“It’s the ones you love that hurt you the most…and, in the case of super-powered adoptive brothers Eric and Woody Henderson – aka Quantum and Woody – this is definitely going to leave a mark! Quantum has kept the truth about Woody’s biological father a secret, and now that Woody has found out about his brother’s betrayal, their once-promising superhero career has ground to a standstill. So now it’s time for one last shot at teaming up as our heroes head “down under” – ahem, to Australia – in search of Woody’s one true DNA match. Like father, like son? Let’s hope not.

You’ll believe two men and a goat can fly coach when the new adventures of the world’s worst superhero team continue with a slightly less collectible second issue from rising star Daniel Kibblesmith (The Late Show With Stephen Colbert) and dazzling artist extraordinaire Kano (Daredevil)!”

For some inexplicable reason I put off reading the foil embossed comic laying on my coffee table for almost as long as I had the review copy in my inbox. I enjoyed the first issue, but for whatever reason I wasn’t bursting out of myself to crack the spine on Quantum And Woody #2 – as I’m sure you could guess by the date of this review. Once I had read the comic, I was pleasantly surprised and wondered why I hadn’t read it already. The sibling relationship between Quantum and Woody drives the story as they veer from one end of the spectrum to the other; Daniel Kibblesmith never loses sight of the fact that even if these men hate each other, deep down there’s still a brotherly affection between them.

The book is still somewhat tough for someone unfamiliar with the characters to be able to pick up and enjoy, but seeing as how I am one of those people, I can tell you that for every little reference I didn’t get or question I had there was always something to remind me that it’s okay to not know everything. It’s okay to just sit back and enjoy the comic. That’s made so much easier because of Kano‘s art work. Quantum And Woody #2 has some wonderfully constructed pages from the paneling right up to the final toucheson the art itself. Any trouble you have following the story m the dialogue and narration boxes will end up being a moot point once you actually pay attention to the art and the story telling within the visuals.

Ultimately, this issue was a genuine surprise for me; a comic that over delivered on my expectations with a script that has an intelligence and deceptively deep plot hidden just bellow the surface all wrapped into an art style that packs enough visual humour to keep you smiling without overpowering the quality of the book itself.

If you’re not reading this, well, why not?

Story: Daniel Kibblesmith Art: Kano
Story: 8.8 Art: 9.0 Overall: 8.9 Recommendation: Buy

Valiant provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review