REVIEW: 'Season of the Bruja' #2 by Aaron Duran and Sara Soler

 

SEASON OF THE BRUJA #2

Writer: Aaron Duran

Artist: Sara Soler

Letterer: Jaime Martinez for AndWorld Designs

Publisher: Oni Press

Release Date: April 27, 2022

Cover Price: $3.99

After a disturbing confrontation with an aggressive priest, Althalia Cabrera's abuela Isadora has collapsed, and Althalia is arrested while trying to protect her. Now the young bruja-for the first time without Isadora's guidance-must attempt to summon both her innate strength and her years of training in the craft to try to save her family's beloved matriarch. But it may already be too late to take down the dark forces that seek to strip both of the Cabrera brujas of their power.

Score:

★★★★☆ (4/5)

At the end of the first charming issue of 'Season of the Bruja,' a confrontation with a malevolent priest put the promising young witch Althalia in police cuffs and her delightfully supportive and feisty Abuela in a fatal position. Issue two deals with the consequences of that in another charming yet melancholy edition. 

Abuela made quite the impact in the first issue, showing a positive and supportive force in Althalia's life as she masters her power as a witch aka bruja. The fact she'd protect Lia even sacrificing herself to save her makes her death all the more devastating. It's something that Lia has to deal with and ultimately is desperate to find a way to bring her back. Her grief is all-consuming but luckily, her friends try to console her. After a tumultuous time trying to get her released from jail, Boss and Dana can't help but be concerned for Lia, not just for the loss of Abuela but for her growing power that must be trained to avoid a completer catastrophe. 

Such an emotional issue requires the versatility of an artist like Sara Soler who can covey the spectrum of emotions. From the calming demeanor of Boss to the enraging frustration of Dana, or the heartbreaking sorrow of Lia, Soler can change the mood on a dime as needed while giving the characters the space to show their humanity. While events can be somber, Soler keeps the hues bright and cheerful which is quite the contrast to the sadness of the story. 

'Season of the Bruja' #2 takes a moment to reflect on the shocking ending of issue one with a heartfelt follow-up that opens up the emotional range of the characters. Lia's determination to bring back her Abuela is sure to meet some complications going into the next issue as well as what the mysterious creepy priest has in store for her. 'Bruja' remains a charming enjoyable ride despite the lack of action in this installment but it does set up an inevitable showdown with some malevolent forces.