An Emma Frost flashback series has the tricky line to walk, as she was a villain, but she needs to be the hero of her own story. Enter Amy Chu, who reveals there’s a backstabber in the Hellfire Club, and Emma needs to figure out who it is before time is up. The first issue sparked the backstabbing, but in Emma Frost: The White Queen #2, it’s time to go on the offense. Armed with wit, fight, and a plane, this second issue fully features every element of Emma and then some.
Emma Frost: The White Queen #2 opens in London, where Emma and her assistant are called in to see the Hellfire Club board. The next few pages adequately recap the last issue while setting up the stakes. Emma must find out who set her up, and failure is not an option. It’s a good opening, especially if you missed the first issue, and it keeps the pace moving forward.
From there, Chu and artist Andrea Di Vito explore secret operations of the Hellfire Club in Italy, which forces Emma to fight without powers. It’s a reminder she’s as badass with her powers as without. The fight scene also acts as a reminder of Emma’s upbringing.
Shaw is pissed.
Credit: Marvel
The journey Emma takes also introduces some new mutants, which is a pleasant surprise. Given this is a prequel comic, this issue doesn’t tread too heavily in cameos, and nearly all of the new characters seem worthy of more attention for later. Specifically, the man with tentacles and the cat-mutant. Yeah, they’re just that cool.
For those looking for a bit of cheesecake, this issue also has that, with a somewhat unnecessary bathing scene. She’s naked in the tub, practically naked in a towel, and it’s clearly inserted into the issue to remind us of her sexiness. I’m sure most won’t complain.
This section of the comic spans the last four pages, and it’s far breezier and looser. There isn’t much dialogue, and it draws out Emma’s bedtime rituals, leading directly to the cliffhanger. While the cliffhanger adequately advances the plot, this slower pace feels like a mismatch with the faster pacing of the previous events in the issue.
Emma Frost: The White Queen #2 balances intrigue, action, and character insight well, especially in its globe-trotting, Hellfire Club-fueled mystery, but it stumbles slightly in its final moments, trading sharp pacing for indulgent filler. Still, it’s a stylish showcase for Emma’s cunning and charisma.
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