Bibiana Lopez-Yang has already changed things in San Francisco, which this issue dives into early on. She’s shown that she’s willing to stand against the gangs threatening the town, but she also won’t allow the city to be oppressed by the Morrow corporation. It’s a great choice to begin this issue showing how Bibi’s actions have emboldened the people of the city. The body language of the civilians who can’t be bothered to look the so-called peacekeepers in the eye speaks volumes, as does the sheer joy on one boy’s face when he snaps a selfie with the city’s new hero. The Massive-Verse may already have a number of heroes, but The Dead Lucky by Melissa Flores and French Carlomagno does a great job of exploring how much the arrival of a superhero would matter in an area that needs someone to look up to.
Of course, Bibi may still be just a bit too caught up in the moment to see the huge impact she’s already having on the world at large. We get more of her personal life as she struggles to help her parents make ends meet — and continues talking to herself/her ghosts to get through it all. This issue continues to play coy with how much of what Bibi sees (and shows us) is in her head, which makes some of the heavier moments in the issue hit even harder.
We learn a bit more about the complicated relationship between Eddie and Bibi in this issue, introducing us to just how reluctant he is to co-sign on certain parts of their operation. Obviously Bibi’s story is a hard one to swallow, but Eddie has seen her do things he can’t explain. The tension is palpable in this sequence as the two confront one another, but constantly fight to keep their cool. There are a few moments when Eddie plays a bit too facetious when discussing the more unnatural elements of the story, but even that helps to sell his overall attitude towards Bibi. It all feels very real, and also shows that Eddie has put a lot of thought and time into trying to communicate with her, acknowledging her PTSD while still trying to stay perfectly honest with her.
Outside of the interpersonal relationships and drama, however, the action is also bonkers. This issue sees Bibi and Ghost throwing down with a bull mech, which I fully didn’t expect and fully enjoyed. The design of the enemy tank is both utilitarian and fully silly, which helps to ground it in this already-heightened world. The fight is short but sweet — honestly leaving me wanting to see a little bit more — but it’s seeing how these battles strain Bibi’s confidence and her partnership with Eddie that truly sells how high the stakes are for these characters. Even with the bombastic action on display, these types of character interactions are still my favorite parts of the Dead Lucky story so far.
Also, I have to give a shoutout to the inclusion of the birria bao recipe in the back of the book. This kind of back matter not only adds so much texture to the story and makes its world feel lived in — but it also 100% inspired me to try to make this dish myself.
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