REVIEW: ‘Slots #2′ goes through darkness and adventure
Dan Panosian’s second issue of Slots fills in the character origins gaps of the first issue.
Dan Panosian’s second issue of Slots fills in the character origins gaps of the first issue. Where that established the breezy vibe of Stanley Dance, this one builds out his world and history. As the issue moves pieces into place for some kind of heist or big scam centered around Dance’s return to fighting, it also shows us the past events that led to Dance’s being on the road and living on his luck (and slick smarminess).
I don’t exactly know how Panosian does it, but there’s a lot of brilliance in how he has brought Stanley Dance to life, a lot of nuance and challenging ways to think about the character. Dance is a bad dude you shouldn’t want anything to do with, and yet, you can’t help but want to hang out with him. It’s quite a feat of writing to create this conflict for the reader.
And that’s how I also wind up feeling about this comic. You know this thing is going to take you to some dark places, probably going to show you some trouble you know you shouldn’t ever be a part of. At the same time though, you’re drawn to it, you like the adventure, the thrill, the excitement of seeing just how long your luck will hold. I’m ready for the ride, I want to see what Panosian and Dance are planning.
Reviewed by Carljoe Javier. He loves comics. He is Managing Editor of Anino Comics, writes comics and prose, and teaches at the Ateneo Department of Fine Arts. He is also the Creative Director for Smarter Good.
