Review: Adult-Oriented ‘Ofiusa’ #2 Moves At Its Own Deliberate Pace

It’s safe to call this second issue of Ofiusa a slow burn.

At this point in the six-issue limited series, the mysteries of two alternate timelines are still building. In one set in Madrid, we have entrepreneur Joan who has fallen — very hard — for Mar. The two spend their days having sex. Lots of sex. In lots of places. And writer/illustrator/colorist/letter Guillem March shows lots of it.

March has never shied away from featuring nudity in his creator-owned books (you won’t find that in his Catwoman or Batman runs). But this issue goes beyond what you might expect. We see lots of Mar (and frankly more of the pot-bellied Joan than many readers will care to). While tasteful and gorgeous, the nudes are plentiful and explicit.

Meanwhile, there’s plenty of nudity and sex in the other timeline, which takes place on the island of Ofiusa. A different version of Joan is there with a different woman (she is a different woman, right?) named Isla. She loves sex too, just not with Joan. She’s a painter and has no issues slipping off her clothes to jump into the ocean or to teach Joan a lesson in brushstrokes.

All of this is a polite way of saying that this issue is all about character development and not action. March seems to be setting that up for future issues as he dangles lots of questions in your face. If you can put that aside — and that should be the case while you’re gawking at the artwork — you should be able to enjoy the slow-moving narrative.

Ofiusa is an adult story in every sense of the term. If you’re looking for lots of action, look elsewhere. But if you want a story filled with complex characters searching for a sense of identity in the world, this may be the title for you.

Ofiusa #2 is now available in comic book stores and on digital platforms from Image Comics.