encourages readers unfamiliar with all his work to check out other titles. This aspect of storytelling was a key element to crossovers decades ago instead of just a means to lump all the characters into one story fighting the latest major big bad. Millar brings that back showcasing what makes characters from other books cool. Granted, if these deaths stick there might not be the same incentive to revisit these characters, but he makes them compelling.

The artwork from Pepe Larraz is outstanding. There’s some stunning character showcases here from the time traveling to grand hero arrivals, ambushes and an unexpected arrival of some more familiar faces. Combined with the beautiful color work from Giovanna Niro and this was an absolutely gorgeous visual presentation. Clem Robins brings in very clear and clean lettering in a non-distracting way.

Big Game is not gonna be for the faint of heart and this creative team is knocking out what’s already vying for the title of comic event of 2023.

Rating: 9.5 out of 10