‘Minor Threats’ #2 explores the villain known as Brain Tease

‘Minor Threats’ #2 gets our supervillains closer to the heroes, and they’re very much in danger!

October 4, 2022

Minor Threats is a new superhero universe that’s fun, clever, and an intelligent commentary on what we know about superheroes. Jordan Blum, Patton Oswalt, Scott Hepburn, and Ian Herring have introduced a slew of new villainous characters in quite a pickle. In Minor Threats #2, out this week, the characters band around Brain Tease, who has a lead on catching up to The Stickman, who might have killed superhero sidekick Kid Dusk. They’re racing against the clock as The Insomniac, a surrogate for Batman seems to kill anyone who was involved or gets in the way. No pressure.

This second issue continues the narrative structure from the first issue highlighting and probing specific characters while progressing the plot. This issue focuses heavily on Brain Tease, showing us the messed-up childhood he had with an abusive drunk father. On the first page, we learn his life was saved due to his powers kicking in at a time when he might have been beaten to death. Now trying to solve the problem of finding The Stickman, Brain Tease has a new problem to resolve that uses his powers for good, more or less.

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Blum and Oswalt thoroughly probe Brain Tease in this issue, making the reader empathize with him and see why he’s such an egomaniac. He’s a bit of a loser, coming from a background that is broken and unfair. Now his powers are needed, and he’s leaning into his thinking abilities. He’s given a considerable win early on, problem-solving and figuring out where The Stickman could be through the setup of his room and old prison cell. It’s a clever way of showing his super abilities at work with some telling.

That problem solving is tricky work that Hepburn pulls off splendidly. Rendering Brain Tease as the most colorful object, we see a mostly empty room and a chalk sketch outline of The Stickman moving about the room. The slight fisheye lens of the room helps convey we’re inside Brain Tease’s mind, further enhancing his abilities and validating them. He might be a bit over the hill and out of shape, but you’ll be impressed by him.

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Credit: Dark Horse

The narrative moves along at a good clip as the villains head to where they think The Stickman will be and see the anarchy route due to the superheroes taking out anyone in their way. Hepburn draws a fantastic street scene with an overturned car, a Captain America-looking hero strangling a dude, and an economically laid page. From character design to environment design, Hepburn keeps you interested, like in the very next scene when we get to see a nightclub filled with supes.

The bond between the group of villains does feel thin, though. While we can see their reactions to each other are meaningful, the plot is moving along so quickly, and we know these characters only barely that it’s hard to gather who they are to each other. A little more interaction between them, or something for them all to share, would help build out this group. Some risk their own life and limb, others take the lead, but in most scenes, many stand about. This will likely be less of an issue as we get more stories, but it’s limited in this second issue.

There’s a good bookended feel to this issue, thanks to Brain Tease witnessing a fight that plays out in a way he sees coming due to his deductive abilities. The Insomniac, who graces the cover, gets plenty of maniac moments beating up characters and acting like a violent villain. These final moments suggest that the bond between these villains is tighter than what has been established. Still, given how personal the narrative gets with flashbacks, the audience will indeed feel for a character who is in great danger on the final page.

The plot thickens, and the violence gets raised to 11 in Minor Threats #2. The art and creative design continue to be exciting while the writing probes these characters, who may be supervillains on the surface level, but they are real people. Meanwhile, the “heroes” continue to be violent psychopaths, creating a familiar but different world.

‘Minor Threats’ #2 explores the villain known as Brain Tease

Minor Threats #2

The plot thickens, and the violence gets raised to 11 in Minor Threats #2. The art and creative design continue to be exciting while the writing probes these characters, who may be supervillains on the surface level, but they are real people. Meanwhile, the "heroes" continue to be violent psychopaths, creating a familiar but different world.

Reader Rating1 Votes

9.1

A good mix of character building and world building

You'll empathize with Brain Tease

Doesn't hold back with The Insomniac

The group of villains are kinda teaming up just because and their relationships could use some further development

Good

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