Mantra #2

Mantra #2 (August 1993)

Writer: Mike W. Barr

Penciler: Terry Dodson

Inker: Al Vey

Letterer: Patrick Owsley

Colorist: Moose Baumann

Editor: Chris Ulm

Note: Dan Danko is credited as the creator of Warstrike, and Chris Ulm is credited as the creator of Boneyard.

Cover Art: Terry Dodson and Martin (there is no other name listed)

Variants: A polybagged version with a trading card, as seen here: http://cheepultraverse.wordpress.com/2012/05/16/mantra-2-in-the-polybag/

My summary/review (Just as a note of warning, there are all kinds of spoilers in this review):

Title: The Woman Behind the Mask

Warstrike shows up at Eden Blakes door, and he knows her secret.  He’s there to help and feels bad about being used by Notch.  I find it funny that he is such a jerk to her at times, but really seems like he wants to help her out.  I also find it odd that she trusts him so quickly after he just killed her last (male) body…last issue.  He also spills that he has a precognitive power that helps him stay alive and is what he used to find her.

Eden (Lukasz) gets the kids off to school and goes to her day job.  She runs into her ex dropping off child support and goes out to lunch with him to get him to baby sit the kids.

Sje crashes an even that is set up to sell a mask.  Warstrike is there as well.  They end up fighting Notch and his men and Eden gets the mask.  She also learns that she has control of the four elements (Fire, Air, Water, Earth).

She makes her way home and finds that Edens ex ditched the kids and decides to take them to the movies herself.  We also veer into the realm of Lukasz becoming interested in how attractive his new body actually is.

While at the movies, while taking her daughter to the bathroom, she is attacked and finally overcome.  Being held down, one of her attackers approaches with a knife.

Not a bad issue overall.  It gets Lukasz a bit more used to the body of Eden.  He uses it to get certain things he wants…like into the party she crashes.  It moves other aspects of her life along and gives us more info on her without seeming like a bunch of talking heads.

The art by Doodson is great.  It is earlier in his career, but the talent is still there in full display.