Review: Orphan Age #2

After the bloody ending to Orphan Age #1 this second installment slows things down a bit to allow us to settle in to better understand these characters. Daniel, Willa, and Princess are on their way to Albany but before they can fully depart they need to get some supplies for their journey. When the world has gone to hell getting supplies provides its own set of complications, and those complications provide insight to who these characters are and what it takes to survive in a world without civilization.

Considering this is only the second issue it is impressive how well this world has already been built, yet the characters have not been fully left behind in that process. Princess“s naivete and childlike innocence is an effective vehicle to demonstrate how the far this world has fallen. When your biggest priority is finding a way to arm a girl who prior would not be old enough to attend a PG-13 movie clearly society has crumbled to the point of no return.

Despite that, the location they go to in order to obtain these supplies appears as a bastion of hope. Ironically stationed in a former mall it appears not all civilization is lost. Well stocked with a well-defined barter system in place the challenge of obtaining what they need may not be as an impossible task as one would expect. Of course, not everything is at it seems, as this trip will bring with it the realization of the impossible decisions that need to be made in order to ensure one“s survival.

Who you are when things fall apart is a major theme of this issue. A mall being the central piece of that theme may seem out of place but it works. One of the issues biggest highlights is a mini-parable that is used to sum that up perfectly. It also sets up the final arc of this issue well as it becomes clear how there was much more to that conversation than it seemed at first. Much of what makes that exchange work aligns with the strengths of this story; streamlined and purposeful without a wasted moment. Never does it over-complicated the narrative allowing the story to flow naturally.

Nuno Plati wears many hats when it comes to this series. Not only is he a co-creator but also colorist and artist. His storytelling is sharp as a more traditional panel layout is utilized. Panels are often focused in on a single character and as the intensity increases the camera zooms in to the point where only a sharpened eye fills the frame.Â Also the way Plati draws mouths can be a bit awkward. Willa“s mouth in particular never quite fits her face as it looks like she as a misplaced mustache. Considering it is a cartoony style it is a very minor nitpick as overall the book is well rendered. Some issues occur in the coloring work. At times it can be muddled and the limited palette causes the background and foreground bleed together limited the depth.

Overall Thoughts:

Orphan Age #2 may just be a pitstop on this overall journey but it leads to a well-told issue about who you become when the world around you crumbles and what it takes to survive. In a world full of dystopian stories this separates itself by finding the right balance of story and character.

[yasr_overall_rating]

Writer & Co-Creator: Ted Anderson
Artist & Co-Creator: Nuno Plati
Colorist: Joao Lemos & Nuno Plati
Letterer: Marshall Dillion

Author Profile

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.