MR. TERRIFIC YEAR ONE #2: Ghosts of the Past.

Mr. Terrific Year One #2: Michael Holt has just lost his best friend on top of having already lost his wife and unborn child. For him, there is nowhere else to go and nothing for him to do but die. That is, until a mysterious ghost visits him, hoping to give his life meaning once more.

Creative Team:

Al Letson (WRITER), Valentine De Landro (ARTIST), Marissa Louise (COLORS pg 4-20), Edwin Galmon (ART and COLORS pg 1-3), Lucas Gattoni (LETTERS), Mateus Manhanini (COVER)

*POSSIBLE SPOILERS AHEAD*

The Story:

Al is diving into the full range of grief and recovery in this story, and I think it is an important one from which many can take something. That feeling of wanting to die and not having something to live for is a common one that people in real life experience and face.

Pulling in The Spectre as the driving force behind pulling Michael out of his darkness and into action works well, and I love seeing the variations between the vessel of Spectre and his character. There a couple of surprises in this issue that are pointing towards a bigger and more sinister confrontation on the horizon and just how vital Michael is to the entire Justice League.

The Art and Letters:

Artistically, there is so much to enjoy in this issue because there are so many different flavors of art styles to work with. Edwin handles business in the opening pages, giving us that realistic art and a variety of colors that set us up in the present. When it comes to the past, Valentine and Marissa are playing with a variety of styles. We get the old school paper comic vibes, modern day art vibes, and even blend the mix of two. The various greens and usage of darker colors stood out to me the most in this issue, and it truly felt we were going on a journey through time.

Lucas plays around with fun lettering styles in this as well. He gives voice to Michael and our characters, but also transforms The Spectre into a truly larger-than-life spiritual character. The subtle shifts in lettering styles add to the story and art elements, making this excellent.

Final Thoughts:

Mr. Terrific Year One #2 shows that this character and Michael’s story are setting up to be a vital driving force in this DC All-In run.

Overall Grade: 9.5/10

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