REVIEW: ‘City Boy,’ Issue #2

City Boy #2 from DC lets its young protagonist unleash. Greg Pak pens the story with Minkyu Jung on art, Sunny Gho on colors, and Wes Abbott on letters. City Boy maintains that fresh vibe in his sophomore issue, an exuberance of youth that is remarkable considering what he’s been through in life. Last time, we got a peek into his past. Abandoned by his mother and left in the streets, hungry and cold, to fend for himself, he turns callous and selfish due to these hardships. On top of that, he’s inflicted (literally) with the power to speak to cities. You know. Normal.

Let’s not forget the Lazarus Rain enhanced his abilities as well. Stay tuned.

The issue begins by delving deeper into his childhood and the abuse he suffered at the hands of bullies. Oddly enough this is a breath of fresh air for a DC book. 

It’s proof that no matter the multiple hardships people go through and the events that leave them depressed, distant, and cold, they too can manage to overcome and maybe even become heroes. Will Cameron be able to? It’s too soon to tell. Right now we only need to hope he survives having been kidnapped by the same people who experimented on him years ago and currently have him hooked up to the same painful machine that gave him the City Boy powers. Adding to the pain and suffering he’s enduring, his kidnappers are also beating on his unhoused pal, Fujimoto, while the kid’s screaming.

But the attacks against Fujimoto, one of Cameron’s few friends, push him to the edge and, he snaps. When he does, Metropolis snaps with him, feeling his rage, and hoo boy, do things get interesting real fast. The room they’re in bends to Cameron’s will, leaving everyone terrified, including Fujimoto. Small-time bad guy Boss Chung learns real quick that City Boy is not someone he can control.

Jung’s artwork is already spot on by this point, a loving mix of Western elements with the style of Akira. He draws the combat scenes in funhouse mirror madness. The floor, the walls, everything warps as Cameron goes on the offensive. And Cameron is fighting too, the city mimicking him, working through him. Thugs don’t stand a chance. Every now and then, Pak and the team return us to Cameron’s childhood, as he turns the table on the bullies, and this makes for a great parallel tale. Cameron is in possession of a ton of simmering rage. He’s not to be taken lightly.

Gho continues to lay down even coloration of this issue. This series has gone the other route of DC’s current line, preferring a more subdued set of hues, and less neon glow, and I love it. It gives this series its own feel and a more concrete tone.

City Boy #2 continues to demonstrate the strengths of the series through the nods to anime, the struggle Cameron is going through, and the intimidating stakes at play. City Boy is unleashed this time, and that sort of power attracts attention. And boy, does he get it big time by the end. If you didn’t snatch up #1, go get it, and grab this one and kick back. Show this title some love.

City Boy #2 is available wherever comic books are sold.