Voodoo #2 (2011)

Voodoo #2 (December, 2011)
“reflections”
Story – Ron Marz
Art – Sami Basri w/Hendry Prasetya
Color – Jessica Kholinne
Letters – Jared K. Fletcher
Assistant Editor – Darren Shan
Editor – Brian Cunningham
Cover Price: $2.99


As we enter the last few weeks of what remains of The New 52, I decided it may be interesting to take a look back at some random bits and bobs of the era that nearly ended my (DC) comics fandom.  During the first year of the initiative, I was quite an unhappy boy.  Perhaps taking things a tad too personally, I felt betrayed… insulted even.


These characters were no longer mine… these stories were not written for me.  I felt like a relic of a bygone era… the last dead leaf on the tree, just waiting for that one stiff wind to knock me off.


I put most of my eggs in the Marvel Comics basket during this time.  As I sit writing this half a decade later, I am amazed by just how far the pendulum has swung in the interim.  Today’s Marvel is just as unrecognizable to me as 2011’s DC… I guess my only solace is that the “big two” are at least taking turns destroying their respective universes, and alienating long-time fans.  If they were ever to do it at the same time… well, at least I’ve got my back issues.


Anyhoo, with all that nonsense spouted… let’s take a look at a random New 52 issue.


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We open with a couple laying in a bed.  It soon becomes apparent to the reader that the male half of the equation is in fact Voodoo having taken the form of Tyler Evans, a Federal Agent.  She assumed his form in order to learn some information from his partner Jessica Fallon.  It is made pretty clear that the situation is sexual in nature.  Fallon appears to feel a measure of guilt for indulging, and excuses herself to smoke a cigarette.

Her phone rings, and the Caller ID shows that Chief Hurley is attempting to make contact.  Voodoo-as-Tyler stops Jessica from answering the call, before having another go.  Following, “Tyler” excuses himself to powder his nose.  Voodoo returns to her own form while in the restroom,

Now alone, Agent Fallon calls in to the Chief.  She appears to hear some rather surprising news about her partner, which tells her she’d been sleeping with an impostor.  Gun drawn, she charges into the bathroom… however, there is nobody there.

Later, Fallon meets up with the Hurley and is shown her partner Tyler’s corpse.  She believes Voodoo is behind it all, and is informed that she is currently using the name Pricilla Kitaen.

We rejoin Voodoo walking down a street.  She is telling herself that she “needs to be gone from here”.  She is approached by a fella who appears to have some bad intentions in mind for Ms. V.  Before he can act, he notices a pair of red dots on Voodoo’s shirt… the kind that may be the result of a laser scope on a sniper rifle.

Two tranquilizer bullets are fired.  One lands in the man’s shoulder… the other into Voodoo’s.  As she drops to her knees, she finds herself surrounded by the Black Razors.  It appears as though the tranquilizer dart did not affect Voodoo, as she quickly transforms into her more alien form and begins striking back at the Razor team members.

During the skirmish, the Razors call in their “big gun” Black Jack.  He’s a cigar-chomping monochromatic man-o-war whose ground landing causes the Earth around him to shake.  Voodoo ducks into a dilapidated building, and before he can give chase Agent Fallon gets in his face.  She pulls rank, claiming that she will be the one to pursue Voodoo.  She gives Black Jack the safe word “Ripley”, just in case Voodoo tries to pass herself off in her stead, before heading in.

Once inside Fallon gets jumped by Voodoo, causing her to drop her pistol.  The two wrestle about trying to get to the gun.  Fallon finds herself in a Voodoo headlock, and is able to back her attacker into a mirror, breaking it… before reclaiming her pistol.  From the outside we head several gunshots, and Fallon emerges.  Her first word is “Ripley”.  She claims that Voodoo is inside… dead.

Moments later, the real Fallon charges from the building.  Black Jack knows that Voodoo stole the safe word by utilizing her telepathic powers.

Later we find Voodoo grabbing a cup of coffee at a diner.  While there a kind waitress shows concern about a pretty girl travelling all by herself.  Voodoo smiles claiming that she may just have a trick or two up her sleeve.  Our next image blurb promises a visit from Green Lantern Kyle Rayner.

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I must admit, when I first heard there was going to be a Voodoo book during the New 52 launch I really had no idea what DC was thinking.  This sort of thing just felt about 15 years too late.  My WildStorm knowledge is limited at best, though in my teenage years I did read WildC.A.T.S. and a bit of Gen13.  I really didn’t know what to expect here… the only thing I knew for sure was that this title wasn’t long for the world.


… and that’s really kind of a shame.  This wasn’t the best thing I’ve ever read, but it certainly wasn’t bad.  The art (both cover and interior) is amazing.  Cover artist, John Tyler Christopher draws an eye-catching Voodoo, and absolutely makes this book stand out.


The story was fine as well.  Like I said, I don’t have too much knowledge when it comes to this character… however, during this issue I come to find that she is desperately trying to protect her people and will go to (m)any lengths to do so.  I’ll admit the opening several pages were perhaps a bit gratuitous… but this is contemporary comics… that train has kind of already left the station.


This is one of the New 52 books that has began showing up in cheap-o bins locally… which is where I found it.  I did not pick this one up at launch, as my comics-dollar was so stretched during those first few months of the reboot… and I simply couldn’t afford to try everything.  Picking this one up on the cheap… I’m satisfied.  I feel I got my money’s worth, and enjoyed my time checking in on a too-this-point relative unknown.  I will say I would be interested in following this one, should the opportunity arise.


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