Allies and Enemies in gen:LOCK #2
Fans of the gen:LOCK TV series will be thrilled to discover that our beloved characters are continuing their quest in comic form. No, it’s not quite the same thing. But gen:LOCK #2 is just as action-packed as we could have ever hoped for, and that almost makes up for it.
This miniseries for gen:LOCK fits in between what happened in season one and what we assume will happen in season two. It’s filling in the blanks for us. And we’re not complaining since we don’t know how long the wait will be before season two (and the drama that comes with that is a different can of worms).
If you haven’t finished the first season of gen:LOCK, don’t read this series! It will contain massive spoilers, both about the main plot and what most of the main characters are up to at this point. That should be fairly obvious, but better safe than sorry.
Writing
Gen:LOCK #2 was an action-packed whirlwind of an issue. It seemed like each of our heroes got a chance to shine. And that means we got to see more of their mechs, which is always appreciated. Collin Kelly and Jackson Lanzing are starting to get into the writing rhythm for these different heroes, and it shows.
There were a lot of interesting things that happened in this issue. But perhaps my favorite is that Chase gave a little hat-tip to each crew member. It’s nice to see their unique traits get highlighted. It’s also a nice refresher for those who need it, so it’s a win-win.
This issue has also started to build up more on Kaz’s mystery and background. It’s probably not something we thought too much about during the animated series (too much going on). But now we can’t seem to get it out of our heads. And I, for one, am eagerly looking forward to any new information regarding it.
So we’re now two issues in, and we need to discuss the elephant in the room. Does this series feel like the animated version? No, it doesn’t. But it is forging its own path, and so far, it has stayed true to the characters. And that’s good enough for me.
Art
The art behind gen:LOCK #2 is vibrant and visually stunning. You can see the level of work and attention to detail the artistic team has been putting into this project. Carlo Barberi is the penciller behind this issue, while Waldon Wong provided the inks. Then there’s Protobunker, who did the coloring, and Tom Napolitano, who did the lettering. So it’s safe to say that this was a fairly sizable team!
All of the characters look like comic book versions of themselves. This is to say, they’re easily recognizable for who they are, but the artists weren’t afraid to take some liberties in terms of style. It’s a nice combination.
There were a few difficulties this team had to overcome. For example, there’s a lot of internal chatting and thoughts from the gen:LOCK team, and they somehow had to make them all distinct and clear. That was probably easier said than done, but they found a solution that worked in the end.
Conclusion
Gen:LOCK #2 has found a way to keep fans invested by dangling a mystery right in our faces. That, combined with some brilliant action and cute moments from our characters, is more than enough to keep many fans reading. Or at least, it’s enough to keep this fan dedicated to the comics! Only time will tell where this series will take us in the long run.
This review was originally written for Word of the Nerd, but has been ported over to Quirky Cat’s Fat Stacks now that the site has shut down.
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