REVIEW: ‘Spirit World,’ #2

Spirit World #2 from DC gives readers a glimpse into the life (and death) of Xanthe. This issue is written by Alyssa Wong, illustrated boldly by Haining, with wondrous colors from Sebastian Cheng, and illustrious letters by Janice Chiang. Batgirl (Cassandra Kane) is still lost in the Spirit World of the Chinese afterlife, where the hungry undead yearn for her living soul. Meanwhile, Xanthe and John Constantine continue the search for the portal to get them to her, but first they run into Xanthe’s family. Whoops.

First, this issue gives us a glimmer into Xanthe’s past 15 years ago. A little child out walking in the rain, an act that apparently can wash one away into the Spirit World. Just like, they’re swept away. Now, all these years later, Xanthe is back in the land of the living, staring their mother in the face. Curious things have happened regarding the mother and Xanthe’s family, but what will raise brows was that Xanthe appears to have continued to age in the afterlife. They not only gained magical powers, but that realm also didn’t thwart normal living functions. This poses the question about their current state of being — a living person, a member of the undead, or something new all together. Either way, they’re very interesting as a character.

The dinner they and Constantine have with their family is revealing. The one issue with this book is Constantine, who seems a bit off. Some of the sarcastic cynicism bubbles up to the surface, but overall I feel he’s very dry here. Perhaps that’s done to give Xanthe the center stage and in a way that makes sense. I just don’t feel that the strength of one character’s persona should be subdued to heighten that of another. A much more robust and argumentative dialogue between these two needed to take place.

Meanwhile, Batgirl, po po, and Bowen get on the move to find someone who can help Batgirl get back to Gotham. There’s not a lot of character development on this end, but po po is not to be taken lightly. Wong writes interesting character dynamics, especially regarding family ties. I especially love that she has made Batgirl a part of this series for the time being. Her action-oriented behavior and Cantonese background add an additional layer to this series. Xanthe is complex but plays out so simply, seemingly carefree, and that’s a tough trick to pull off. This is a very humane character dealing with inhumane forces.

Haining’s art is a frothy blend of Eastern and Western styles I enjoy viewing. In this issue, you can get the imagery of traditional American comics and manga all in one, from the details of certain character design elements to the flashy emotes. Cheng presents a wide variety of hues on this issue while Chiang juggles two written languages with ease and grace. Conversations between the family, written in English using red ink to note it’s all being spoken in Mandarin, is a nice touch.

Spirit World #2 offers plenty of story developments, working through themes such as family dynamics and dealing with loss while also offering readers the chance to learn about another culture through the merger of two art styles. But the best part about Spirit World is its protagonist, an honest-to-goodness average person, so it seems, no matter how outlandish their circumstances have become.

Spirit World #2 is available wherever comic books are sold.