The hottest motorcycle racing comic series set in the future is back this week and after the Road Rash level of badassery in the last issue we should all be excited. We delve into issue #2 to answer the question: Is it good?
Motor Crush #2 (Image Comics)
So what’s it about? The summary reads:
Domino confronts her father about the “machine narcotic” Crush, and is forced to put her life on the line to save an old flame from danger. Featuring Part Two of ISOLA: PROLOGUE by BRENDEN FLETCHER and KARL KERSCHL!
Why does this book matter?
It’s written by three of the hottest writers these days (Babs Tarr, Brenden Fletcher, Cameron Stewart) and drawn by Babs Tarr and Cameron Stewart. If that’s not enough, it weaves in social media in a future that is obsessed with celebrity, has high stakes, and presents a strange mystery involving a drug that our protagonist can somehow take and not die from.
Fine, you have my attention. What’s good about it?
I think they mean business.
The cover says it all as a mysterious female named Lola enters the fray. Domino’s past relationship with Lola takes up the brunt of the issue and the writing team does a good job establishing the awkward place they’re in now. The history is told in a subtle way that allows the reader to piece things together via some imagery, well-written dialogue, and well-drawn character moments that put you right there with them. As with many stories, a conflict drives them together, but it’s done in an exciting way that pumps a bit of action into the issue. Domino’s ex is useful and not just an old flame as she proves her skills with technology in a clever way. By the end of the issue you’ll want to know more about her.
Aside from building up what we know of Domino via Lola, we also get a key scene between she and her dad. It holds information I’m actually surprised we’re only just learning in issue 2, which actually enhances my interest. So often comics these days drop all the information you’ll need in one go so that the action can kick off, but it’s clear the writing team is working towards surprising the reader in every installment.
The art continues to be eye catching and bright with nice textures being used to make the art look akin to graffiti. There’s also a manga feel at times, like with expressions of surprise or shock, which mixes well with the realistic look due to the well rendered environments. While there isn’t a race in this issue (with less graphic design work to convey a screen) there is a fantastic moment involving Crush that’s trippy as hell. It reminded me of the fantastic anime Redline which is the trippiest and speed happy racing anime you’ll ever see.
It can’t be perfect can it?
It’s hard to shake the feeling Lola is a damsel in distress for much of this issue, which hurts her character value to some extent. She’s drawn in a buxom way as if she’s there mostly for visual effect and she’s mostly crying or in fear for so much of the issue it’s hard to shake she’s a cliche. It’s a funny thing to say considering the protagonist is female too, but unless there’s some twist we haven’t seen yet, Lola isn’t the strongest of characters.
The issue’s cliffhanger raises the stakes, though I’m unclear how or why it would even work. It’s a heroic moment, ties into the romantic ideas introduced in this issue, but doesn’t have much weight. Domino makes a stake and how one could even propose such a stake is beyond me.
Hm, he took that well.
Is It Good?
Motor Crush continues to be an eye-catching adrenaline rush. The characters are intriguing with a story you want to unpeel as there are layers of mystery waiting to be explored.
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