Starfinder--Angels of the Drift #2 // Review
Obo is upset. He and the rest of the crew are drifting helplessly in space. They had a chance to attack their enemy, but his captain refused. She does not kill if there’s some other way. And now that way involves drifting like a motionless target in Starfinder--Angels of the Drift #2. Writer James L. Sutter continues a space fantasy adventure with artist Edu Menna and colorist Adriano Lucas. Sutter hits all the right buttons on a light action serial that seems to be heading in a fun direction after the initial set-up of the first issue.
Things could be worse, but not judging by a look at the ship’s engine. The main thrust array looks like an abstract sculpture. The gas manifold got mani-folded, and the engine is leaking a goo that even the engineer doesn’t recognize. They could activate the distress beacon, but that’s unlikely to draw much of any attention as it is the case that they’re in The Drift. It’s empty. Really, empty. There isn’t likely anyone coming through close enough to pick up a distress signal. Thankfully, the crew has inadvertently come into the presence of spectra...and if it asks the ship really nicely, it could convince the thing to repair itself.
The crew-based space fantasy is difficult to breathe new life into, but Sutter manages to tie together a fun crew in the delightful Starfinder universe. It’s a large ensemble of characters to move around amidst a single issue, but Sutter allows a little time with just about every cast member. The personalities in question might not all seem original, but they’re all a lot of fun to hang out with for 20 or more pages, so it’s a fun ride.
Sutter rushes through a great many encounters in a single issue. The action shoots so quickly that it’s difficult for the art team to keep up. There’s a bit of stillness to the action that makes it feel stagnant on the page, though Lucas’ colors DO render the world with an enjoyable amount of atmosphere. Menna’s thick inks lack the kind of definition that would make the best use of his talent for developing exciting visuals. The space fantasy world of Starfinder gives Menna a lot to work with. There’s some lovely framing here and there, but the rendering is far too monotone to engage the reader.
The series continues to find exciting dynamics for a diverse crew but needs finesse. Sutter’s story feels solidly pointed in a direction that might be interesting as things progress, but even in the second issue, things are only just starting to get moving. There’s still a lot of potential in the series at issue’s end. There’s a good chance that Sutter and company could manage.
