Writer Mike Costa Artist Nate Bellegarde Colorist Tamra Bonvillain Letterer Sal Cipriano Main Cover artist Jason Howard
Thanks to Image Comics for the review copy!
The first issue of stealth had a tight structure, alternating between Tony, a young reporter in Detroit and the exploits of a vigilante named Stealth. The assumption was the Tony was the hero, with a twist at the end revealing that Stealth was his father. The sleight of hand was enhanced by Tony’s genuine concern for the city and its residents, which really made him seem like the kind of guy who would wear a costume and help people.
The premier issue of Stealth thus introduced an interesting concept – what happens when a superhero starts struggling with dementia? With that concept in place, issue two fills in Stealth’s origin story, giving some details regarding how Tony’s dad came to become a vigilante. Stealth is more than just a superhero story, as it also examines the father and son relationship and how Stealth’s condition puts a strain on it. In fact, this issue has very little action in it, but it moves forward at a great pace.
After a focus in issue 1, the city of Detroit take a backseat in this installment. In its place, we get glimpses of the series’ ‘bad guy.’ While I’m not sure what he is up to, he’s suitably creepy and evil seeming. His introduction is genuinely unsettling even though I’m not exactly sure what he did. The depiction of his victim in the opening scenes was very effective. So far, he seems like a worthy adversary.
Two issues in, Stealth has shown it is interested in asking some questions that aren’t tackled in other stories. I’m curious to see if the book morphs into a straightforward superhero book, or if it continues its own path. If you missed issue one, this is a perfect entry point, as it gives some detail into how Stealth came to be.
STEALTH #2 is now available.
Have you read the title? What were your thoughts? Let me know in the comments or on Twitter.
