With two issues on the stands, 21 Down is looking like the winner of the new Wildstorm line, an interesting take on super-heroes that isn't trying too hard or falling into all of the old cliches either. This issue is not quite as strong as the first, with a bit of a divided focus and a growing sense that the "origin" of the lead character may not be revealed for a bit too long, but there's plenty to like here, including a realistic examination of super-powers and the violent and unpredictable effects they could have. And Saiz and Palmiotti give the book a look that matches this combination of real and amazing perfectly.
I was a bit taken aback when this issue opened with a view of the post-WTC collapse. While it makes for an interesting examination of Preston's curse, it seems an unusual choice to open with, especially given the cliffhanger where the story ended in the last issue. Saiz, Palmiotti and Mounts do an exquisite job of conveying the pain and horror of the moment, but it feels like an interruption in the story. In fact, my only complaint with the story comes in these kind of choices, as Gray and Palmiotti skip some fairly important story elements, including the first meeting between Agent Rinaldi and Preston and in fact where Preston got both his powers and his knowledge of impending death. The latter I can see as being tied in to an over-arcing mystery, the former seems a shortcut which robs us of some important characterization.
Fortunately, there's plenty of interesting characterization to be found. Mickey Rinaldi's sexy flirtation with Preston makes it easy to see why he would go along with her, while still playing her as an intelligent woman who knows how to use all her skills and assets. The boredom of Harmony Peterson, bordering on the sociopathic as we see her reactions to the chaos left in her wake, is chilling. In fact, the tone of the super-powers in this book is what most fascinates me about 21 Down. The powers have a dark side to them, whether they affect the user or those affected by the powers.
While there's a little development of Preston and Rinaldi in this issue, the focus is really on the next threat (or recruit?), Harmony Peterson, a girl whose powers cause everyone to love her... to a psychotic degree. Mounts does spectacular work on the red glow of the lights in the club, which helps to exaggerate the violence going on as a result of Harmony's powers. I was also very impressed with how Saiz and Palmiotti say volumes about the characters without any dialogue, as she looks by turns bored, irritated or amused by the horrors her powers are creating.
I'm a little nervous about the implications that Gen 13 and 21 Down share some similarities of power origins, given that I disliked the former as much as I like the latter, but I'm intrigued by the world that Gray and Palmiotti are building in 21 Down. A mix of conspiracy, horror and super-powers results in a fresh and unusual take on the super-hero genre, with as much in common with crime and espionage as it has with the tights and capes crowd.
