REVIEW: 'Night Club' #2 by Mark Millar, Juanan Ramirez, and Fabiana Mascolo

 

NIGHT CLUB #2

Writer: Mark Millar

Artist: Juanan Ramirez, Fabiana Mascolo

Letters: Clem Robins

Publisher: Image Comics

Release Date: January 18, 2023

Cover Price: $1.99

Danny Garcia is a High School student who was bitten by a vampire, but he isn't going to mope around and be some annoying goth. He's going to be a superhero, and he's bitten his best friends too so they can form a team. This is going to be great. Note the $1.99 price! Take THAT, Marvel and DC!

Score:

★★★★☆ (4/5)

QUICK REVIEW: Issue two finds the newly turned vampire Danny Garcia giddy with excitement as he tries to tell his close friends of his transformation. They're not thrilled at first but soon are swayed by the number of cool powers Danny has acquired. They're so enamored with his newfound upgrade they allow themselves to be turned to form a powerful trio of viral-ready superheroes. 

Peter Parker becoming Spider-Man has always been the blueprint for a teen-turned-superhero because of his enthusiasm, awkwardness, and the simple joy of having extraordinary powers. Danny exudes those same qualities but for a modern audience. His desire for internet fame rings true in this day and age. Danny is left to his own devices in this issue so his turning his friends doesn't seem like the best idea especially since we don't know what Detective Laskaras has in store for him. Regardless, the issue is just their exuberant run across the city as they try to hone their skills with Danny leading the training. Mark Millar conveys the excitement of a teenager that is still so effective in comics. 

Juanan Ramirez and Fabiana Mascolo do an incredible job of expressing speed, flight, and teleportation with designs that drive home the wondrous feeling of being virtually invincible. They're equally adept at framing moments that build upon themselves like when Sam faces his bully. Mascolo's deep earth-toned colors make the panels a little more intimate with striking splashes of color like in the wrestler masks. 

'Night Club' is evolving nicely with this straightforward issue building the powers and camaraderie of Danny and his friends. It's a good set-up for when they're sure to be tasked with some important duties from the vampire that turned Danny. There's going to be a debt to be paid and these kids may be in over their heads. Millar takes the best of both vampires and superheroes into one satisfying story that is comic book bliss.