Written by Chad Bowers
Drawn by Jim Towe
Colored by Juan Manuel Rodriguez
Lettered by Rus Wooton
Published by Image Comics

PREVIOUSLY: YOUNGBLOOD #1

This issue opens with a flashback, showing how Petra/Gunner/Vogue tracked down the new Sentinel. A kid named Dolante who idealized the original Sentinel, until he discovered that Sentinel was a murderer (as per the events in Alan Moore’s Judgment Day miniseries). This is where Chad Bowers’ clear devoted knowledge of Rob Liefeld’s catalog comes through, as he actually references a story from the opening arc of the TEAM YOUNGBLOOD series back in 1993. It’s done in such a away that it’s a nice Easter Egg for longtime Liefeld fans, but if you’re new to this series and these character, it’s not essential to know the details. We also learn a few more significant details about Dolante, which I won’t spoil, and he initially refuses when Petra tries to recruit him to her new Youngblood team. She wants to use the name to get public attention, so that they can use their fame to track down the still-missing Man-Up. Dolonte finally agrees, but he doesn’t want to be called Sentinel.

Then we cut back to the present, picking right where the previous took off, with SHAFT engaging the new team, as Doc Rocket, Suprema, and Dolante have been hypnotized by a bird-wielding supervillain (presumably you’ve read the first issue, so that sentence doesn’t sound as weird as it looks). Petra jumps in, and when the dust as settled, the villain got away, and Shaft hands them all a Cease and Desist letter from President DieHard. And then he splits to meet up with Badrock, who came with him but strangely didn’t get involved in the fracas. But then there’s still a twist ending, which I won’t spoil.

Oh yeah, there’s also a subplot where President DieHard meets with the Byrne twins (I can’t help but think that name was intentional), the two young men who created the HELP! app. President DieHard works on some kind of deal with the app and the government, and everything seems to go well, but when the President leaves, it’s clear that the Byrne twins have their own sinister agenda.

So this is a very good follow-up issue. Once again Chad Bowers gives us an intriguing story that satisfies you but still leaves you wanting more. And the art team, like by Jim Towe, does an impeccable job. These are the creators needed to bring Youngblood into the modern era, and I’m anxious to see where they go from here. If you haven’t yet, now’s the time to jump on!

YOUNGBLOOD #2

P.S. the issue also includes a 4-page preview of another series from Image Comics called SACRED CREATURES, but I can’t say I was impressed.