A Cataclysm of Light & Darkness! Tony Stark races against time, assembling powerful twin teams- Defenders of Light and Defenders of Dark – to battle Hela and Knull amidst the cosmic void. As their clash shakes the stars, Hela unleashes her devastating assault on Earth, forcing the AVENGERS OF EARTH into action for humanity’s survival. But chaos doesn’t end there: the monstrous SYMBIOTE INTELLIGENCE descends upon New York City, igniting a fierce confrontation as Venom and the Fantastic Four leap into battle! Will heroes unite and overcome the tide of darkness threatening the universe? Queen in Black #2 continues the bombastic action as heroes defend Earth while others plan how to take the battle to Hela and Knull.

Queen in Black #2 cements this event as summer popcorn entertainment. It’s the movie you see for the spectacle of it all with the plot being secondary. You want the explosions, the battles, the action, and the quippy one-liners. The issue delivers all of that while it teases what’s to come.

Written by Al Ewing, Queen in Black #2 is fun entertainment, a big event that feels like a throwback in some ways. The issue does a good job of keeping things focused with Spider-Man and his team fighting to defend New York City while keeping Dylan Brock safe, Iron Man and Cable making plans, and Hela delivering her villain lines with cheese. It’s that last part that makes the comic feel like a bit of a throwback. Hela lays out what her vision for Earth is and it feels like that over-the-top idea from yesteryear. That’s not a bad thing at all and overall is kind of fun due to that.

Ewing does a great job of narrowing down the issue where the previous took us around the world to give us the scope of the matter. But, even with that focus, he does spend some time having fun with Wolverine and Storm as they protect Japan and we get a really entertaining sequence and resolution to that particular fight.

The art by Iban Coello and Paco Medina adds to the enjoyment. With color by Guru-eFX and lettering by Clayton Cowles, the characters look good and the action is delivered with a certain splash to it. There’s something visually where it feels a bit over the top but not obnoxiously so. The designs of the villains look great with their Venomized takes and Iron Man’s new suit is kind of cool. Where the art shines is its opening sequence which has reality being warped as Wolverine goes into battle with a great two-page spread that really stands out.

Queen in Black #2 is a fun read that keeps things packed with action but rather light at the same time. It does a good job of setting up what’s to come and focusing on the battles raging. It’s not the deepest event, but it’s a fun one that delivers exactly what it needs to.

Story: Al Ewing Art: Iban Coello, Paco Medina
Color: Guru-eFX Letterer: Clayton Cowles
Story: 7.75 Art: 7.75 Overall: 7.75 Recommendation: Read

Marvel provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

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