Strange Academy #2- A Day in the Life

Emily, the main character of Strange Academy, referred to the school as overwhelming. I found that word to be the best way to explain this title’s second issue, and not always in a good way. With a main cast of eleven students brand new to the Marvel and no less than eight teachers making an appearance, there was a lot of ground for Scottie Young to cover. The issue was also used to set up the basic running of the school, running through eight periods in the span of twelve pages. Also, hints were dropped about the school not being all it appears to be. Altogether it was… a lot.

What grabbed my attention in the first issue was the potential inherent in having such a large, diverse cast. Each student had a hint of depth and uniqueness that left me curious for more. But in Strange Academy #2, it doesn’t seem to go further with any character. While displaying the foundation of the setting is essential, it seemed to stifle the characters instead of amplifying them. Even the exception, Doyle and Iric’s adventure, seemed to be overpowered by the pace of the book.

I think this loss of momentum must be acknowledged in the context of the Coronavirus pandemic. It is hard to not imagine my review being more positive if there had not been four months in between issues.

The art by Humberto Ramos is hard to find fault with, especially when there is so much going on in the scope of one issue. Paired with gorgeous colors by Edgar Delgado creates a comic where each page is beautiful to look at.