Night Thrasher #2 doesn’t waste any time picking up where the first issue left off. That issue, if you might recall, saw Dwayne Taylor aka Night Thrasher returning to his old neighborhood following the death of his adopted father. Unfortunately, this put him in conflict with the crime boss known as the O.G…aka his old New Warriors teammate Rage! After receiving a brutal beatdown from Rage, Dwayne forges a new suit and has a new mission…though he isn’t prepared for what happens next.
Artist Nelson Daniel is in fine form here, delivering some great imagery. Two things stood out in this issue: the first is a page detailing Dwayne engaging in a training sequence that would make Batman proud, and the debut of the new Night Thrasher costume.
Daniel and cover artist Alan Quah stay simple yet elegant, giving Night Thrasher a new trench coat along with more prominent armored sections. This gives Thrasher the edge in his rematch with Rage, whole panels show him moving effortlessly to dodge Rage’s punches then deliver some punishing blows of his own. Combined with Matt Milla’s heavy use of black and red, it makes for some striking imagery.
While I love a good superhero smackdown, J. Holtham’s script supplies Night Thrasher #2 with some poignant moments, particularly when it draws parallels between Dwayne and Rage. It’s become a cliche at this point when a villain proclaims “we’re not so different” to a hero, but in this case both men are dealing with some deep-seated rage. For Night Thrasher, it’s rage at the world for stealing his life, and bringing him back to more misery; for Rage it’s…well, rage at those who would take his home away from them. Holtham explores how that rage is justified, as well as the cost it can often carry – never feeling judgmental in the process.
Night Thrasher #2 gives its protagonist a new costume while reuniting him with some old friends turned foes. It’s a pattern that looks to continue in the next issue, which makes for some interesting storytelling – especially with a character like Night Thrasher.
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