Connect with us
Secret Empire: Brave New World #2 Review

Comic Books

Secret Empire: Brave New World #2 Review

All empires eventually crumble. Can Secret Empire: Brave New World #2 live up to its standout debut issue? Is it good?

Listen to the latest episode of our weekly comics podcast!
Secret Empire: Brave New World #2 Review
Secret Empire: Brave New World #2
Writer: Paul Allor, Rodney Barnes, Fabian Nicieza
Artist: Brian Level, Juan M. Frigeri, Will Robson
Publisher: Marvel Comics


The Lowdown

The continuing story about Namor and the Invaders is shunted to third billing in Secret Empire: Brave New World #2, and this installment suffers for it. Paul Allor writes some nice dialogue that paints Namor as a hero forced into a villainous role by outside occurrences, but it’s a lot more telling than showing, as Allor makes the curious decision to focus more on Toro and Jim Hammond’s prison breakout.

Brian Level’s art looks as rushed as ever, with poor facial expressions on top of would-be realistic bodies, if the concentration was put more on proportions than musculature detail. Jordan Boyd’s smudged colors contribute to the unfinished feeling.

It’s a disappointing turn, all to make room for Rayshaun Lucas’ debut as the new Patriot. I guess the other one is sick. Rodney Barnes tells the tale of the young do-gooder introduced by Nick Spencer in Secret Empire #1, in an interesting use of continuity. Rayshaun has no powers, but stuck in the rebels’ Nevada refuge, he still wants to help. This is a time for doers and not dreamers, after all.

Secret Empire: Brave New World #2 Review

But there are different ways to “do.” It would have been great if this ordinary kid could have found a non-super way to contribute, as we all can when faced with real oppression. Instead, after being duked some equipment by the Tony Stark AI and taking a couple karate classes from a BLACK WIDOW AI, Rayshaun is ready to join up with the Champions on the front lines. Even in a comic book world, that’s not realistic, and it misses the chance to illustrate that fighting for what’s right is a human struggle, not a four-color fantasy.

The pencils by Juan M. Frigeri and colors by Erick Arciniega are perfectly fine for both the super stuff and the inner monologue panels. Imagine a very young Leinil Yu and you’ll understand how.

Secret Empire: Brave New World #2 Review

All that leaves four measly pages for the Secret Empire story you’ve all REALLY been waiting for — Hydra Bob, written by his creator, Fabian Nicieza! There are good four-page stories, but this is not one of them. Instead we get a funny foreigner and some slapstick that doesn’t really land. The pencils by Will Robson and the colors by Tamra Bonvillain are suitably cartoony, but they can’t elevate what’s essentially a stretched-out, two-panel gag.

The Upshot

Secret Empire: Brave New World #2 is a disappointing follow-up to the surprisingly satisfying debut issue. The Invaders story seems pressed for time while the Bob snippet somehow makes four pages seem too long. The new Patriot’s journey is told reasonably well, but it’s a tale that maybe shouldn’t end (begin?) the way it does. All in all, this tie-in anthology regresses to the mean for this kind of thing, and can’t repeat the same magic as before.

Secret Empire: Brave New World #2 Review
Secret Empire: Brave New World #2
Is it good?
Brave New World #2 is a return to the reality that tie-in anthology books aren't usually very good. Hydra's smokescreen has cleared!
The tale of Rayshaun Lucas is told reasonably well, and the art is a good display of what the team is capable of
The Invaders story takes a strange, hard-to-follow meander
The Hydra Bob story is somehow too short and entirely too long at the same time
6.5
Average

Join the AIPT Patreon

Want to take our relationship to the next level? Become a patron today to gain access to exclusive perks, such as:

  • ❌ Remove all ads on the website
  • 💬 Join our Discord community, where we chat about the latest news and releases from everything we cover on AIPT
  • 📗 Access to our monthly book club
  • 📦 Get a physical trade paperback shipped to you every month
  • 💥 And more!
Sign up today
Comments

In Case You Missed It

Marvel unveils the new villains Bloodcoven appearing in 'Blood Hunt' Marvel unveils the new villains Bloodcoven appearing in 'Blood Hunt'

Marvel unveils the new villains Bloodcoven appearing in ‘Blood Hunt’

Comic Books

X-Men Monday #241 - Steve Foxe Talks 'X-Men '97,' 'Dead X-Men,' and 'X-Men: Blood Hunt - Psylocke' X-Men Monday #241 - Steve Foxe Talks 'X-Men '97,' 'Dead X-Men,' and 'X-Men: Blood Hunt - Psylocke'

X-Men Monday #241 – Steve Foxe Talks ‘X-Men ’97,’ ‘Dead X-Men,’ and ‘X-Men: Blood Hunt – Psylocke’

Comic Books

Films to check out at SXSW Films to check out at SXSW

Films to check out at SXSW

Movies

'X-Men' #35 (LGY #700) is the final farewell to the Krakoan Age 'X-Men' #35 (LGY #700) is the final farewell to the Krakoan Age

‘X-Men’ #35 (LGY #700) is the final farewell to the Krakoan Age

Comic Books

Connect
Newsletter Signup