No Angel #2
Writers: Eric Palicki & Adrianne Palicki
Artist: Ari Syahrazad
Colourist: Jean-Paul Csuka
Letterer: Jim Campbell
Publisher: Black Mask Studios
A review by Stephanie Pouliotte
At the start of No Angel #2, the rationalist in Hannah is still in disbelief that she has an estranged step-sister, even more so that Jessica appears to have real angel wings. She’s still reeling from the idea that her late father had an affair, and now his mistress is telling her they were part of a secret group called the Elioud, whose members believe they are the decedents of an angelic bloodline. Had it not been for her run-in with the peculiar killer, she probably wouldn’t even be entertaining the thought. Whether or not Miriam’s story is true, Hannah now realizes her entire family, who are in town for the funeral, is in grave danger.
The bulk of this issue centers around Hannah’s skeptical conversation with Miriam and the discovery that her father was part of what she considers a fanatical cult. Though Miriam’s dialogue is largely expository as she explains the history and purpose of the Elioud, Hannah’s sharp retorts keeps the conversation from going stale. Despite learning about her father’s affair, being attacked by an murderous arachnophile, and finding out she has an angelic step-sister, Hannah keeps a refreshingly level head and doesn’t lose sight of her investigation. She’s a no-nonsense kind of character after all.
Hannah doesn’t seem fully convinced that Miriam isn’t trying to rub salt in her family’s wounds, but quickly sets a plan into motion when she realizes that the Elioud may very well have put a target on all their backs. There’s also a nice moment between Hannah and Jessica that begins to set up their sisterly bond, though I do wish we could have gleaned a bit more about Jessica’s personality from that interaction, as she really just comes off as the typical nice kid.
The real intrigue in No Angel #2 lies in the character of Elliot, the spider-loving murderer who may have a biblical lineage of his own. Ari Syahrazad’s squirmingly creepy rendering of the character draws the reader into the story’s web, and the flashbacks to his disturbing childhood were a welcome reprieve from some lengthy back-and-forth dialogue between Hannah and Miriam. Even though he doesn’t say much, Elliot is easily the most fascinating character and his strong presence is a testament to Syahrazad’s characterization.
The Verdict
Wait and see. No Angel #2 still doesn’t have me completely on board, but that’s mainly because there isn’t much plot progression in this issue. It largely sets up some necessary backstory, and still hasn’t fully established the sibling dynamic between Hannah and Jessica. Since their relationship is going to be a huge part of the story’s charm, hopefully we get more one-on-one interactions between the two in the next issue, which certainly appears to be the case from the final pages. That being said, Elliot’s character alone has me itching to know what happens next, and it’s clear from the writing that No Angel has lots of storytelling potential.
