Written by Frank Gogol, Art by Criss Madd, Colors by Shawna Madd, Letters by Sean Rinehart, Main Cover Art by Ahmed Raafat
The second issue of NO HEROINE uses the often used technique of flashing forward a bit to show our hero in danger. As I’ve noticed with most comics, TV shows, and movies that do this, it doesn’t really add to the story. Thankfully soon enough, we flash ‘back’ to now, where we are reintroduced to our heroine (or non-heroine) Kayla, a punk rock styled vampire hunter with a messed up past.
As was the case in the first issue, NO HEROINE deals with some adult themes and has plenty of curse words and violence (including one particularly grisly and effective scene near the end). The first issue used vampires as an allegory for drug use (making the title of the book a double play on words). This issue tackles domestic violence with another mythical monster (while still dealing with the effects of drug use). We also learn a little more about Kayla’s backstory, which really helps explain her character.
The art style remains consistent with issue 1. Kayla’s character design continues to be the most interesting with her unique haircut and wardrobe style. While she’s gone through some stuff I’ve never had to deal with, the writers do a great job explaining what’s going on in her head. She’s also relatable in that she doesn’t have any superpowers.
NO HEROINE has an original take on the vampire genre, using them to make a broader point. The series also isn’t afraid to have some really bad stuff happen. This issue is largely self contained, so you can pick up the series here if you haven’t been able to read issue 1.
NO HEROINE #1 is set to be released on July 22nd, with the 2nd issue following around a month later, both issues can be pre-ordered now.
