The Warriors #2 (Dabel Brothers – Atchison / DiBari / Pearson)
With Cyrus murdered and Cleon missing or dead, the Warriors want nothing more than to get back to the safety of their home turf. But it’s a long way from the Bronx to Coney Island when every gang in New York is after you and every street brings you face-to-face with a new fight for survival. Dabel Brothers’ adaptation of the cult-classic film continues…
The Warriors have met their first challenge, of making it safely out of the inter-gang clandestine meeting where Cyrus, the messiah figure in gangland, is killed and they have been blamed. Now, all they have to do is try to get home in one piece and even then, the fact that they make it back to their own turn might not be enough protection from the powers and thugs that are after them. This second issue covers the Warriors taking on the Orphans, the police and the introduction of uber-hottie but loud-mouthed Mercy.
The creative team is doing an excellent job of translating the beloved movie into a comic. Any fan of the original cult film will enjoy this new telling. David Atchison’s (Occult Crimes Task Force) writing is solid. While the character’s aren’t necessarily the most deep, Atchison is able to write them in such a way that at least they are believable and likable. In all honesty he isn’t veering too far from the source material, but he is presenting it in a competent and credible way, but no big creative tangents.
The piece of this project that would make it or break it would be the art. Chris DiBari comes through “like a muther’!”, his art give the reader the a real “street view” to the action. Dibari’s use of shadow and angles is what makes the comic reader feel the pressure and almost makes you root outloud for the Warriors.
The only real criticism I have is I wish Dabel Brothers would get this out faster, so we can explore the Warrior-verse quicker! As of right now, there is a 2010 Warriors Sequel planned – I hope Dabel Brothers is able to get us the stories before Hollywood does!
Issue Grade: A-
