Review: MARA #2

MARA #2
Written by Brian Wood
Art by Ming Doyle and Jordie Bellaire
Release Date: January 30, 2013

Mara #2The second issue of Brian Wood’s female lead mini-series sheds some much-needed exposition on the life Mara is leading.

The futuristic, corporate-controlled and technologically driven society surrounding Mara is going through what our own society is currently dealing with: the fall of sports heroes. The first issue introduced Mara and the scandal that would shake her world. This issue mostly explores the fallout from that event.

While reading issue one, I can’t help but think about the recent interview with America’s cycling king Lance Armstrong after he admitted to using steroids. The similarities are rather startling. Whether writer Brian Wood was thinking about the accusations toward Armstrong or perhaps the baseball, football or really any athlete that has been accused of cheating, the sensationalism rings true. The only mystery is, who is behind Mara’s amazing ability that caused the scandal? You assume there is a major conglomerate or other entity pushing her to break the rules.

However, Wood saves the surprises for the end, leaving you to realize that not everything is clear-cut. The theme of the book itself is thrown up in the air, leaving the reader wanting to know what will happen next.

Mara continues to be a strong female, although her fears and doubts leave her character more silent and reserved than perhaps previously shown. This allows Ming Doyle’s art and Jordie Bellaire’s stylishly beautiful colors to do a lot of the heavy lifting in conveying emotion.

Be it a corrupt system or a girl going through unknown and uncontrollable change, I’m looking forward to seeing how issue two’s surprises play out next month. Mara #2 costs $2.99.

Verdict 9.0/10

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