The first issue of Donny Cates and Geoff Shaw’s Crossover was so brilliant that I genuinely had no idea how they would be able to follow it up. This second issue may not have been as mind-blowing as the first, but it continues the story Cates setup in an interesting way. Spoilers for the first issue of Crossover ahead.
Upon losing her home to an arsonist, Ellipses “Elle” Howell has found herself without a place where she belongs. Upon learning the awful truth about what the government is doing to the non-superpowered beings that came out of the Crossover, Elle has decided to help free them from the prison they are being held in. The first step in this search is to find the man that helped Ava Quinn escape. Meanwhile, after being arrested, the arsonist, Orion “Ryan” Lowe, learns that he has a grand role to play in saving the world that he wants nothing to do with.
It is obvious that Cates and Shaw are having a little too much fun with Crossover. This issue is filled to the brim with Easter eggs, yet they never once get in the way of the gripping story Cates is telling. Ryan is definitely the most interesting character in the comic so far, bringing levity to the events around him. Special Director Nathaniel Abrams Pendleton was quite entertaining, exuding plenty of charisma to offset Ryan’s awkwardness. It was also nice to get more details about Elle and Otto’s friendship, making it seem like Otto is a father figure for Elle. Their banter was incredibly entertaining.
The art is much more simple in this issue, likely due to the lack of world-ending events. The two contrasting art styles, that for normal people and that for those that came out of the Crossover, are used to great effect here, helping to demonstrate just how lost Ava is in Elle and Otto’s world. Hearing her point of view of the fallout after the emergence of the Crossover brought a lot of levity to the issue. Crossover would not be nearly as unique without Shaw and Dee Cunniffe’s art.
Crossover continues to be the best creator-owned comic on the shelves right now. The uniqueness of the world and how it plays on comic book tropes is exciting. However, it is the compelling characters and creative artwork that make this book work. While I could have done with a little more excitement, this issue was still fantastic.
Rating: 8.75/10
Buy the comic: https://www.comixology.com/Crossover-2/digital-comic/894778?ref=c2VhcmNoL2luZGV4L2Rlc2t0b3Avc2xpZGVyTGlzdC90b3BSZXN1bHRzU2xpZGVy
