Wayward 2 Review / Discussion

[El Sombrero]

I really liked this issue a lot. My complaints with issue 1 were completely resolved and I thought the structure of the issue was a lot more consistent and satisfying.

I thought the first issue felt like a few disparate scenes put together, as there were significant tonal shifts from the first and second halves of the book. Here, the story felt much more consistent throughout, and the transitions from scene to scene much more seamless.

I liked how they added darker elements to Rori's character, with her self-abuse and being an outcast at school. She seemed a bit too perfect in the first issue and I thought she was more relatable here. I liked that she commented on her mom acting different since I think their scenes together have been very awkward and stilted. I also really liked seeing Rori at school, since that's an ideal environment to showcase her as a fish out of water.

Most of all, I thought the "villain" in this issue was a lot more effective. I thought the Kappas battle last issue was silly and really tonally off, but here when the boy was ingesting the spirit and launching in the air towards Rori, it felt appropriately threatening and scary for Rori. The Japanese landmarks continue to be drawn extremely well and I really like the coloring when Rori uses her powers.

Great issue, a lot tighter and more effective than last month.

[Mahes]

I liked the issue as well. Was a good continuation of the exploration of the world that Rori is now in. The self-abuse part was odd and just seemed like it was glossed over but I did read the issue fast. Everything else was good particularly her being the outcast at school.

[Groo Odyssey]

Loved this issue as well, pretty much for all the reasons you stated. Thought issue 2 was much better than issue 1 which I also liked. Really liked how this issue gave us some more depth into Rori's character and it was a nice change of pace. Again, the art was excellent, one of the better looking books on the shelves today. Really happy I took a chance on this and have it on my pull, I almost passed it up last month.

[InformationGeek]

I... wasn't as into this comic as you guys were. It was a 6 out of 10 for me. It's not a bad comic at all, but one that needs a lot more work I feel to be truly something.

I honestly did not remotely like the cutting angle to it, since it feels so out of the blue and just glossed over. It's just feels tacked on and an attempt to try to make the character more sympathetic or there was something shocking about her. It just didn't really work and those pages could have been better used for something else.

[El Sombrero]

I thought the fact that the cutting was glossed over and out of the blue was what made it effective. It was shocking because it was so unexpected. If they spent more time with it, it probably would have gone into "After School Special" territory.

[InformationGeek]

I thought the fact that the cutting was glossed over and out of the blue was what made it effective. It was shocking because it was so unexpected. If they spent more time with it, it probably would have gone into "After School Special" territory.

To each their own. It did feel shocking, but not in a good way. It felt it was just there for shock value and nothing more (plus, it reminded of bad comics that brought up cutting and then glossed over it like it was nothing).

[El Sombrero]

To each their own. It did feel shocking, but not in a good way. It felt it was just there for shock value and nothing more (plus, it reminded of bad comics that brought up cutting and then glossed over it like it was nothing).

It's issue 2. I think it's premature to say this will not be explored more in depth in the future.

[InformationGeek]

It's issue 2. I think it's premature to say this will not be explored more in depth in the future.

Also very true.

[Davenex]

Really enjoyed this issue but it had quite a bit of action that the read was fairly fast which sucks. Really interested to see how all this characters are gonna play a part in a larger story. From the cover of next issue seems we are getting another new character intro next month.

Also I don't know if you guys noticed this but I was looking at the cover for Wayward #5 in the Image December solicitations and noticed that the cover character with the hat (maybe the villain?) makes a background appearance in issue 1 on the two page spread where Rori steps into Ikebukuro, didnt notice this the first time but he is there looking at Rori

[Dark-Flux]

The self harming wasnt out of the blue btw. We see Roris scars in the first issue and she quickly draws her sleeves to hide it from her mother. I imagine its something thats gonna be built on issue by issue,

[Energist]

I just want to say how much I love Cumming's artwork, which--as a reader similarly pointed out in the letters column this month--is made that much more stunning by John Rauch's colors. It's just fun to look at; I don't how else to say it. I could do nothing more than flip through this issue and the last be entertained by staring.

Anyhoo, nice follow-up to the first issue. I like that Zub isn't wasting any time in filling out his cast. Two issues in and we've already got three key characters in the pipeline, plus Rori's mom for the supporting cast. He's also throwing in subplots like the cutting issue in there in a very natural way. Had the page dwelt solely on it, I'd probably feel differently, but as it's written, the scene didn't feel so much hamfisted to me as it did just something that Rori's unfortunately going through. I'm sure it'll be focused on more in the future, most likely when someone inside Rori's circle finds out about, but for now, I'm perfectly fine with how it's been introduced. Shocking but subtle, really, and that's some tactful writing from where I'm standing.

Also, great letters column. Some very smart and no doubt good-looking people wrote in, apparently.

[Sans Simian]

The self harming wasnt out of the blue btw. We see Roris scars in the first issue and she quickly draws her sleeves to hide it from her mother. I imagine its something thats gonna be built on issue by issue,

You know, I didn't catch this right away. I too thought the cutting scene came out of thin air, but I re-read the first issue and you're right, Rori's never shown in short sleeves.

ETA: When I first read #1, I thought that it was a tattoo that she didn't want her mom to see. But nope, it's the same symbol(s) that she carved in #2 (I say symbols plural because while you only see a portion of the lower symbol, it's clear from the dialogue in this issue that she carves the same word each time.)