Chachu #2 – Family Traditions

Leila and her Chachu are on a journey. Hot on the trail in pursuit of Chachu’s missing wife, Leila sees a side of Chachu she’s not seen before.

This review is brought to you by Nerd Initiative’s Eda and Shawn!

Creative Team

Writer: Iman Vellani
Artist: Marianna Ignazzi
Color Artist: Jordie Bellaire
Letterer: Lucas Gattoni
Cover Artist: Marianna Ignazzi

Writing

Eda: Continuing on from where the previous issue left off, Leila and Chachu take off on their trust-lacking roadtrip. It’s through this lens that we’re allowed the start of a deeper understanding of their dichotomy. While Chachu is a total “no BS” type of guy, Leila comes off as a Harley Quinn-esque type character, making her a bit of an unreliable narrator. While reading, I could also sense a bit of clever foreshadowing in several scenes.

Speaking of Leila, Vellani really seems to inject a lot of herself into the character. I’m very much loving this as it gives the book its own personality outside of the already unique noir form of storytelling. This aspect shows in several scenes, particularly when Leila’s able to pick up on niche entertainment references and that nerdy, confident attitude.

Shawn: This series continues to surprise and thrill. Iman Vellani feels like she’s injecting little pieces of her life into these characters and it provides them with some real grounding. Leila alone has grown into such an interesting and compelling character only two issues in. She is wise beyond her years and sees through the haze to the truth behind the story. And yet, she is still young and idealistic creating a world in which she looks at the world around her through her own unique lens.

I love that Vellani continues to grow the relationship between Leila and her Chachu. It feels like they are both seeing each other in new ways. This story has me hooked and I can’t wait until the next issue.

Art

Eda: The art, color and design from Ignazzi, Bellaire and Gattoni all remain truly incredible. Here, I especially love the close-up shots. They say the eyes are the gateway to the soul and that shows here. In one particular panel, as smoke envelops Leila, her devious yet playful eyes are all we see. On the contrary, Chachu’s constantly come off as world-weary, having seen the worst of the worst while remaining kind.

As for the colors and lettering, I love the switch-up that happens in a flashback. While the rest of the book is full of color and character, it’s here we see the book’s equivalent to black & white. Bellaire made the wise decision to use a dull green to represent the “black”, keeping in theme with the rest of the book. I also love the use of color on Gattoni’s dialogue bubbles. It’s a rather interesting choice that isn’t often seen in comics. Gattoni also did a lot of very interestingly designed boxes and onomatopoeia, making the story fun to read while keeping it simple to follow.

Shawn: The art really reached a new level in this issue. Marianna Ignazzi, Jordie Bellaire, and Lucas Gattoni continue to bring this beautiful world to life. Ignazzi’s linework beautifully captures this story. It makes moments within this story feel so tender and personal yet in other panels makes you feel the conflict.

Jordie Bellaire really does a stellar job on colors. The vibe of the era is perfectly captured through the color palette. Bellaire immaculately captures the shift in tone through color as we get some flashback style story that fills in more story about Leila and Chachu. Lucas Gattoni perfectly guides readers through the story helping it flow easily.

Final Thoughts

Eda: 10/10. “Chachu #2” is an amazing follow-up to the first issue. Vellani continues to cement herself as a fantastic storyteller in the medium, and it helps all the more when you have an incredible team behind you. I’m beyond excited to see where they take this story and its characters!

Shawn: 10/10. Chachu #2 is a stellar follow up to the premier issue. Vellani continues to show that she has knack for storytelling and the art team continues to stun. The art, the setting, the coming of age story, I love everything about this series so far.

Overall Grade: /10

What did you think Chachu #2? Let us know in the comments