Jenny Sparks #2 shocked me from the first page. I’ve yet to wrap my head around where the story is going, but the paneling and art never fail to keep me invested. Jeff Spokes’s bold lines and electrifying colors remind me of Adam Hughes in all the best ways. Paired with Tom King’s almost melodic dialogue and persistent pacing, this is one book you can’t take your eyes off of.
Following the first issue, Jenny is left with her own devices to deal with rogue Captain Atom’s hostage situation. The characterization of this former Justice Leaguer is… different to say the least, feeling more like a deranged Dr. Manhattan with a god complex. However, I can’t deny how one of a kind his powers are presented here. They’re less flashy and more like understated miracles. The way he changes appearance from panel to panel is one example of a simple yet effective effect.
DC Comics
The premise of the whole situation itself is brilliant, different civilians being stuck in a room, all with backgrounds that the reader gets the gist of in the first issue. It’s easy to care about them, and so the tension is ramped up to eleven, trapped with this manic hero that could disintegrate you with a stare. At least it should be. In practice, by the second issue, you start to forget which hostage is which, and they become caricatures for Atom to play with and Jenny to save.
New readers unfamiliar with Jenny Sparks might be disoriented, first by discerning what her whole deal is and then by what time period it’s set in. But Jenny is an amusing protagonist and watching how all the pieces click together is part of the fun of a Tom King helmed book. Though knowing his previous works, it might take until the second to last issue for the shoe to drop.
Jenny Sparks #2 could be an engrossing self-contained episode of TV. Set mostly in one room, it hooks you with a crazed fallen hero and a blasé protagonist, not knowing where it’s going to go. And with the title’s short six-issue length, it could well be worth it. I mean, it already is for the art alone. Tom King excels at writing for specific artists, making his books perhaps the best-looking on the market. This one is no exception.
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