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Cyclops #2 – Review

Short Version – Even though this book is heavily laced with political and social commentary, it’s just very refreshing in the world of comics. The book is labeled for mature audiences and if it were up to me it wouldn’t be because of the violence, but rather the need for maturity when reading the story.

Long Version – Doug and his team are set down in the middle of an ambush for their first televised mission. The face heavy fire and end up trapped behind a wall, pinned down by three snipers and a handful of ground troops. Anderson (Doug’s babysitter) takes four men and tries to charge the field, which gets him and his men shot. In a moment of bravery Doug rushes out to grab his “friend” and bring him back to safety. This is the moment that the world makes Doug… a hero!


Cyclops #2 CoverAfter extraction, Doug is hospitalized for a gunshot wound he suffered saving Anderson. While in recovery he’s given another mission, in which he is put in charge. The mission is simple, storm a village that is supporting rebel’s and find their armory stash. The team is quick to discover that their mission will not be broadcasted through their helmets. The soldier’s then coin the phrase “Cyclops” for their usual camera’s, leaving them to wonder what type of mission this will be.


Soon after the Black Ops mission Doug is “released” from the hospital for the public to see. He’s approached by the CEO of the company and given a promotion and a TV show. Doug has become a world hero overnight and has moved into a new role in the face of war.


If you were put off by the first issue then you probably won’t like this follow up issue to much either. If you enjoyed the new look of war with its future tech guns, it’s “Halo” inspired suits and media spin then continue reading this bad boy. Matz and Jacamon finish off part one of their eight issue storyline by adding even more social commentary to the story than the first issue.


They really have a strong partnership and I believe that’s why their able to put out such a strong story with a very mature subject matter. For the most part this story can still be read as a face value war story with a gritty truth, but with this issue the deeper undertones of the first issue are much more transparent.  But then again things like the media aspect of the story is brought up in broader terms in an almost role reversal of the first issue.


The story and art remain strong and unchanged and continues to be the team’s best work. Jacamon and Matz’s improvement from “The Killer” just boggles the mind. “The Killer” was a good if not great story and so it’s amazing to see the two produce something even better. With it only being two issues in it’s hard to say this is an instant classic, but it’s definitely off to the right start.

Overall Score - 9.5/10

 
Rating
9.5

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