ADVANCED REVIEW: ‘Dragon Age: Blue Wraith,’ Issue #2

Dragon Age: Blue Wraith #2 Is published by Dark Horse Comics, written by Nunzio DeFilippis and Christina Weir,  with art by Fernando Heinz Furukawa, colors by Michael Atiyeh and letters by Nate Piekos. This story continues the journey begun in last month’s issue. As one group of heroes peruses the mysterious sarcophagus, the other prepares to free  Francesca’s father from captivity. Little do both groups know that there is much more awaiting them than they expect.

The first thing I noted as I finished this book was how it felt much clearer than its predecessor. The story shifts were much easier to follow, providing a smoothly running narrative. Happily, this smoothness did not come at the cost of pacing. Plenty of ground is covered here as our heroes follow their chosen paths. DeFilippis and Weir also continue to write plenty of excellent characters into this story.

While the writing throughout Dragon Age: Blue Wraith #2 is rock solid, the highlight for me is the confrontation between Fenris and, Vaea and Francesca. The characters here are at their best. Witty, passionate, and smug, with the smugness coming mostly from Fenris. Their interactions in this first meeting were near perfection While this is going on, the rest of the characters continue their pursuit of the sarcophagus. This group is, for the most part, a little less fleshed out in this issue. While I wouldn’t call this group neglected, they just didn’t get the same amount of page time as the other.

Furukawa’s art also continues to impress in Dragon Age: Blue Wraith #2. He captures the combat scenes excellently. The panels during these moments are filled with high energy views that place the reader right in the thick of the action. This couples nicely with the slight exaggeration he gives some of the characters during high-emotion moments. He never goes so far as to make the presentation feel overly cartoony but adds something extra to keep the emotions equal to the combat in the way it catches the eye.

Also, I must take a moment to praise Furukawa’s excellent job at drawing the lovable mabari Autumn. This loveable dog captures all the friendliness and energy that makes pups humanity’s best friend, no matter what world the story is in. He is a true delight.

I’ve even found myself warming up to the brightness of Atiyeh’s colors. While they felt out of place in the first issue, being a bit brighter than usual Dragon Age fare, I find them growing on me. With Dragon Age: Blue Wraith #2, the team is really putting its stamp on this corner of the world. With both ends of the story settling on satisfying cliffhanger moments, the stage is set for an explosive final act. I hope the creative team can keep this energy going so the can finish this story with the bang it feels like it deserves.

Dragon Age: Blue Wraith #2 is available now wherever comics are sold.