If you read DSTLRY’s Galactic #1, released in November, you have only a few more weeks for the second chapter to drop into comic shops. The sci-fi action fest, compared to Star Wars and Saga, has all the tropes and elements you expect, plus adult themes and a galaxy on the brink of war. While the first issue offered bounty-hunter action and the saving of a princess, the second issue is all about survival and romance.
Galactic is without a doubt a visual showcase, fully utilizing the extra-sized prestige format and letting Amilcar Pinna’s lines cook. The cinematic quality to every panel, through fish-eye lens work and layouts that draw the eye, keeps you on the edge of your seat. That continues in Galactic #2, from the opening threat with a man chasing the princess with blade gauntlets, to an escape with multiple ships on our main character’s tail.
Pinna is also great at creature and character design, with a samurai-looking soldier popping up, cape and all. Ships and space scenes have a dynamic look, with blurry stars behind celestial bodies, sharp-looking ships darting in front of them. The line work reminds me of Mobius with a hint of Geoff Darrow.
Epic art!
Credit: DSTLRY
As for the story, writer Curt Pires continues to keep things simple. Our heroes are ready to take their big bounty and drink half of it, when they’re roped into helping the princess once again due to the main character Jecht Marco’s deep-seated heroism. This leads to a chase, a crash, and some bonding with the princess. Along the way, conversations about being orphans and finding new parental figures keep the characters interesting. There’s a bond forming, at least.
Similar to the last issue, flashbacks are peppered into the story, although this time they feel more emotional than strictly backstory-focused. Take, for instance, a moment when Marco remembers Wolf helping him and even picking out a logo for their ship. Even a seemingly unimportant character gets a mini backstory to justify his treachery, adding a tinge of humanity here and there.
Something else that works is a bit of politics, which may sound boring, but is introduced by men in robes who demand that the treachery we know is true wasn’t treachery at all. Given the sci-fi futurism of things, it’s a bit monarchal and thus believable they’d go along with the ruse.
I found it hard to believe Marco and the princesses falling for each other. Avoiding spoilers, but the bond is present, but goes to the max in this issue, far too quickly. With Marco talking about being in love and only knowing the princess for days on end, I had to roll my eyes.
By the end of the issue, a new bounty hunter is on our heroes’ tails, and further threats loom. Is the main threat and his son rather over-the-top? Sure are. Does the insistence on a bounty hunter instead of doing the job themselves seem fairly convenient to the plot? Yup. But this isn’t Shakespeare, as the swearing, gore, and sex all amount to this series pulling off a B-movie vibe more than anything else.
Galactic #2 continues to showcase why the series is such an easy read for fans of big sci-fi adventures. Pires keeps the story moving with action, political intrigue, and character-building moments, while Pinna’s artwork remains the true star of the show. The romance may develop faster than the story earns, but the issue’s energy, visual ambition, and pulpy charm make it a satisfying second installment.
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