The Vigil #2: The Name’s ARCLIGHT

The Vigil #2 is a great set up issue that introduces readers to the leader of this breakout secret group. With great pacing and a wild ending, readers are sure to appreciate the direction the series is headed.

Last issue readers were given time to meet several of the team members (Dodge, Saya, and Castle), and issue #2 has an emphasis on the leader and muscle of the team, Arclight. A good portion of the issue is spent going into Arclight’s history shedding light on personal trauma and showcasing how much of a force he is to be reckoned with.

Written by Ram V, the pacing of this issue allowed for several plot points to be explored without feeling overstuffed and this made for an enjoyable read. As an story focused on espionage it’s expected for there to be various webs of elements and issue #2 did not disappoint in its execution.

Dodge and Saya are both given their time in this issue as they are chasing leads. It’s a nice balance to Arclight’s action-focused portion as they lean heavier onto the stealth aspects of covert work rather than the action of it.

On the art is Lalit Kumar Sharma with colors by Rain Beredo and Lee Loughridge. Continuing from issue #1, the artistic team continues a strong execution in panel layouts, character work, and colors. Their work goes well with the pacing of the issue enhancing the story for an exciting experience.

Without too many spoilers, the ending of this issue is comedic and full of opportunity where the story is headed. Ram V recently did an interview with Comic Watch about the series that gives insight into the direction of the story and what fans might expect. Read the full interview here.

Continuing the dynamic cover is the work done by Sumit Kumar. What I appreciate about the covers is how the design is reminiscent of a spy movie poster. It showcases the core characters without looking like a bunch of floating heads (which is an annoying current trend). Instead there is a stylistic choice with few colors that make for a great cover design for issue #2.