I think AIPT’s review of issue #1 hit the nail on the head with Destination Kill: It makes dystopias look like fun. Joe Palmer’s art packs a lot of punch into every panel, adding value to every page you don’t often see in comics. It makes Destination Kill #2 an easy pickup if you’re already hooked, but does the new issue keep you wanting more?
Once again, Destination Kill #2 is a visual masterpiece. Often, I’d linger on a small panel, invested in the characters’ emotions, the chaos in the background, or just how pleasing the art looks in its framing or color.
The story is simple, maybe even too simple: the rich want to get an underwater train from London to New York City operational, no matter how many reluctant civilians or bystanders get in their way. In their control are the police, but our lead character, Detective Gina Serene, and her ex-partner, Lance, are going to do whatever it takes to stop injustice.
How about those sound effects?
Credit: Oni Press
The scenes with the super-rich are overtly snobby, with blatant evil-guy energy and dialogue as some slurp martinis without a care in the world. Meanwhile, Serene and Lance are barreling through the narrative from one obstacle to the next. In one instance, they grab bicycles to speed up their travel as the city is in full protest mode, only to ditch them five panels later. It makes you wonder why the bicycles were used at all. The pinball effect of these characters going from one vehicle to another, contact to another vehicle, can feel a bit nonsensical, as if the story is running in place just to fill it with awesome art.
Eventually, they do end up in a new key location, and the cliffhanger suggests some real development in the larger plot, but when you think about it, it’s obvious these characters have barely progressed by the end of the issue.
Frankly, I think that’s okay. Sure, the narrative is fairly simple, and the characters are dodging left and right instead of going through, but the art is too darn good not to forget all that. From the crazy vehicles that look like they’re carved out of metal, to great kinetic energy and action, there’s just too much to ogle and smile stupidly at. This is cartooning at its height, and shouldn’t be missed.
Destination Kill #2 succeeds largely on the strength of Joe Palmer’s remarkable artwork, which elevates nearly every moment on the page. The story’s forward momentum may be lighter than expected, with characters often moving from obstacle to obstacle without dramatically changing their situation, but the journey remains entertaining thanks to the sheer creativity of the visuals. Every page offers something worth studying, from expressive character work to inventive technology and dynamic action. While the narrative could benefit from greater urgency and deeper characterization, the artistic ambition on display makes this an easy recommendation for readers who appreciate exceptional cartooning.
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