REVIEW: 'A Thing Called Truth' #2 by Iolanda Zanfardino and Elisa Romboli

A THING CALLED TRUTH #2 

Writer: Iolanda Zanfardino

Artist: Elisa Romboli

Publisher: Image Comics

Release Date: December 8, 2021

Cover Price: $3.99

Doctor Mag discovers that stepping outside your comfort zone for one night can lead to absurd consequences. Like waking up to find yourself in another country, having been kidnapped by an attractive woman while sleeping off the night before in your car. But is that a bad thing?

Score:

★★★★1/2 (4.5/5)

If you're the talented creative duo behind one of the year's best comics, 'Alice in Leatherland,' what do you do for an encore? The answer is 'A Thing Called Truth' by Iolanda Zanfardino and Elisa Romboli. The super-couple have unleashed another delightful romp in the form of a very unconventional buddy road-trip comedy.

 

In issue one, we were introduced to the brilliant workaholic scientist. Dr. Magdelene Traumer, on the verge of a scientific breakthrough. She was about to discover a medical miracle that was effective and inexpensive to treat an undisclosed ailment. Her professional pursuits brought her joy and satisfaction in her life but they wreaked havoc on her personal life causing a rift between her and her spouse. She puts off signing the divorce papers but she has bigger problems. 

Her evil pharma bosses unceremoniously fired her and kept her research. The weight of that and her pending divorce drives Dr. Mag to blow off steam and drink a bit too much. She falls asleep in her car only to awaken as a stranger has driven her to Italy. The stranger driving is Dorian Wildfang and issue two is her story. 

In the wake of her brother's death, the poor but hard-working Dorian decides to fulfill her brother's dream of visiting locales where movies were filmed. She packs up his journal as a guide and comes across a vehicle with the keys on the front seat and unknowingly kidnaps Dr. Mag in the process. 

Committing the first two issues to each of the leads really helps establish the character and personality of each as the two converge on this unlikely adventure. You have the very analytical and driven Dr. Mag who seems to have blinders on to the rest of the world as she focuses on a single goal. Dorian is the more flexible jill-of-all-trades who adored her brother and did whatever was necessary to keep afloat. Because of this personal tragedy, Dorian sees the value of life and how fleeting it is. She's motivated by the memory of her brother and unwittingly enlists Dr. Mag to join her on this whirlwind road trip. Ever the scientist, Dr. Mag has to break down the situation and debate the pros and cons of participating in this reckless venture.  They are certainly different people but Zanfardino has once again created engaging characters with chemistry and wit as the two argue and talk on the drive. They're an odd couple for sure but it's obvious they need each other. They compliment each other so well. 

Romboli also returns an exceptional display of effervescent and joyful character designs and action. Her versatility creates some very grounded emotional scenes that open up to some wild bigger than life action scenes. Whether it's Dr. Mag drunkenly addressing the crowd at a local pub or the alternating panels of funny exchanges between Dr. Mag and Dorian, Romboli's expressive faces and rich colors make it impossible to pull yourself from the page. 

'A Thing Called Truth' is another homerun for the dynamic duo of Zanfardino and Romboli. Issue two introduces us to Dr. Mag's "kidnapper" in Dorian and she's the perfect foil for the high-strung scientist. Funny and melancholy, 'A Thing Called Truth' taps into some emotional depth with a burgeoning sense of hope and joy. We could always use more of that.