As the toxicity level rises in her bubble, the merwoman and axolotl Lottie are in a desperate search for water. A canyon in the distance offers the best hope, but as they cross the barren desert, they are observed by a mysterious land dweller. Distracted by her quest, the merwoman does not see them, but spots a creature that might be a potential food source.
As they chase it down, the animal leads them into an unstable part of a canyon. The mechanized unit crashes down a crevasse, cracking the bubble that protects her and Lottie. As water leaks out and they both gasp for breath, she sees plant life. With no water left in the bubble, she activates the mechanized unit and flies past the plant. Beneath her is a pool of water. As the unit drops into the pool, water fills the bubble, saving Lottie and the merwoman.
The merwoman’s joy is palpable as she swims outside the confines of her bubble. She and Lottie find a bounty of aquatic food, and we learn that the merwoman has a natural offensive/defensive weapon in her hands. (I’m guessing that will be important later.) Finding the necessary components to fix her mech unit, they discover their refuge has even more to offer, and it appears they may have stumbled upon paradise. But is it, really?
After the cliffhanger of the first issue, I was happy to find out how the merwoman was going to save herself. This new issue takes its time as they explore their new surroundings. Creator Derek Kirk Kim does a wonderful job showing us what appear to be inconsequential moments that play out big time later. It also serves to endear us to Lottie and the merwoman beyond the fact they look like cute Disney characters. While getting a glimpse into what the past looked like, we see the merwoman is clearly intelligent, capable, and knows how to handle herself in dire situations. Kim sets us up perfectly for the horrors to come and, of course, has left us with a heart-rending cliffhanger ending.
Be sure not to miss the character sketches at the end.
Creative Team: Derek Kirk Kim (Writer/Artist)
Publisher: Image Comics
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