Review: Dial H for Hero #2

One of the best aspects of comics is that there are no budget restraints in regards to storytelling. Exploding the scope of your story only requires a willingness and ability to do so. That fact has to help a series like Dial H for Hero, because now two issues in and the creators Sam Humphries and Joe Quinones have shown they can change the entire makeup of the book within a few pages. That dynamic has lead to no shortage of fun, however, it is not without its downsides as the characters within that chaos have yet to fully establish themselves in a meaningful way.

This issue picks up shortly after the first ended as Miguel and Summer have run away in his Uncle“s food truck. Driving such a conspicuous vehicle may not be the best choice as quickly they become a target from others who want the power of the dial Miguel now holds. Ironically the one person who wants nothing to do with the magical dial is the person who now holds the responsibility. For Miguel he is quickly finding out sometimes running is not an option.

Considering the last issue Miguel“s sole goal was trying to escape from his mundane life it is odd to see him reject the H Dial so quickly. His one defining character feature is no longer present with little reason given. Clearly, there is more at play here considering his quick change of mindset that even Summer calls out. While that makes it apparent it is a purposeful choice, it is also a problematic one. Keeping the reader at arm“s length can allow secrets to grow and fester. Currently what happened to Miguel“s parents is unknown and that still has some hold on him that may explain his current actions. The downside is you are left with the main character that lacks definition. Â Making the desire to invest in the story more challenging.

Part of that is due to the amount of time it takes to make the Dial H for Hero concept work. There is no denying there is a lot of enjoyment to be had as you anticipate just who exactly will be called next. Unlike past versions of this story, this time around it appears instead of using established characters we are getting brand new characters never before seen. That opens up the possibilities to an enormous extent, however, the downside is with each new call brings with it a new origin. It is an effective joke but one that takes a while to execute and running on at risk for being repetitive only two issues in.

If each call is as well executed as this issue keeping the idea fresh and exciting should not be an issue. To give it away in grand detail would spoil much of the fun, but it is worth pointing out just how much the book changes based on the hero that is called. The last issue resorted back to the hard-edged ridiculous nineties while this issue is much more anime influenced. Also considering the massive absurdity in the comic book world over first appearances it is a welcome sight to see a comic have fun with that subculture. Who knows if we will see any of these characters again but much of me hopes we do. They seem better fleshed out than our main characters at this point.Â

For this concept to work as well as it does you need a stellar art team and it has just that. Artist Joe Quinones, colorist Jordan Gibson, and letterer Dave Sharpe are showing a lot of versatility as one moment we are in your typical DC comic book and the next we are in a fantasy anime tale. Everything from the panel design to the dialog balloons, to the color schemes, are adjusted to make the concept work. Not only work but greatly excel. The new characters have designs that look familiar enough but not derivative to the point of dilution. It is not just that they are able to make the book look like something else it is that it looks great on its own.Â

Overall Thoughts:

On a basic craft standpoint, Dial H for Hero #2 has a great deal to admire. You can easily isolate certain sections of this issue and they will work well as their own unique story. However, the one piece stopping it so far from reaching that next level is a character that is more than a calling. There is still room to develop, but out of all the Wonder comics, this is the one struggling the most to find an identity outside of its idea.

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Writer: Sam Humphries
Artist: Joe Quinones
Colorist: Jordan Gibson
Letterer:Â Dave Sharpe

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Daniel Clark

A fan of all things comics. Growing up on a healthy diet of 90's Batman and X-Men cartoon series ignited a love for the medium that remains strong today.