“Sicko #2” Review – Spread This Amongst Your Friends!

The Run Down

In case you missed the previous issue, our girl Valentine isn’t exactly having the best time in her life. She’s currently on the run, unsure of what her disease is and what this mysterious organization wants with her. Is there any hope in finding the answers she’s looking for? And will she be able to do so without being brought in? Well, let’s find out together in this week’s brand new issue of “Sicko” by Tini Howard!

Writer: Tini Howard
Artist: Amilcar Pinna
Colorist: Amanda Grazini
Letterer: Ariana Maher

The Writing

I’ll start things off by admitting that Tini Howard did things with the story in this second issue that I completely didn’t expect! That being said, I loved it still. While a bit less on the mysterious side than the first issue, Howard manages to answer plenty of questions while bringing new ones and twists along the way. It’s within some of these twists that manages to add entirely new and interesting layers to these characters.

When speaking on the character development specifically, Howard takes both Val and Jono to deeper depths of who they are and what they’re willing to do to meet their needs. Both of them are very much the yin to the other’s yang. Neither of these developments are places I fully expected the characters to go, but it makes me very interested to see what’s going to happen in the future. Not only that, but they’re developments that make sense while adding twists and turns, keeping the story gripping and well paced. All of this while placing readers in the shoes of someone navigating a shady healthcare system.

The Art

When it comes to the art and colors by Pinna and Grazini, the work is just as perfect as it was before. All throughout the book, Pinna manages to perfectly capture both the emotion and the setting, adding to Howard’s story tremendously. The way he draws the faces really brings readers into feeling what the characters are feeling. As for the setting, he manages to keep things feeling cold and desolate, placing us ever deeper into Val’s shoes as goes through this undesirable journey.

Just like with the first issue, Grazini’s color work was on another level. Despite all of the oddness of the world, his color works to make things feel real and relatable. Meanwhile, in scenes where it’s necessary, his blending and shading kicks things up to eleven, making Val’s disease feel like a superpower. The two of them together truly create magic in the art.

Final Thoughts

While going to places I didn’t expect, Tini Howard manages to deliver at almost the same level as the first issue. “Sicko” continues to be unlike anything else I’ve ever read and the twists introduced here make it all the more interesting. I’m beyond ecstatic to see where this all leads in coming issues!

Overall Grade: 9.5/10

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Comments

Are you enjoying “Sicko”? Are you a fan of Tini Howard? Let’s discuss in the comments below!