When we reviewed “Home” #1 last month, we noted its ability to tell a contemporary, real story that used fantasy elements to elevate its premise. “Home” #2 continues what the first issue started, and the result is a straightforward and impactful twenty-some pages of comic storytelling. Juan continues to be a compelling protagonist, the villains remain always within earshot, and the stakes remain high.
Written by Julio AntaCover by Lisa Sterle
Illustrated by Anna Wieszczyk
Colored by Bryan Valenza
Lettered by Hassan Otsmane-ElhaouJuan is on the run. Shaken from the trauma of being separated from his mother, the sudden emergence of superhuman abilities, and an accidental jailbreak, he has two options: track down his aunt in Houston or learn to survive on his own.
Juan is the beating heart of “Home” #2, and this issue picks up pretty much where the last issue left off: as a result of Juan’s nascent powers, he blew a hole in the detention center wall, and is now on the run. He doesn’t necessarily know where he’s going, but he certainly knows where he’s running from. Juan makes his escape and has a run-in with some friendly locals that provides a bit of dramatic irony. They’re willing to help, but Juan doesn’t speak English and bolts. It’s a simple scene, but effectively portrays how precarious Juan’s position is — he has so much to lose that any decision he makes needs to be with 100% confidence, or a matter of life and death. In a way, Juan’s run through the woods is indicative of the entire immigrant experience Julio Anta is trying to capture in “Home” #2. Nobody leaves everything behind on a whim, nobody treks thousands of miles unless they’re desperate.
“Home” #2 works so well because Juan is such a strong character. He has no idea what his powers do, and is terrified and alone in a strange land. But he has his on the eye prize, and takes initiative regardless. In fact, he does so with ingenuity. One of the best scenes in “Home” #2 is when Juan finds a mall and manages to use the phone at a Mexican restaurant to call his aunt, the lynchpin in his mother Mercedes’ escape to America plan. Juan needs to evade ICE and convince ambivalent Americans to help him, without revealing his undocumented status. Danger is never far, and “Home” #2 does a good job getting that sense of urgency across to us readers.
“Home” #2 also succeeds on a structural level. While Juan manages his amazing, unprecedented escape — he is, after all, a child — his mother Mercedes faces a much more mundane, expected fate. She’s shuffled around for a little bit, and then unceremoniously and very bureaucratically deported. The juxtaposition between Juan’s superpowers and agility to evade capture juxtapose well with Mercedes very normal story. The two storylines offer good counterweights to each other, and make “Home” #2 feel balanced. Merecedes’ scenes also give us some good background information, and add further context to her decision to bring Juan north towards the US.
These flashback scenes between Mercedes and her sister (Juan’s aunt) are dialogue heavy, but Wieszczyk’s clear and crisp art make them go by quickly. Her ability to capture character emotion is strong, and the contemporary nature of “Home” #2 means that the setting is easily digestible. “Home” #2 is not taxing from a visual perspective, and all the action is crystal clear. We mentioned character emotion through art in “Home” #2, but where Wieszczyk excels the most is in capturing all the side-eyes, furtive glances, and hunched shoulders of Juan. The visual depth to his character really highlights the fact that every move he makes is a close call.
Valenza’s color work feels like a classic realist, graphic novel style. Color palettes reflect real life, and colors are clean and saturated. This story looks like reality because it is reality. There’s a sense of clarity to “Home” #2 that makes it so easy to read, and a lot of that has to do with the artistic choices that focus on foregrounding the narrative of the story, as opposed to doing something more experimental. Finally, Otsmane-Elhaou’s lettering is concise, and he makes the choice to portray all Spanish dialogue as English but with red lettering. The color red connotes danger and alarm, and in the context of “Home” #2, that has extra significance. Every time we see Spanish, we’re primed for tension. In “Home” #2, this is an effective way to ratchet up the drama, and works well.
In sum, “Home” #2 continues the compelling work that began in the first issue. The story, while straightforward, has enough intrigue and drama that it’s never boring. On top of that, it tackles contemporary issues with incredible tact, and “Home” #2 feels like the kind of story that builds empathy among its readers. There are a lot of comic readers who will find something to enjoy in “Home” #2, and it’s rare to find a story that has wide appeal at a high quality level. Suggest this one to your friends who are new to comics, or to those who’re looking for something well written, well drawn, and highly contemporary.
Final Verdict: 8.2. Engrossing and timely, this story is straightforward and deliberate in a way that never sacrifices quality.
