Reviewing TROPA # 2

This week, Sacred Mountain was finally able to release the long awaited second issue of Tropa. I was fortunate enough to find that a copy of the said issue was already available at Comic Odyssey in Eastwood City, Libis. So here goes... but first a complementary recap:

Last issue, we learned that for some weird coincidence (or it may be fate) a group of five friends have found themselves empowered with different abilities. Although at first not all of them knew about each other's powers, a reunion of sorts have had them reveal each others secrets to one another. However, this reunion was interrupted when they are suddenly attacked by a group of manananggals.

NO MAJOR SPOILAGE: Now... here's what I like about the story-telling style used by Mr. Monsanto: it's like watching the television series Lost. As the team go about attempting to ward off their attackers, we also learn a few more tidbits about their past... some more mysterious than others. And while some questions are answered, we also get new mysteries like: Who the heck is kuya? What the heck is she? What will happen to the new guy?

There are some beats of the story that I don't think fits one another: like mixing science-fiction (time-travel and an apocalyptic future) with fantastical elements (magic and monsters). But it's just me. Maybe in the long run I'll be able to love the mesh of these genres (like I was able to love the mesh of space and western on Firefly). I also have an inkling to where one subplot may go but I'm a sucker for this type of tragedies. I just hope that I'll get a wonderful surprise in the end.

I would also like to commend the fact that even though the art on this komik is a collaboration among may talents in the industry, it wasn't inconsistent. My greatest fear about this book is that the art would suck because we get a different artist on every page. I am happy to report that that is not the case. The artists' styles seamlessly complement one another resulting in a unnoticable change (okay, so maybe a little) in art style. I just hope that we always get this on every issue.

All in all it was a good issue and I will be coming back for more installments of this tale. I just hope that I don't have to wait another year for issue 3.