Jenny Zero vol. 2: Homeland Insecurities
Vol. 1 left off with Jenny agreeing to go into the Action Science Police’s custody after she got her hands on her father’s journal. That was all for the greater good in the fight against kaiju. At least, that’s what the ASP’s Director Santo tells her after she’s had a chance to work out some (deadly) aggression. From there, Jenny continues the fight against giant monsters, death cults, and death cults using huge advertising eyesores as giant monsters. She’s more than up to the challenger, especially with best friend Dana Sheratin at her side, even as the stakes become greater with each battle and the ASP demands that she *gulp* stay on script at public speaking events.
The first volume of “Jenny Zero” was a fun romp through the conventions of kaiju movies that was livened up considerably by its title character. Jenny’s irreverence and complete disdain for proper decorum in most situations is still in effect here and just as entertaining. Co-writers Brockton McKinney and Dave Dwonch generate a lot of fun in showing how their protagonist treats any situation with an inherent lack of disrespect and still muster the necessary fortitude to see it through. It also continues to look good courtesy of artist Magenta King, who sports a more refined style this time out.
While a lot of this volume builds on what made the first one fun, it does stumble at the end. Where vol. 1 had a cliffhanger that sprang up organically from what had come before, vol. 2 artificially raises the stakes with a sequence that could’ve been appended to the start of the third volume. Unless the creators felt that there wasn’t going to be a third volume unless they ended things on a note that would have “Jenny Zero’s” audience demanding it. I’m not really a fan of that approach, but vol. 2 is still entertaining enough that I’d like to see Jenny’s adventures continue in subsequent volume(s).