The second title in the Ignited Humanoids universe has beeen released with Strangelands #1. It has a script by Magdalene Visaggio and Darcie Little Badger. Visaggio is the creator of the Kim & Kim comic book. Badger is writer and scientist with a Lipan Apache background. I wonder if one of the main characters has a similar background. The comic features art by Guillermo Sanna. He has worked on Marvel Comics titles like Luke Cage. The regular cover for Strangelands is by Mike McKone with our two heroes running from what looks like a portal of light. Meanwhile, we see two faces looming in the background. There is a short summary that brings us up to speed on Elakshi and Adam Land, not related, Adam is racing on a motorcycle while Elakshi finds herself on a train. This is from the H1: Free Comic Book Day issue. They are in Shanghai on the run from MI6, the British intelligence agency, as part of the Ignited. There is a glimpse of the Colorado Mountains and Shanghai which are the two settings in the story.
The beginning features the parallel narratives with the racing backwheel of the motorcyle. Then, a basement room where a man in glasses, we find out later his name is Dr. Fletcher, wields a knife heated from a candle and a panicking man in a chair. It is part horror thriller and spy action movie. Elakshi shouts to Adam on the bike that they can’t be separated too far from each other. The ultimate action rom com? Elakshi is a Hindi name which means “woman with bright eyes”. Possible pointing to her ethnic origin. A man in a suit follows Adam firing at him with a pistol. The mysterious man says that jellyfish will somehow heal the man in the chair because of his Thalassophobia, had to look it up, fear of the sea. Poisonous exposure therapy? Adam reaches out his hand and draws the handgun from his pursuer’s hand. An interesting super power. I’m familiar with the force field of the mutant villain, Unus the Untouchable, but this seems the reverse.
Adam takes hold of the gun and the other man on the motorcycle draws out another gun. Closeup of Adam’s hand as he uses his power to take the other gun. Sanna’s art is interesting, I see simplicity of Mike Mignola’s lines with some of Kevin Nowlan’s facial detail, the action makes me think of Jim Cheung’s artwork. The man in the chair screams out as the jellyfish is attached, it is a massive blob with strange tendrils, more alien creature than jellyfish. From the train window, Elakshmi tells Adam to use his powers to pull the train to him. The helmeted man leaps from his motorcycle. Dr. Fletcher uses some sort of power to zap the struggling man’s arm. A strange Stephen King-type of powers on another person. The conflict with the motorcycle riders ends with the helmeted man bringing Adam down. Elakshi from the train fears that they are too far apart and sees the effect of their linked powers. Adam uses his power to throw rubble at the shadowy agent. The identity of the agent is hidden, does he have an Ignited power?, is it different people taking his form?
Dr. Fletcher revels in drawing power from the swollen arm of his victim. Elakshi uses her power to start bending the train’s structure. Adam calls out to her and again sees the relentless pursuer so bashes him with a rock. He then extends his power and then is yanked into the air! The agent reaches out for him, maybe his power is to neutralize Adam’s power?, there is no physical contact between them, both wear gloves. Adam is pulled upside down towards the train, an interesting panel. Dr. Fletcher is satisfied that the other man is drained of life. A bizarre villain is Superman’s foe, Parasite, that can drain super powers. Adam slams into the back of the train. Elakshi gives a ninja claw to climb into the train. The helmeted man watches them and walks off. In the train, Adam and Elakshi discuss their mysterious pursuer, they are on a search to lose their Ignited powers. They are interrupted by a message on Elakshi’s watch from Kittyhawk, the unknown patron who may be the key to the Ignited. There is a message, “Do you believe in magic?” and an arranged flight to Denver. This of course brings them to Dr. Fletcher.
The Lands head over to a Western themed building in Vazquez, Colorado. They mention their worldwide quest taking them to Shanghai, Bangkok, and Wellington. As in Wellington, New Zealand? I wonder if this is where their adventures started. They see a sign welcoming “Wild Saints” and Adam mentions his aunt in Texas. The Lands met by a woman in a white shirt with the Wild Saints logo. She says the organization was formed eight months ago, the time of the Ignition?, by Dr. Fletcher. Also mentioned is Collective Consciousness Energy (CCE) that is used by the Ignited. Then, Dr. Fletcher meets them and says that Kittyhawk has arranged their stay. The comic book starts at a roaring train’s pace, but we don’t get a grounding of the characters to understand them. There isn’t a time sense, the Lands have been on the run, but we don’t know for how long. They are starting to use their powers, but we don’t get a sense of what happened with their first Ignition. The characters are chased, but we need to know them well to run along with them. Strangelands has some intriguing ideas, good action, and great potential.
Three Jellyfish out of Five!
#Strangelands, #MagdaleneVisaggio, #DarcieLittleBadge, #GuillermoSanna
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