The Wrong Man: ‘Narco’ #2 Reviewed

In the first two pages alone of Narco #2, our hero, a narcoleptic, slowly wakes up to discover he has not been sleeping with the love of his life, but sleeping next to her cold, dead corpse. And now part of an active homicide investigation. Although when you look back at his behaviour and his comings and goings in the debut issue, you can see why it seems he’s guilty as Hell. It’s why the two detectives, Violet and Dean, interview him with ease back at the cop shop. And why his FBI file reads like he’s the serial killer. It doesn’t look good for him, does it?

It’s a tense and frightful start to this issue, given the reader knows these keystone cops have got the wrong man, and Doug Wagner scripts this scene – as well as the rest of the issue –  with skill and style. Violet is definitely the bad cop, but only just. She’s more just pragmatic and probably doesn’t have too much job satisfaction. Furthermore, she’s only mean when compared to the sunshine smile of her partner, Dean Kindle. A cop who is far too optimistic and cheery for the job. And a man with a plan. 

Thanks to artist Daniel Hillyard, each character is instantly recognisable whenever they turn up in this issue. And with so many friends as well as other supporting characters, his clean, economic lifework helps keep the action crisp, and the narrative clear and uncluttered. There’s a lot of emotion on display in this issue, and Hillyard utilises a good deal of close-ups and mid shots to express these on the printed page, all adding to the build-up of tension across this issue. Albeit with some respite from time to time.

A reality bloodless issue, Narco #2 helps develop the story and mystery while also introducing us to more characters. After all, the more characters there are, the harder the mystery becomes to crack. 

You cannot help but like Marcus James, a young man unlucky in love, like so many comic book heroes of the past, but he’s nothing if not tenacious and determined. And with his focus of attention now dead, he thinks he can help. It’s this driving energy and his narcolepsy that make him such an interesting character. And I dare say his chronically poor love life is pretty relatable too, making him an underdog we can all root for. We want him to succeed. And in this issue, while he hasn’t, he’s well on the path to success. With a little help from some friends. 

Narco #2 is out now from Image Comics.