E-Ratic Recharged Vol 2
Following on from the events in Volume 1 Oliver is struggling with his powers and the danger they put his friends and family in. Added to that pressure is premonition like dreams of the end of the world and a hulking beast trying to kill him. Also we have a fanatical government agent that hates the Reborn and E-Ratic is his number one target. Then there is the interdimensional princess that is the sworn enemy of the Void, surely she won’t complicate his life in any way….
Thoughts….
This 2nd volume was everything a fan of the original could want. It expanded on the setting with new characters, both allies and enemies. It continued the story threads from the first volume and we see how Oliver's life has changed with him and Kristen dating. Also it calls back to things that were mentioned in the 1st volume that were left open. It kept the same style of humour and tone of the previous series, looks of little quips and jokes and some situational stuff that was pulled off in a very funny way.
The story itself was interesting, with some great moments, like the introduction of Iaana and the impact she has on Oliver's day to day life. While Agent Zed seemed to be a generic villain he did work really well for the story and his totalitarian vision for dealing with the Reborn though handled in a more light hearted way, befitting the tone of the series, there is some real commentary on how fear and authority can be used to manipulate people to do some crazy things. The story progressed at a good pace but I think it could have used one more issue just to flesh some stuff out a little bit more as there seemed to be a rush to get to the end. The last issue does take a darker tone which was a good way for the series to go. The ending of the series does point to the chance of a volume 3 which would be great to see.
The art style is much like the 1st volume, very bright and cartoon-like. It is big, bright, bold and colourful, just what you would expect from a superhero comic. Character designs are great and at times exaggerated giving it a 90s feel to the whole thing.
I found this volume to be enjoyable, it was a good story and a great read though it did feel like it needed a bit more to fill in some gaps at times. This is a perfect follow up and definitely feels like this could be the middle part of a trilogy, like a stepping stone to something bigger. I would give this series overall 8 out of 10 and have my fingers crossed that there are plans for a 3rd volume
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