Vengador is a superhero tale of vengeance written by James Gilarte and featuring the art of Rowel Roque. Vengador follows the life of teen Eric Martin, who uses his alter ego (Vengador) to fight injustice in his city that is the result of a corrupt legal system. The second issue of Vengador might not be perfect, but Gilarte and Roque do stretch their creative wings, building on their story and giving Eric Martin his first taste of revenge.
SPOILERS BELOW
While the first issue focused mainly on the courtroom drama that sets up the events that lead Martin to his quest for vengeance, Vengador #2 dives into action and doesn’t hold back! Roque’s art clearly deserves special praise as he really raises the bar. Roque’s skills are really on display in the issue’s most exciting and disturbing scene – Martin’s, or rather, Vengador’s first kill. Gilarte and Roque make the scene brutal and graphic, wisely taking the time to milk the dramatic moments and focusing on the facial expressions of the characters. There’s one page where the reader can literally watch the life drain from a character’s face, and Roque has pulled it off perfectly, making the moment hit as hard as it should! Another thing I enjoyed about this issue was the level of darkness that surrounded Martin’s choice. I understand that a character committing their first murder isn’t a plot point filled with hugs and puppies, but, in the scenes that followed the murder and showed Martin’s reflection on his decision, I saw the possibility of a more complex take on the issue of vengeance and murder. While many writers and readers might feel Martin is completely justified in his violent actions against the man who molested his younger sister, Gilarte hints that, perhaps, Martin has, with this first kill, allowed a darkness to seep into his soul that can’t be removed. I hope this is the direction Gilarte chooses with future issues, abandoning the predictable gory and uncomplicated vengeance tale for an examination of what vengeance truly is and how it can destroy both the victim and the perpetrator.
Despite the fact that this issue shows the growth of Gilarte, Roque, and the Vengador tale, I did have a few slight criticisms regarding the book. The first is just a point of clarity and has to do with the fact that the man murdered is named Sydney and also happens to live in “the western suburbs of Sydney.” I’m not saying that it’s impossible that a man would share his name with the city he lives in, but it did make some of the dialogue slightly confusing. I also think that Roque’s art could benefit slightly from some more texturing and shadows, specifically in regards to Vengador’s costume. The outfit has a powerful look to it but would be strengthened even more if depicted in a solid black tone or heavily shadowed. Perhaps, the creators intend to color the issues eventually, but the large white areas do leave some pages feeling similar to an untouched coloring book. My final note is probably the biggest and that has to do with the cliffhanger at the end of the issue. While a “robot workshop” sounds awesome, I still believe that Gilarte and Roque need to up the stakes in this department. A good cliffhanger can make readers desperate for the next issue, and there’s really no use in settling for something that is at all mediocre in its “wow” factor.
The second issue of Vengador, despite the flaws, is still worth a read, and I encourage you to seek it out. You can find out more about Vengador and the creative team at the official website, the Vengador Facebook page, or follow creator James Gilarte on Twitter (@JamesGilarte).
That wraps things up, comic book sniffers! Keep those samurai swords of vengeance sharpened until our paths cross again.
‘Till the end of the world,
-Bryant the Comic Book Slayer
