Comic Book Review - The Ambassadors #2

The Ambassadors start to assemble…

After it’s perfect opening act, Mark Millar’s superhero epic returns for its second outing. With the next two Ambassadors recruited, we get to see what life is like for a superhero in training. Focus on this issue centres on the young Binnu Bhatia - who’s selfless act changes his world forever.

We first set eyes on our soon to be hero as he’s caught up in a terror attack at a mall in India. Not content with simply standing by and doing nothing, Binnu offers to trade places with one of the hostages, which results in him getting shot. This act of selflessness then attracts the attention of Doctor Choon-He who then conscripts Binnu into her Ambassadors program. Due to being a native of India, Binnu’s new identity is a reflection of his heritage. As such Codename India is born.

Where the first issue built around the mysticism to what The Ambassadors are, this second chapter starts to brake down the walls. As we follow Binnu across his training, Millar gives insight into how these super powers work, and Choon-He’s hopes for her Ambassadors future. What’s interesting about this is that it’s also revealed that each person is able to download up to three powers for themselves to use - and there’s various failsafes hardwired into each Ambassador too. This then got me thinking about IP and how this would transfer into a world of super powers - for Millar to then approach the subject himself.

Even though this issue is a somewhat origin story to the newest member of the team, Millar doesn’t lose sight on building the wider narrative. As always that classic twist is played out in a spectacular way. Not only does the proverbial wool get pulled from our eyes, Millar shows zero foreshadowing in what’s revealed. It’s the perfect accomplice to what’s yet another grand display of the writers pedigree. As with all good things, this second issue sadly has to end at some point. To keep you invested in why comes next we’re taken back to the premise of Choon-He being the Willy Wonka of super powers. She may have the goods, but everyone wants the secret formula. And this is probably what’s going to drive The Ambassadors forward.

Art for this issue is provided by Karl Kerschl, who gives a softer tone when compared to Frank Quietly back in issue #1. Kerschl employs an almost anime softness to his line work that really plays into the more intimate story that’s being told across this issue. Each scene is packed full of small detail that really helps to build the atmosphere, while making sure your attention remains focused on the foreground. This is then backed up by Michele Assarasakorn who’s colours bring a warm embrace to proceedings.

Overall, this issue does a good job in fleshing out the wider ethos to The Ambassadors. We get to see what drives their powers, as well as Choon-He’s ultimate dream for her project. We also get to follow the person who’s to become Codename India as he’s introduced to this new world and it’s limitations for those chosen to be Ambassadors. With the wider narrative slowly revealing itself, issue #3 is already shaping up to being a must read!

Rating 10/10 (again!)

Liked this review and want to support the blog further? Please head on over to: Ko-Fi.com/GeekCultureRev. Thank you for your time!

Rob Lake - For more comic book and video game chat why not follow us on Twitter and Facebook @GeekCultureRev, and TikTok @Geekculturereviews.

Crafting the Apocalypse with Kek-W

Rob takes a trip to Deadworld with 2000 AD writer Kek-W… ‘ The Fall of Deadworld: Redemption ’ made its return to the 2000 AD Prog this week. While the battle for Sector 13 and the wider city rumbles on, I spoke to curator of chaos, Kek-W about Deadworld past, and more importantly, its future. Looking back, what first attracted you to writing what’s essentially the Dark Judges origin story? KW - Well, the first four DREAMS OF DEADWORLD stories that Dave and I did were well received, so rather than just doing more of the same - stories that showcased the individual Dark Judges - I pitched the idea of telling the back-story of how the four of them destroyed an entire world. How did that happen, how might it work? I figured it was a landscape ripe with dramatic story-telling potential. 'Ripe' being the operative word! (laughs) I also thought it might be interesting to focus in on a ordinary family, to see and experience the collapse of civilization from their point of view and

Rogue Trooper - Blighty Valley TPB Announced

Garth Ennis takes a journey back to NU-Earth… Today, August 29th marks a pivotal moment in 2000 AD history. Back in 1981, Gerry Findley-Day and Dave Gibbons introduced GI Rogue Trooper. As a Genetic Infantry, Rogue is bred to survive the harsh war-torn environment of NU-Earth. Soon betrayed by his superiors, Rogue is forced to seek his revenge while traversing the dangerous battlefield that NU-Earth has become. With the bio-chip personalities of his former comrades as his only allies, Rogue spent the next few years tracking down the Traitor General. Fast-forward to today, and 2000 AD have announced that ‘Blighty Valley’ , Garth Ennis and Patrick Goddard’s recent foray into NU-Earth is being released in a trade paperback collection. ‘ Blighty Valley is Rogue’s first regular appearance in 2000 AD in a number of years – a thirteen-part story set at 'Night’s Horizon', the annual event where Nu Earth’s orbit carries it closest to a nearby black hole. The Norts call it Zvartchvinte

Comic Book Review - The Best of 2000 AD Vol. 3

Rob reviews The Best of 2000 AD Vol.3… The ‘Ultimate Mix-Tape’ of 2000 AD’s greatest hits is back for its third volume. Packed with an array of specially curated strips, The Best of 2000 AD series does its very best in introducing you to the world of Tharg, and his Thrillverse. Much like its predecessors, this volume offers up an enticing mixture of strips and feature that draw across all corners of the wider 2000 AD mythos. While we do get a couple of standard trips to Mega-City 1 with Judge Dredd, series Editor Owen Johnson shows us the anthologies more “Tales of the Unexplained” side as things get a little bizarre. Personally, this third volume has been my favourite out of the series so far. Not only does it feature a Judge Dredd written by Michael Carroll, we also have the debut of Ian Edginton and D’Israeli. While you’d think that Johnson would of opted to include the duo’s phenomenal Scarlet Traces, he’s instead swapped the Earth/Mars war for the Atlantic Ocean, as we get a mu

Geek Culture Reviews

Search This Blog