Art by: Minkyu Jung
Colors by: Sunny Gho
Letters by: Wes Abbott
Cover art by: Minkyu Jung, Sunny Gho
Cover price: $3.99
Release date: June 27, 2023
City Boy #2 unleashes Cameron's power to Apokaliptian levels when the mastermind behind the scientist who helped create City Boy turns out to be someone who simply is.
Is It Good?
DC has three titles out right now which showcase new characters with different cultural flavors - Spirit World, The Vigil, and City Boy. If City Boy #2 is any indicator of future issues, this title appears to be the only title that's holding up, so if you had to pick one for your pull list, pick this one.
When last we left Cameron, we learned about his troubled childhood and life on the streets, we saw how he came to be connected to the "sentience of the city" (whatever that means), and we got a firsthand look at how powerful his powers can be. Now, Cameron concludes his standoff with Boss Chung when Intergang intervenes to take Cameron into custody, leading to a cascade of visions and exposition that reveal Darkseid has been watching Cameron's career with great interest.
Forced to go Super Saiyan to escape capture, Cameron unleashes a dragon composed of city materials to stop his enemies. But before Cameron can cross the uncrossable line, a big blue boy scout arrives to diffuse the situation.
I like this issue a lot. Greg Pak gives you everything you want in a new superhero comic with good pacing, good dialog, plenty of big action, established stakes, drama, and cool cameos.
The only nitpick, and it truly is a nitpick, is the vaguery surrounding the nature of Cameron's power. Is the city alive? How does that work? Does that mean Cameron's powers don't work if he heads into the suburbs? Rather than trying to explain Cameron's nature, Pak simply glosses over it and expects the reader to play along. That's fine for now, but an unexplained ethereal concept can only sit for so long before it becomes annoying. Ask Ram V how that worked out in his awful Swamp Thing run.
A big part of why this issue works so well is Minkju Jung's crisp, action-packed, energetic art style. You may not understand how Cameron's powers work, but Jung makes the display of power look awesome. You may shake your head if somebody tried to explain a dragon made of debris, but Jung makes it work.
About The Reviewer: Gabriel Hernandez is the Publisher & EIC of ComicalOpinions.com, a comics review site dedicated to indie, small, and mid-sized publishers.
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Bits and Pieces:
City Boy #2 is a thrilling, action-packed, dramatic second entry in the series, pushing it head and shoulders over any other new title from DC at the moment. Pak's writing develops Cameron's character and gives him plenty of opportunity to let loose, albeit recklessly, and the stakes are potentially massive.
9/10
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