The hook of Ande Parks and Dave Wachter’s Bad Thoughts is that protagonist Jack Coates can telepathically sense the malevolent thoughts most people keep hidden. He uses this gift as a “special asset” for a private security firm, taking down some of the world’s worst threats before they escalate. But what happens when one of those threats hits too close to home? Bad Thoughts #2 explores this train of thought as Jack is forced to come to grips with the revelation that someone close to him isn’t who they seem to be.
Before this reveal, Parks takes the time to dig further into Jack’s life. The opening is dedicated to him spending time with his wife Sara and their dog, with a flashback showcasing their dynamic when they were kids. Likewise, a quiet dinner between Jack and his teammates leads to him opening up about his abilities, and shows that they have a connection whether it’s on the battlefield or in the living room. Arguably, these scenes would have worked better if they were in the first issue, but they help make Jack feel more human and add some true stakes to the second half of the issue.
That part is where Wachter gets to flex his action chops. In the space of five pages, he delivers a savage head-butt to one of his foes, jumps out a window, steals a motorcycle, and then uses said motorcycle to sideswipe another target. It’s a fast-paced, adrenaline-fueled display of work that would put John Wick to shame, made even more intense by the panel layouts that hone in on Wachter’s finely tuned displays of violence. It’s not just the action that Wachter excels at, either – he also has a great handle on displaying Jack’s abilities, once again using the panel layout to depict people’s dark thoughts as if they’re shards of shattered glass.
The color work by Brad Simpson also helps sell the emotion. Most of the action is backlight by golden yellow tones, offsetting the violence with warm colors. Jack’s abilities are represented by a blood red, which grows deeper and deeper the more he peers into someone’s mind – and the uglier the thoughts get. It goes hand in hand with a line of dialogue Jack says in the issue: “If the darkness is all I get…what does that say after me?” Most of us would love to have superpowers, but rarely consider the cost that comes with said powers. With a simple color choice, Simpson outlines the mental and physical pressure Jack’s powers are taking on him.
Perhaps the most intriguing part of Bad Thoughts #2 is an ad for the “Cold Open” issue of Bad Thoughts, and a link to an original short story on Ignition Press’ website. It’s also a little confusing because the “Cold Open” is meant to help ease readers into new Ignition series, effectively serving as the “pilot” of said series; why not wait until that issue was ready to launch Bad Thoughts as a whole? Regardless of publishing strategy, Bad Thoughts #2 is packed with plenty of action and character development as it shifts gears into a full on action thriller.
