Who is Hellfighter Quin?
Hellfighter Quin #2 kicks off immediately where the first issue left us. Quin, knee deep in the deadly prize fighting contest known as The Tribunal. For those new to the piece: Quin is the Harlem Hellfighter. A deadly sort of vigilante superhero (retired) used to keeping the Harlem streets clean of gangbangers and drug dealers.
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All caught up?
Harlem Dungeon Trotters
Hellfighter Quin #2 centres around Quin’s continued struggle to win The Tribunal and survive. Although this issue quickly distances itself from the solo prizefighter routine of the first issue. With the unwilling team up of fellow competitors, Deadeye and Glass Assassin, the second issue quickly turns into Baldur’s Gate starring the Harlem Hellfighter. Which isn’t a bad thing. Go the Harlem Dungeon Trotters!
Just when you think the dynamics of this show is going to remain relatively locked into the Dungeon Raiders subtext. An ominous reveal of the Doomseer, an extra dimensional being of phenomenal power and polar opposite to the Queen, makes a dramatic entrance. Which causes the Queen to pass a portion of her power onto Quin, Deadeye and Shard.
While we get a brief encounter of Quin versus Invictus. Who you may remember as the one who killed Tyrell in the first issue. It’s nowhere near as interesting as the final reveal on the last page where Quin meets his next challenge: Mainframe. Who looks more akin to Steven Wang’s Guyver and I’m all for this!
Only a Few Issues with this Release
Hellfighter Quin #2 is a welcome move as it explores the various facets and motivational nuances of Quin and his companions. While there are some dialogue choices that raise an eyebrow. Specifically, the understanding of context within the world the characters are in, and how deviating can hurt the seriousness of the story. For instance, Quin’s use of “eat this skeletor” in a world where Skeletor doesn’t exist only serves to deliver a cheap quip.
There are other issues that come into play around the hastening of character progression between Shard and Quin that I don’t agree with. While the art from Atagun more than makes up for any shortcomings in the character subtext.
Definitely a higher rating for a 2nd issue that isn’t afraid to venture where no prizefighter has gone before.
Available from April 15th through Mad Cave Studios.