My plan is not to use this site as a review site, but when I got my review copy in the mail of Bad Kids Go to Hell 2 #1, I could not resist. I am going to do everything I can to keep myself from giving any spoilers from the first book in the new series, the original series, or from the movie which is topping most On Demand lists right now.
The Basics
Bad Kids Go to Hell 2 #1 has a cover price of $5.99 for 38 pages written by Matt Spradlin and Barry Wernick, the same guys who brought you the original Bad Kids Go to Hell comic and movie. Cover art was done by David Beauchene and Wes Harman with internal art being done by Alex Williamson. Coloring provided by Robby Bevard and Wes Hartman. Bad Kids Go to Hell 2 is published by Antarctic Press.
The Story
Bad Kids Go to Hell 2 takes place four years after the events in Bad Kids Go to Hell. Once again, we find a handful of students being forced into detention. As with the first series, the students are rich, preppy, and douchey with their personalities ranging from lustrous to arrogant, and every type of evil in between. One of the dententioned characters happens to be the brother of one of the victims in the first series. The only other direct links with the initial series is the presence of Headmaster Nash, the janitor, and the placement inside Crestview Academy.
The Story and Writing
Bad Kids Go to Hell 2 is for mature readers, but Spradlin and Wernick did not go to an excess with the adult material. While there is sexuality, drug use, and murder present in the story, it does not overwhelm each page as some adult-only comic creators would pride themselves on. There was more than enough room for a good story between the deviant moments in the printed pages.
The story is easy to follow even if you are not familiar with the rest of the franchise. It moves quickly with few slowing points. It is easy to relate to the characters as most people have dealt with types of high school students introduced in the story and you are going to wait on the edge of your seat to see how each one dies in the series.
The Art
The “art department” on Bad Kids Go to Hell 2 did a great job of not attempting to overwhelm the writing with graphics which jump off the page. Some readers might believe the artwork is subdued in areas, but that is actually a strength for the book. While a comic puts focus on both the writing and the art, certain frames should be used to put the focus on the words of the story while other times the focus should be on the art. The melding of the two needs was done well in Bad Kids Go to Hell 2.
Interesting Note
Marvel and DC have been making waves over the last few years for introducing more LGBT superheroes. The presence of positive homosexual role models has brought media attention to the Big 2, but it has also caused them to paint themselves into a corner. Note how there are not any homosexual supervillains in Marvel or DC because they are scared about a possible backlash from the LGBT community about an evil gay character and the belief that some might associate homosexuality and deviant behavior. In all honesty, if gay characters can be superheroes, it would make sense that there would be gay villains as well.
How does this fit in with Bad Kids Go to Hell 2? One of the characters in detention in Bad Kids Go to Hell 2 is a rich gay student who deals drugs and parties way too hard. I have to commend Spradlin and Wernick for taking the bold step towards true inclusion in comics. If a gay character can be good, he or she should also have the capacity to be evil. Only allowing LGBT characters to be good characters is actually a step away from true inclusion since it denies the reality that anyone can be evil.
Bad Kids Go to Hell 2 will be hitting store shelves very soon and you should consider picking it up. It is would be a great time to jump on just to see what all of the fuss and buzz is over the Bad Kids Go to Hell franchise. If nothing else, consider picking up the book as a monument moment issue and step towards true inclusion in comics.
