Review: ‘The Resistance’ #2 Aims To Give A Real World Political Look At Superheroics

I am quite sure that The Resistance is a comic book that’s indirectly benefitted from the current global pandemic, give the subject nature of the book, but that’s just one of those coincidences that’s bound to happen every now and again, After all, there are hundreds of comic books published every month with a great deal of various subjects and themes. So, having one set against the tragic backdrop of a fictional globe pandemic should not be read into too much. Especially given the survivors in The Resistance have been genetically changed in wondrous ways. 

In this second issue we are still navigating our way through this depleted new world order and meeting disparate characters with amazing power sets. It reminds me of J Michael Straczynski previous superhero series, Rising Stars, or even the 90s Wild Cards novels in the way it creates a huge, all-encompassing disaster that results in the transformation of mere humans into something else. Sometimes that’s a good thing, while other times it isn’t. You get what you get and live with the consequences. Apply that globally, and you can see what problems may arise. It’s certainly a book with a wide scope if I wants it and it would seem that Straczynski is aiming big, with characters introduced in this issue coming from all corners of the world.
Gone is the need of the Justice League and The Avengers, to be replaced by the real-world heroes of the World Health Organisation. Like Rising Stars, Straczynski is trying to imagine a super-powered world that’s grounded more in reality that capes and cowls. And so we earwig on important governmental meetings that aim to show how real world politics would actually deal with an event of this magnitude. It’s a very mature take on superheroes, and doesn’t shy away from politics and the kind of dirty politics that does exist, and the shady Machiavellian choices government bodies make in order to protect their own interests. In that way, I wonder how close it is to the truth when held up in comparison to our own political leaders’ choices during our very own life-threatening pandemic? From what I can see, worryingly not too far. Who would have thought we’d be living in a political era wherein our leaders make comic book megalomaniacs look tame in comparison? It’s this political dimension that is totally unique to this particular series, if you ask me, and elevates this story above others similarly themed. Having President that is clearly inspired by Ed Harris only goes to underscore his bad ass status and a man you shouldn’t trust.

The Resistance #2 is clearly building a new universe of superheroes from the ground up, but it’s the political intrigue and espionage that’s the real driving force in this particular series, all given a sheen of realism thanks to Mike Deodato Jr’s amazing photo-realistic artwork. His artwork adds legitimacy to the sense of reality this series aims to capture and his layouts are to die for as he plays with panels, gutters and composition in an original and interesting way allowing no wasted space on the page.
A comic book that doesn’t underestimate the reader and out now from AWA Upshots.
The Resistance #2 is available now from AWA Upshots