Love can make people do crazy things, and Tear Us Apart #2 is no exception. The story follows two individuals, known only as Twenty-Five and Eighty-Two, who defy the orders of their caretaker, the Paternoster. As a result, they are forced to flee through the freezing cold in the Canadian wilderness, with wolves and assassins after them. Adding to their troubles, Twenty-Five is injured, leaving Eighty-Two to find shelter before they both freeze to death. The journey in Tear Us Apart #2 delivers on both character development and plot advancement, making for a satisfyingly awesome read.
Issue #2 does an excellent job of showcasing the emotional bond between the main characters while also highlighting the psychological effects of growing up in an assassin cult in the wilderness. Twenty-Five struggles to resist the Paternoster’s teachings that compel him to kill Eighty-Two, while Eighty-Two’s trauma provides backstory into her past with her mother. Writer Jay Baruchel and Van Jensen effectively stack the odds against the heroes by incorporating the harsh cold weather, the wolves, and the assassins on their trail. In addition, Twenty-Five and Eighty-Two are also battling their inner demons, making their escape even more challenging. That being said, the story is a thrilling emotional journey that compels readers to root for the characters.
Artist Alessandro Micelli does an incredible job of incorporating the element of cold weather into every aspect of the story in this issue. From the cold death in the opening to the frigid climate the characters endure, to the frozen expressions on several panels throughout the book, Micelli emphasizes this point perfectly by using icy blue and white color patterns that give a chilling ripple effect throughout the story, especially in the woods. Letter Taylor Esposito adds the cherry on top with his always brilliant placement of words.
Tear Us Apart #2 is a great addition to the story that elevates the stakes and takes it up a notch. Twenty-Five and Eighty-Two have a lot of ground to cover if they want to make their relationship work. This issue will leave readers eager to come back for more.
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