REVIEW: ‘Snow Angels Season Two,’ Issue #1

After the wonderful conclusion of Season One, Snow Angels is back for Season Two and the last six issues in this chilly sci-fi adventure! Snow Angels Season Two #1 is a ComiXology Original written by Jeff Lemire, with art by Jock and lettering by Steve Wands.

After the death of their father and the revelation that everything they thought they knew about the Trench was wrong, Milli and Mae Mae leave the Trench and brave the endless expanse of snow and ice. With the knowledge that they can’t go back—their family and friends are dead, and the Snowman is still out there—they follow a piece of ancient technology that their father gave them. But will they survive the wind and cold before they find someone, anyone?

Snow Angels Season Two #1 brings us the same creative team as the first book, so there’s nothing new to expect here. Since there’s no recap at the beginning of Season Two and the creative team jumps right into the plot straight away, having Season One recently read is a good idea.

There are quite a few startling revelations in this issue, such as the identity of the Snowman. But while I won’t go into much detail, Lemire introduces many new elements that are just the right amount of mystery. It feels like we’re getting so close to understanding the Trench and the history behind it. But Lemire never reveals too much at one time, keeping us in suspense at every issue’s end.

The icy, unforgiving wasteland is brought to life effortlessly under Jock’s expertise. The color palette of the land outside the Trench consists of white and blues which contrast sharply against the purples and reds of the Snowman. A couple of panels show a dream from one of the sisters, and it is colored in mostly browns. In any other comic, this choice would likely feel drab. But contrasted against the cool colors of the wasteland, the dreams take on an earthy, warm feeling, mimicking the fondness in the dreams themselves.

The use of these cool colors against the deep shadows and fine, simplistic lines that make up the characters help produce a foreboding feeling. There are some great pages showing the stark white of the wasteland against the tiny figures of Milli and Mae. It really shows how small the sisters are and gives an ominous feeling that they have no chance against this seemingly never-ending landscape.

Since Milli and Mae are bundled up from head to toe against the cold, the dialogue carries most of the emotion. But Wands’ lettering does it justice with the use of bold words, different shapes for the speech bubbles, and the use of spot-on SFX.

The creative team continues to give it their all in Snow Angels Season Two #1, which brings some exciting revelations and even more questions. But the mystery of the Trench is a good one, and it’ll keep me coming back for more.

Snow Angels Season Two #1 is available now wherever comics are sold.