NEBULA #2 out this Wednesday from Marvel Comics, provides fans something we’ve been craving ever since Firefly ended. A gritty space Western full of drama and danger. With a dash of Nebula’s violence, naturally.
***SPOILER WARNING***
Nebula #2 is part of a five-issue miniseries focusing on the one and only Nebula. Only, things are going quite as she planned, are they? She had wanted to get her hands on a powerful weapon, in order to finally get the edge in a fight to prove her superiority.
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Now she’s stuck on a planet in the middle of a desert and is basically reenacting the alien version of a classic Western. Okay, there are several twists, not least of which being the alien terrain and tech…and Nebula’s penchant for violence.
The Writing
Vita Ayala has written a highly entertaining issue with Nebula #2. This is a version of the character we rarely get to see, though admittedly there are a few extenuating circumstances allowing for it. Still, it’s refreshing to see nonetheless.
It’s also so extremely satisfying to see something so gritty and real. Nebula has never felt so human. The flashbacks add surprising insight, even without context (a fact that makes sense, given the current plot). Meanwhile, the current actions she’s taking are fascinating, and something we didn’t know we needed to see.
This may be only a miniseries, but the elements introduced here are enough to leave us hoping that it would last longer. It’s not just Nebula herself and all of the changes that have been happening to her. It’s the setting and the secondary characters as well.
In a way, it almost feels like a whole new series. We know it won’t last…but there’s still this lingering hope that it somehow will, despite all of the odds.
The Art
Working on Nebula #2 is a seriously impressive creative team. Claire Roe was the least artist, with Mike Spicer providing the colors, and VC’s Travis Lanham doing the lettering. As an added bonus, Jen Bartel is the artist responsible for that brilliant cover, a fact that fans of hers would probably have been able to immediately tell.
There’s plenty to enjoy from this issue. Starting with the flashbacks, which raise so many questions about Nebula’s past. The color palette for these scenes is simply striking, with lots of soft purples to indicate a transition.
It’s a strong juxtaposition to the desert setting, to say the least. Let us not forget the fight scenes, which are highly entertaining – and yes, they are full of the violence we know and love from Nebula. Though there’s an extra element in the way her fights are portrayed, courtesy of one of her latest changes.
In Conclusion
Nebula #2 was a highly entertaining read, one that combined Nebula’s quest with a Western feel, and to a delightful effect. This is a combination we didn’t know we needed, but now that we have it, we can’t get enough of it.
