Amara will fight by any means necessary, even if it means going to someone forbidden-someone who lived in the shadow of her grandfather, Apollo Creed. Will she have what it takes to pass the rigorous test of her new trainer, and navigate the wounds of her family’s past? Creed: The Next Round #2 expands the world, and family, of Creed and hints it might be even bigger than we know.
Written by Latoya Morgan and Jai Jamison, Creed: The Next Round #2 delivers what has made the film series solid. It’s strongest when it’s about more than boxing. The first focused on legacy and ghosts of the past while the second took on toxic masculinity.
Creed: The Next Round #2 delivers more hints and this series focus, familial trauma. Adonis must not only figure out how to be a father to a daughter but also there are hints at the division between him and his half-sister, a character we know little about up to this point. A boxer on her own, she too was a champion but her last name didn’t give her fame and fortune like Adonis. You can feel the clash as to who is the real heir to the name Creed.
And name seems to be key. While Adonis feels like he’s attempting to protect and shield his daughter, the first issue teased it’s his own brand he’s truly protecting. That expands in this issue as Adonis and Bianca’s investment plans are squashed by a mysterious competitor who is buying up the companies the two are looking to invest in. A tease towards the end of the comic hints there may be a third Creed in the mix.
Wilton Santos and Joe Jaro provide the art with ink by Santos and Maria Keane and color by DJ Chavis and Joana Lafuente. The comic does a fantastic job of balancing the boxing action and family drama with so much driven by a characters expression, body language, or action. The visuals continue to do an amazing job of adding in sign language, something I’ve never seen in a comic. While there isn’t flashy sports action, there is far more than enough tension and drama to make you want to get in on the action.
Creed: The Next Round #2 balances the concept of charting one’s own path while also balancing one’s family history. It shows who we are is complicated and it’s a fight for one’s individuality. Beyond the family drama, we also get some entertaining boxing moments, delivering action. Overall, it’s a solid continuation of the franchise that shows there’s a lot of ways for this world to expand.
Creative Director: Michael B. Jordan Story: Latoya Morgan, Jai Jamison Art: Wilton Santos, Joe Jaro
Ink: Wilton Santos, Maria Keane Color: DJ Chavis, Joana Lafuente Letterer: Andworld Design
Story: 8.35 Art: 8.15 Overall: 8.3 Recommendation: Buy
BOOM! Studios provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review
Purchase: TFAW – Zeus Comics – Kindle
