Barb Wire #2 has Barb attempting to go toe to toe with Stormblud in order to save her bar from being sold to the highest bidder. After her tangle with him last issue she initially has no intentions of trying to apprehend him, and considering the police already did so, she feels relieved about that. She feels better going after lesser bounties, such as one she’s able to track down while he’s racing his motorcycle in the streets. She interrupts the race by driving alongside him and informs him that she’s bail enforcement. He tries to take her out like many before him but she’s able to knock him off his motorcycle and take him down for the count. The camera crew with her catches everything but her partners are worried and want to leave the area soon. They’re not wrong as the crowd watching the race catches up to them and starts shooting at the van but they’re able to escape unscathed. She hunts down many bounties and she has a nice haul when she heads to the police station to collect her reward. But when Stormblud breaks out of prison, and in turn frees her bounties causing her to lose all that money, Barb Wire is faced with a hard choice of going after Stormblud to recoup her money. But how can she take him down when even prison bars can’t hold him?

The first issue was thrilling and I immediately felt pulled into the story being built up. And if the first issue got everything on track faster than the two racing on the motorcycles at the start of this issue then this issue would be like Barb pulling up alongside those two racers making her presence known. Even though this issue started off action-packed, which wasn’t a bad thing, it would soon return to the dilemma of how Barb could address Stormblud and gave her an organic reason to even think of going after him after that initial encounter. The fight this time was more entertaining but was interrupted just as it got into the thick of it. But now I’m looking forward to this battle between Barb and Stormblud even more because of this turn of events. And Stormblud became a more intriguing character because of the way his actions have affected the power structure in Steel Harbor with him acquiring followers and making other gangs nervous. I don’t know if he’ll ever become more than just a blithering idiot but kudos to the way Chris Warner is constructing the story because it may not even matter if he doesn’t. The motivations of the other characters, and the current state of the city, make Stormblud’s existence enough to create an entertaining chain of events and situations because the other characters are already interesting, and he’s unique in the mix. And that’s what made this issue so much fun to read because it’s not just one thing that made it enjoyable but the wonderful way everything came together and contributed to the overall state of things. And now I can’t wait to see how the plan to address Stormblud unfolds.

SUMMARY

Barb Wire #2 is an explosive follow up issue full of intense action and entertaining character development. The way Barb’s routine bounties are connected to her eventual plan to go after Stormblud feels like a natural and necessary development. And the impact on the power structure and current events taking place in Steel Harbor can’t be underestimated. And, of course, the action is terrific with the artwork making it extremely enjoyable. I’m getting hooked to this series and all it has to offer.

Release Date: 8/5/15

Writer: Chris Warner

Artist: Patrick Olliffe