Metalla #2 Review: Metalla Makes you feel like you are holding a piece of glass! by Patrick Aguisi

Metalla the 13th is one of those titles that makes you feel like you are holding on to a piece of glass. On one hand, the glass dazzles when hit by the light, and you can see a reflection of yourself and all of the worries that plague you on its enthralling surface. On the other, the edges of the glass have not been dulled, and the slightest misstep in handling can result to fractures that would forever ruin the worth of the piece you hold.

And this is the best way to describe Metalla. So far, the story has been intriguing (no seriously, it hits a 10/10 on the intrigue-o-meter), with the potential to become MUCH more. The title tries to take you through a narrative that most Nigerians are already conscious of– stuff that we are ever ready whine and gripe about amongst ourselves, but are often hesitant to speak about in the presence of outsiders.

You can tell it is a story with an intent to be gritty. I got that much from the first installment. Metalla #2 continues in this form, and it sets up a series of events that have ridiculous potential to be story-telling gold…. As if the designs of the characters in the book (Metalla themselves) were not awesome enough already.

I like what I am seeing. However, like the piece of glass, if handled poorly, the un-dulled edges would cut the reader and the story-telling might fall apart and shatter. The book chooses to utilize a non-linear narrative. And you can tell that we are currently still in the set-up phase, so it is incredibly hard to judge at the moment.

As a standalone title, Metalla #2 is good. Some great scenes. Nice artwork. Nothing too noteworthy about the story in this issue. When looked at, however, as the second part of a broader narrative, of which I know the writer to be very capable of (judging by his past works), Metalla #2 springs to life as an important cog in the wheel, one which we would be sure to return to most often down the line, as events that have been set in motion begin to fall into place.

I rate it at a 3.5/5. Incredible book, but best read with the issues that would be sure to follow.

The Metalla characters and design get an 8/10. I honestly cannot help but study their form in each page. This is one book that will remain on my shelf (or desktop) for a while to come.