Her enemies have slandered her name and destroyed her reputation. Now, Zephyr is going to get her life back… with a little help from her friends. Your Major Spoilers review of Faith Returns #2 from Valiant Comics awaits!
FAITH RETURNS #2
Writer: Jody Houser
Artist: Aleta Vidal
Colorist: Aleta Vidal
Letterer: Marina Leon
Editor: Lysa Hawkins
Publisher: Valiant Entertainment/Alien Books
Cover Price: $4.99
Release Date: June 19, 2024
Previously in Faith Returns: Faith is ensnared in a web of deceit and conspiracy, framed by a mysterious and malevolent group known as the Faithless. Accused of crimes she did not commit, our heroine must navigate a treacherous path to clear her tarnished name and expose the truth hidden in the shadows.
THE CAT CAFE… OF DOOOOOOOM!
They call themselves The Faithless, a group of evil folks all holding a grudge against Zephyr for their own reasons. After the capture of Jeff last issue, Faith, her beau Archer, and his pal Armstrong have set out in search of the super-powerful psychic entity known as Dark Star. Trouble is, Dark Star is trapped in the body of a common house cat, forcing the trio to track him down, ending up in a small cat cafe specializing in adoptions of difficult strays. Dark Star is enraged that she has come after him, but two powerful psionic entities and an ancient immortal versus a roomful of angry felines does make for an entertaining fight. It’s just not a very long one. Faith tracks her next targets alone, using her investigative skills to track down actor Chris Chriswell and his army of stunt doubles. Faith then gets to show off her resolve and determination by tracking down the last member of the cabal who framed her for murder.
NOT SURPRISING, BUT SATISFYING
On the one hand, this comic gives readers little in the way of surprises. But on the other, that’s not the point. The point is to remind us who Faith Herbert/Summer Smith/Zephyr is, showing her cleverness and the skills she has learned in her career as a superhero, and giving her a happy ending, all the better to relaunch her as a comic book property. This issue quickly disposed of three dangerous villains in quick succession, then paused Faith’s relationship with Archer, finally setting her up to do her vigilante work in Los Angeles once more. The art in this issue reminds me a bit of Amanda Conner, with soft-edged illustrations and rounded figures that are quite good at depicting our plus-size hero. The color palette is likewise well-chosen, with vivid pastels against backgrounds of white and earth tones, conveying a sense of realism alongside the bright comic book tones.
BOTTOM LINE: HOPE THIS ONE HAS A LONG HAUL
In short, Faith Returns #2 is a well-oiled machine of story and art, designed to put the playing pieces where they belong for a new era of Valiant Comics and doing so efficiently, earning 3 out of 5 stars overall. I understand why Valiant/Alien Books has chosen to pick up where the various Valiant titles left off a few years ago, but that approach does limit the story somewhat. By assuming that only previous fans would buy this comic, they’ve created a book that won’t be easy for people who aren’t previous fans to get into.
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FAITH RETURNS #2
It's a fun little issue that has a list of things that it has to get done and a charming way of pulling it off.
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Writing6
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Art6
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Coloring7
Once upon a time, there was a young nerd from the Midwest, who loved Matter-Eater Lad and the McKenzie Brothers... If pop culture were a maze, Matthew would be the Minotaur at its center. Were it a mall, he'd be the Food Court. Were it a parking lot, he’d be the distant Cart Corral where the weird kids gather to smoke, but that’s not important right now... Matthew enjoys body surfing (so long as the bodies are fresh), writing in the third person, and dark-eyed women. Amongst his weaponry are such diverse elements as: Fear! Surprise! Ruthless efficiency! An almost fanatical devotion to pop culture! And a nice red uniform.