Reviewed by Brady Steele. Ivar, Timewalker #2 shows readers that the one your hero is trying to save can also be the villain trying to foil you at the same time. This is time travel storytelling at its finest. Like the first issue last month, this chapter keeps everything tight, crisp and funny with a sense of impending doom thrown in for good measure.
WRITTEN BY: Fred Van Lente
ART BY: Clayton Henry
PUBLISHER: Valiant Entertainment
PRICE: $3.99
RELEASE: 18 February 2015
Ivar Anni-Padda already feels like a character who would kick you in the crotch to get whatever he wants, no matter how big or small that ‘want’ may be. Writer Fred Van Lente makes everything The Timewalker do feel not-so-noble. The enthralling part is that you still want to see what his plan is and why he does what he does to get there. Forcing young scientist / future villain Neela Sethi to try killing someone is an utterly captivating experiment in social behaviour and behaviour modification. There are so many levels to Ivar’s every step, it’s hard to decide his ultimate motivations.
The art so far has been impressive to behold. Artist Clayton Henry really makes every era, every weapon, every other time traveller seem matchless and fresh. For example, I hope we see more of the Anon-Lurker in the future. It was also cool to see another artist take our travellers to another time period. Robert Gill gave the WWI trench moments a certain level of grit and grime. Nothing felt clear or as black and white as you’d expect which was a great effect to help illustrate the story’s point. Read it, I’m not spoiling it for you and you’ll thank me later.
It’s thought-provoking to me that time travel always wants to change things that have happened in the past. Van Lente eloquently asks “Who doesn’t fanaticize about becoming the editor of their own life..?” Ivar, Timewalker #2 shows both sides of that argument so effectively that I still don’t know what side I come down on. I just know I want to see what this time traveller takes us next and if he’s really that clever
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Mr. Steele enjoys all things comics and imagination-based. Using his lifetime of comic-fu-dom for good, he imparts his knowledge for the universe to enjoy and for you, dear readers, to pass it on.
Twitter: @mrbradysteele