Review: Coheed And Cambria's Claudio Sanchez, Chondra Echert, & Daniel Bayliss Deliver BOOM! Studios A 'Surefire Hit’ With ‘Translucid #2!’

After previously delivering an intriguing premise, Translucid #2 continues to twist the superhero genre around to new heights. More than just a dark and gritty superhero journey, the Translucid series proves that BOOM! Studios has a surefire hit on their hands.

The masked vigilante, known as The Navigator, prowls the crime-infested streets of New York in search of a serial killer. All the evidence points back to the crime kingpin, known The Horse. Why does the hero need a villain to feel important? Has the duo become so desensitized to their acts of violence, that there seems no end to their constant battles?

Improving on the first issue, Claudio Sanchez, lead singer for the rock band Coheed and Cambria, joins co-writer Chondra Echert as they deconstruct the hero/villain dynamic. The character-driven writing gives readers a chance to understand what makes the main protagonists tick emotionally. Why does the hero, Navigator, actually need the villain, the Horse, in order to survive? As readers, we discover the motivation behind their downward spiral into madness.

There is a bigger picture involved here because the twist in this experiment is the subplot about childhood loss. While growing up in an abusive household, a little boy jumps deep into the rabbit-hole, escaping from reality through superheroes. Because Cornelius cannot save his mother from getting slapped around, the daydreamer stirs up his imagination and creates a fantastical world. Because the young lad has been hit one too many times in the head, does the troubled child understand the Horse and Navigator are really just his two imaginary friends? Or, do his creations actually think they're real?  

WRITTEN BY: Claudio Sanchez & Chondra Echert

ART BY: Daniel Bayliss

COVERS BY: Jeff Stokely & Felipe Smith

PUBLISHER: BOOM! Studios

Artist Daniel Bayliss jumps back and forth with ease between two distinct worlds. Whatever the dreamer sees in his reality connects back to the superhero setting. The school's trip into the science museum has an influence on the Navigator's utility belt. The Horse's brilliant criminal scheme comes about because Cornelius notices a particular picture posted on the wall.

Bayliss illustrates an explosive climax that will get your heart racing. Everything is captured in a wide shot, so that reader doesn't miss any of the small little details, such as the cars swerving and crashing into each other.

Out in stores now, Translucid #2 keeps the ball rolling and closes on a surprising cliff-hanger. Let's see what happens when the wall between reality and dreams come crashing down on Cornelius in the next issue.

Rating: MUST READ