Arthur Dela Cruz returns his readers to a world of disenchanted youth, but it's much different from the one we saw in the first limited series. Though there's a tangential connection, this is a new cast of characters with new challenges and conflicts. The core theme remains the same, though; Dela Cruz explores rebellion and a yen for escape, feelings that help to define -- and sometimes destroy -- youth.
A guy named Jersey and his friends are planning something big... something they think is big, anyway. They're planning a caper to shake things up, to disrupt and disorient the urban world in which they live. Along for the ride is Jersey's girl, Kim, and their friend, Eric, who secretly loves Kim. And documenting everything is a cybergirl named Ashley, whosen friend Angela went missing some time ago.
There's a greater degree of clarity to Dela Cruz's artwork on this series than the previous KC title, and it serves as an immediate cue that this time around, things are going to be different. The cast of characters is a little larger, and fewer closeups and greater degree of clarity accommodates it. Punk-girl Kim is depicted as confident and alluring, and it's easy to relate to Eric's attraction to her. Dela Cruz's computer lettering for the online conversation captures that unique communication medium nicely as well.
Ashley is our gateway into the harsh world in which Jersey and company exist. She's more down to earth, and far less angry. She's not invested in Jersey's cause, simply curious, not so much for herself but about what her friends are getting wrapped up in. Though those who didn't read the first series won't see it, there's an interesting contrast here. In the first KC title, Angela -- delusional and almost despondent -- was our guide; here, it's the savvy, clever and grounded Ashley.
Like the first KC, there's a sense of mystery to the plot. The first time around, we tried to piece together what happened to send the three main characters on the run. Here, the mystery is what they're going to do, not what they've done. The why of it all is something of a question mark as well, and I look forward to learning what drives these kids.
