Idolized #2 Review

"IDOLIZED" #2
DAVID SCHWARTZ- STORY/ MICAH GUNNELL and PASQUALE QUALANO- ART/ DAVID CURIEL- COLORS

We join Leslie (aka Joule) amidst her fight to make her name in the first season of America's Super Hero Idol reality show. She must complete series of taxing battles to prove her worth for a spot in the super-powered group, The Powered Protectors.
Can Leslie defeat robot challengers, overcome her anger, win votes from viewers across America, and make her way to the Top Ten contestants in Super Hero Idol?

What worked well for me was the general idea of this book. You take all these young super powered beings and entice them to come on an elimination show to prove who's the #1 contestant. The story follows Leslie who is very sympathetic and has good intentions, but we see there is a side of her begging to get out when she's in battle with holograms made to look like villains.

What I didn't really grasp onto was how by the numbers it was. Good girl amongst a bunch of stereotypical young folk who has the good heart to succeed over everyone else. Also a handsome guy with a letterman jacket trying to get on her good side in trying to sympathize with her on the show. This may all change as the issues continue and it's not enough to make me want to put down the book and stop reading. Sometimes you need the basic set up like this to get into the heavy parts of the story.

Overall I feel like it was an interesting issue with some great ideas, but a little rocky execution. The art stood out the most for me and was consistent throughout with great coloring to compliment the pencils. The creative team (Schwartz, Qualano, Curiel) seem to have a good flow in the book and the writing does match the art style which helps make the story work. It may be a bit cliche at times, but the potential is just under the surface at this point.