While reading “Psi-Lords” #2, I found myself drawing parallels to other characters and comics, such as DC’s Lantern books and Wolverine. It’s difficult to read “Psi-Lords” #2 and not see similarities to DC Comics’ Lantern Corps; even down to the choice of color hues. And of course, waking up one day with powers and no memories is Wolverine’s blueprint.
Written by Fred Van LenteCover by David Nakayama
Illustrated by Renato Guedes
Lettered by Dave SharpeAfter an explosive escape from a cosmic prison, the team of amnesiac astronauts needs to find a way home! But where is the ship that brought them here in the first place? And just who are these Psi-Lords they keep hearing about? It’s a deadly scavenger hunt around the Gyre in search of a way back home, but this cosmic ring of decaying ships hides many threats within its aging walls!
Let’s be honest here – so much is recycled in comics and it isn’t uncommon to draw parallels to other works, but “Psi-Lords” #2 starts off as a chore to read through mainly because there isn’t much that makes the script appealing; and also due to the fact that I felt no connection to these characters. One would expect to feel compassion for someone, or in this case, four people, who suddenly have their lives and memories taken away with no recollection of their former selves, but this story fails to evoke any sort of empathy for its heroes.
Fred Van Lente’s choice to peel back the onion at a snail’s pace hurts the story. At only two issues in, one wouldn’t expect to have all the cards laid out on the table, but instead, just enough to be engaged in the story, and most importantly, connect to the main characters. Van Lente fails to do this. Having no revelations regarding the Psi-Lords’s past lives makes it hard to connect with the main characters because the reader has nothing with which to relate. Even showing their stories as recently as the time they received their powers and having the reader experience that with the heroes would make a huge difference.
Overall, “Psi-Lords” #2 includes the normal tropes expected in a space comic, including oppression of the weaker races and language barriers being a minute roadblock quickly overcome by the help of a convenient translator; (in this case, Beacon, the Psi-Lord with the yellow aura). These are by no means anything new. What is new is in the case of this new iteration of Psi-Lords, the entire group is suffering from amnesia. But honestly, that isn’t enough to make this comic worthwhile. However, what does stand out in “Psi-Lords” #2 is Renato Guedes’s linework.
The cover of “Psi-Lords” #2 is misleading, as the characters are drawn completely different in the interiors. But rest assured, Renato Guedes’s illustrations are captivating. The Psi-Lords look life-like; as if these characters were perhaps modeled after actual people. Guedes’s ability to draw the Psi-Lords so realistically is fascinating and is definitely the highlight of the artwork in “Psi-Lords” #2.
At first glance, readers may be taken aback by Guedes’s art style, as it is a bit jarring, but, as you flip through the pages of “Psi-Lord” #2, you can’t help but to appreciate and admire how his exceptional drawings stand apart from most of what appears in comics today. As “Psi-Lords” #2 goes on, readers will no doubt get used to it and appreciate its uniqueness. As for his ability to draw in a way that conveys the story visually, that’s where Guedes doesn’t get a passing grade.
His art isn’t fluid, especially the action panels. The fight sequences are far from dynamic. Needless to say, “Psi-Lords” #2 disappointingly skimps on the action. Not much is shown of the Psi-Lords actually using their powers. Instead, it is merely suggested through their glowing auras and extended arms. The Psi-Lords do have a physical altercation with a member of another alien race, but the battle is lackluster. In one panel, the heroes charge at their opponent, and in the next panel, he sends them flying backward through the air. That is the extent of the action in this comic. Underwhelming is an understatement.
Continued belowOn top of the uninspiring action panels, the coloring in “Psi-Lords” #2 adds an unwelcomed heaviness to the art, as it is gritty, muddy, and blends together, obstructing the illustrations more often than not, which not only makes it difficult for readers to interpret what is happening in some panels but also makes it difficult to appreciate Guedes’s art at times.
However, I do appreciate that Dave Sharpe’s lettering is not uniform. The color and font differ depending on the alien race, which makes it easy to understand who is speaking.
All that to say “Psi-Lords” #2 is neither good nor bad, but it is polarizing: either you like it or you don’t. Hopefully, as the story progresses, it will become more interesting and less of a neutral experience.
Final Verdict: 5.0 – “Psi-Lords” #2 is a mixed bag with an unengaging story and undeveloped characters
