Writer Matt Miner in the first volume of Liberator showed that real heroes don’t wear capes. In his case, his wore ski-masks, but the greater point was that amazing things can be done by individuals when they stand up for the issues they believe in. These heroes fought to save and help those who can’t speak for themselves, animals. No matter your thought on the subject, the first volume created an entertaining series that opened up the issue for those unfamiliar. In the second volume, Miner has teamed up with legendary hardcore band Earth Crisis.

This second volume tells the story of a young janitor in an animal testing lab who stumbles on a dark conspiracy and is inspired to rescue the animals. When Sarah Mann takes a crappy custodial job at a cosmetics lab, she discovers cold-blooded scientist Dr. Elena Reznik’s secret facility where illegal vivisections are performed on live, conscious animals. Inspired by the stories of Jeanette and Damon’s animal liberations, Sarah pulls on her own mask and sets out to rescue the tortured animals.

Though the above is spoilerish, if you couldn’t tell that’s what was going to happen… well, it was pretty clear I think.

Again, like the first volume, the story is nice because this is the type of thing that’s done every day by those fighting to save animals from torture and abuse. This is real world “heroism,” and this first issue shows how someone like Sarah might go from innocent worker, to badass vigilante. It’s a believable transition, though maybe rushed happening in one issue, but it is a two issue series, so understandable. Miner also doesn’t hold back in the issue, he presents the very real brutal activities that occur in animal testing. It made me cringe at times.

Those moments are gruesomely depicted by Javier Sanchez Aranda who keeps up the nice art from the first volume. Aranda mixes moments where I had to look away with more subtle moments of every day life as well.

Miner has a solid second volume in the making. Again he puts together a socially relevant and “political” comic without being overtly preaching. While moments are shocking, the story is entertainment with a message. Pulling that off is impressive.

Story: Matt Miner and Earth Crisis Art: Javier Sanchez Aranda
Story: 8 Art: 7 Overall: 7.75 Recommendation: Buy

Black Mask Studios provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review