REVIEW: ‘Queen in Black: Defenders of Black and White’ Issue 2

Queen in Black: Defenders of Black and White Issue 2 is published by Marvel Comics, written by Al Ewing and Tom Waltz, art by Zé Carlos, colors by Fer Sifuentes-Sujo, and letters by Clayton Cowles.

This is part of the Queen in Black event. Both Cloak and Dagger are dying, and a cosmic force seems to want them to perish.

Like the previous issue, Queen in Black: Defenders of Black and White Issue 2 features two separate stories happening at the same time. One team of Darkforce-related heroes is attacking Knull while the Lightforce characters are battling Hela and Tyr. But what has changed in this chapter is that there’s now a macabre connection.

Cloak and Dagger are two figures, but they rely on each other for their very existence. So if one’s mortally wounded, it threatens the other. Spectrum and Sunfire don’t even know what’s happened, but Dagger is now dying in their arms. All of a sudden, this joint raid poses a real danger, with the lives of two beloved figures at stake.

The level of chaos within Queen in Black: Defenders of Black and White Issue 2 is still incredible. The action is erupting around the dying duo, and the teams have to stay alive and protect their friends. There is also the matter of Hela and Knull and a wider cosmic war. The super-speed the issue moves at can occasionally be too much, but it’s a sign of the incredible intensity.

Despite the huge cast inside Queen in Black: Defenders of Black and White Issue 2, Ewing and Waltz try to find time for all of them. At the heart of the issue is Cloak and Dagger, and the very unique bond between the duo. Their relationship has always been circular and peculiar, progressively getting stronger. It’s something beyond friendship or even romance.

They are soulmates in the purest sense of the word, and the dialogue in this comic really explores what that means and what they mean to each other. It’s warm and profound, within such an intense scramble for survival. What’s also fantastic is how these two characters have evolved from street-level figures to suddenly drawing the attention of abstract cosmic entities.

In this issue, Ewing and Walsh detail Cable’s encounters with each member of both teams. Some of these scenes are longer than others, but they help provide backstory on how they were recruited and establish more of their personalities. We need just enough to give each character some grit within the story. Before, the comic was so noisy that it seemed as though the individual heroes would struggle to make themselves heard. But they all get a chance to shine or to do something to protect others.

Iron Man is present, but Cable is really the leader of this team. He’s a gruff soldier who often demands obedience. And yet, it’s actually when the heroes start defying his orders that they stand out and actually provide a life-saving service.

The art seeks a balance between being poignant and unrelentingly energetic. Cloak and Dagger go from being strong and together in the opening scene to incredibly distressed on the battlefield. Carlos excellently shows the duo getting weaker, actually looking like they’re dying. Cloak is the one who was stabbed, so he is spluttering due to his wounds. But Dagger slumps more dramatically with each passing page. Bodies within this issue can look disturbingly demented, which is a haunting detail.

And around these pieces of darkness and death is a host of magnificent action. Each panel is frantic, highlighting how desperate the situation is, with two team members down. Beta Ray Bill is still fighting Tyr one-on-one, which removes another major player. The designs of all the characters are phenomenal, because there is individuality to how they look. Iron Man has a Knullbuster armor, which is bulky, spiky, and gothic.

And even Cloak and Dagger, in the faint chance that they make it out alive, will be permanently changed. It does have to be said, however, that there are times when the art can be messy. That is largely due to just how much is going on. But sometimes, character faces and bodies can be strangely misshapen and twisted. There are times when it seems like an intentional decision, and other times when it negatively affects the art.

In such a chaotic comic, the colors are important for identifying and controlling what is happening. In Queen in Black: Defenders of Black and White Issue 2, there is a distinct change in shades depending on the team that is fighting. One is filled with lighter shades, from the bright white of Dagger and Spectrum to the darker tones of Darkstar and Iron Man. That clash of light and dark is the key theme of this entire book, the motif the story hangs on. But what’s also crucial is how they combine, which is beautifully explored towards the end of the issue. The lettering is very clear and easy to read amid all of the action.

Queen in Black: Defenders of Black and White Issue 2 requires a tether. Without the presence of Cloak and Dagger, the sheer madness within this tie-in would make it very difficult to stay connected to it. It’s a thrilling, action-packed story, but it’s the embodiment of light and dark that provides the book with soul. They are so entwined with themes of cosmic balance and the light spectrum that the whole event is exploring.

But what’s key is how they can’t exist without each other. Those fragments of personality and character moments are fantastic, as are the flashes of cosmic conversation. What’s amazing is that just one of Knull’s actions seems to completely derail the whole plan and nearly tear both teams apart, which highlights just how powerful he and Hela are.

Queen in Black: Defenders of Black and White Issue 2 is available now wherever comics are sold.