Last time we saw Xena and Gabrielle they were face to face with the legendary group known as the Harpies, and they weren’t very welcoming.
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Issue #2 picks up right where #1 left off, and after the obligatory battle, common sense settles in and the two groups form an uneasy alliance against the violent and tyrannical rule of Rome.
Valentine continues to mine Xena history throughout the book, including one particular piece that hopefully turns into a longer running subplot later on involving Borias’ daughter Meryem. I love all the callbacks to the show, like when Erdem calls Xena the Beserker, to which she responds “The Beserker? Been a while since I heard that one.” Ramifications of Gabrielle’s time away also surface, and again, I hope that continues to be a plot point as we continue down the road.
It’s easy to focus solely on Xena and Gabrielle’s circumstances in regards to their 25 year time away, and I love how Chilapa points out that it didn’t just affect them, but an entire people who looked up to Gabrielle as their rightful queen. A great representation of this animosity between Chilapa and Gabrielle surfaces when Xena says: “I’m willing. I’ll ask Gabrielle, but not out of guilt. Out of friendship.” Chilapa doesn’t miss a beat and retorts: “I’d rather have the guilt.”
Ariel Medel’s art continues to be a great fit for this world, and he really does draw a wonderful Xena. His Gabrielle isn’t as strong, mostly because the likeness to Renee O’Connor isn’t quite as spot on as Xena is to Lucy Lawless. It’s a personal preference, though, so it doesn’t necessarily detract from the book overall.
Xena #2 continues a strong start to the warriors ongoing adventures, but for someone to get the most out of it, you will need to have a bit deeper knowledge of the show. You can check out a preview of the issue in the gallery.
Rating: 3 out of 5 Stars
Written By: Genevieve Valentine
Art By: Ariel Medel
Colored By: Nanjan Jamberi
Lettered By: Rob Steen
