REVIEW: 'Hecate's Will' #2 by Iolanda Zanfardino

 

HECATE'S WILL #2

Writer: Iolanda Zanfardino

Artist: Iolanda Zanfardino

Publisher: Black Mask Studios

Release Date: February 9, 2022

Cover Price: $3.99

Hecate tenaciously continues her mission of scattering graffiti stencil puzzle pieces through the streets of Manhattan, but she's clueless about the growing number of enthusiastic scavenger hunters chasing down each piece of her mysterious project.

Meanwhile, she's thrust into the wild dreams of the rock musical's eccentric cast... all of this is already too exhausting for an introverted artist like Hecate, even without the continuous and overwhelming distraction of her frenemy's wonderful singing voice.

Score:

★★★★☆ (4/5)

'Hecate's Will' is an unassuming comic that thrives on characters and relationships. There's no big powerful villain or fight sequences or end of the world implications. This comic is about finding your place and your people in the world, a found family that is every bit as important and normal as any other biological or otherwise. This is Hecate's journey and while she's basically retiring from being a street artist with one big art puzzle, issue two explores what makes her community so special and how she fits in. 

We meet many of the people in Hecate's life from the cancer-surviving shop owner to the members of the community center who power through trauma in order to thrive. The community center is their sanctuary, a place of hope and camaraderie. Hecate is a vital member of the community, a sister, a friend, someone they can trust and understands. Even an old flame can have some redeeming qualities amid the production of 'Rent.' We get the full scope of the world Hecate cherishes while interweaving her big graffiti art pieces all over town. 

Zanfardino's art even without color captures the vibe of the community with characterizations that are full of personality and attitude. She brings these people to life in small ways with only a few panels. It's a celebration of survivors and fighters who lean on one another living on the margins of a society that tries to other them. 

'Hecate's Will' continues to shine as a character-driven story full of friendship and love in a found family setting. Zanfardino redefines what "normal" is by exposing what it really is -- taking care of one another. Few comics tell these stories and are rarely as uplifting but 'Hecate's Will' offers a more human experience that is aspirational and inclusive.