Sometimes they are five… sometimes only one. But they are always Earth’s last line of defense against ongoing alien aggression. Your Major Spoilers review of Gatchaman #2 from Mad Cave Studios awaits!

GATCHAMAN #2

Writer: Cullen Bunn
Artist: Chris Batista
Colorist: Carlos Lopez
Letterer: Buddy Beaudoin
Editor: Chas! Pangburn
Publisher: Mad Cave Studios
Cover Price: $4.99
Release Date: July 31, 2024

Previously in Gatchaman: A terrifying mecha has attacked the city of Amegapolis! The Science Ninja Team is the city’s only savior from total destruction… but their ship is trapped in the monstrosity’s magnetic grasp! Meanwhile, world-renowned scientists are being captured by an unknown entity.

With the Ninja Team out of commission and the town in danger, who can Doctor Nambu call on?

DISORDER, CHAOS, ANARCHY… NOW THAT’S FUN

As the last issue ended, the Gatchaman team was trapped in the tentacles of a giant mecha shaped like a carnivorous sundew, and things were looking bad indeed. As the battle rages on, another important scientist is taken, this time by a masked woman identifying herself as one of Galactor’s Devil Stars! She successfully makes her escape with the stolen doctor, but the Science Ninja Team makes their own getaway, thanks to their flagship’s devastating Firebird mode, leaving Berg Katse with most of a win. The team heads home, turning their attention from heavy-ordinance aerial battle to the secretive ways of the ninja, with a little help from their overseer, Doctor Nambu. When the sundew appears again, it is immediately attacked by the God Phoenix, but as another of the Devil Stars tries to kidnap the brilliant Dr. Aoki, she finds herself outnumbered, four-to-one. And then, Jun has a very good idea.

SCIENCE NINJA TECHNIQUE: FIREBIRD!

Given the facility with which Bunn switches from the rustic horror of Harrow County to X-Men melodrama to the Western antics of The Sixth Gun, I shouldn’t be surprised at how well this issue nails the bombast of Gatchaman. The dialogue is dramatic and engaging, and a bit more is revealed about Galactor’s evil plan, which helps to clarify some of the questions I had after issue #1. The visuals by Batista and Lopez are also incredibly true to the original series, so much so that I had to actually verify that this wasn’t an adaptation of an existing episode. If, like me, you’re old enough to be more familiar with the Battle of the Planets adaptation, you’ll be happy to know that the creators make sure to identify each character by name in the issue. Better still, it’s done in such a way that it all feels like a natural part of the conversation, making the issue not only exciting but clear and new-reader friendly.

BOTTOM LINE: WORTH YOUR TIME

I admit to being a bit skeptical about this adaptation when I heard about it, but Gatchaman #2 shows me a creative team at the top of their game, taking great pains to give us an exciting issue with visuals almost indistinguishable from the cartoon, earning 4 out of 5 stars overall. If you think Cullen Bunn can only do horror, I recommend you check this series out, and luxuriate in science ninja adventure and in Batista’s detailed art.

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GATCHAMAN #2

77%

77%

Very Anime

With great attention paid to getting the classic Gatchaman look right, right down to a color palette that evokes animation cels, and some truly inspired scripting, this one is a well-done retro love fest.

• Writing

  7
• Art

  8
• Coloring

  8
• User Ratings (0 Votes)
  0