It’s finally here, and the worst thing I can say about it is that it took so long to be released. I can’t remember the last time I experienced this kind of anticipation for the next episode of anything. Comic books haven’t inspired much but anger, boredom, and nausea for many years…until Alt★Hero came along.

As much as I’ve enjoyed all the Alt★Hero releases, the first Q comic was my favorite. It ended on a high point (of a dramatic, not emotional, quality) and I did wonder if the next one could live up to the promise established by the artwork, plotting, and action.

Not to worry. The art seems like a slight step down from last time, but the writing is still very strong.

As the title implies, Roland Dane was supposed to die alongside the target of the deep state hit in South America right before Q made contact with him. Q temporarily convinced the Cabal that their “two-fer” successfully took out Agent Dane, then Q gave Dane a new life and new identity, as well as a new mission.

That mission involves getting some background on the replacement for the assassinated Secretary of State, and it isn’t long before Dane is feeling the heat from the kill-crazy Cabal.

So far as I know, real-life Q enthusiasts/allies/researchers/autists work almost entirely online, at sites like 8Chan (which, by sheer coincidence, of course, was shut down due to pressure from powerful and shadowy entities unbothered by Internet forums populated by people actually guilty of what they accuse 8Chan denizens). In this story, though, the anons are more deeply invested, and physically involved in Q’s clandestine operations–in a support capacity, at least.

Some of the technical details (particularly with regard to military minutiae) are still being flubbed–which is par for the course in just about all entertainment these days. Not since Marvel’s The Nam back in the ’80s have I seen consistent effort at technical accuracy in a comic book.

Exposition was handled quickly and deftly in the first issue, yet it feels like the main plot is still being set up. Action junkies will be delighted with how the narrative is being weaved, though the individual issues certainly seem to fly by quickly. I’m still as intrigued as a reader can be, but I hope I don’t have to wait this long again for #3.