Comics Reviews

Comic Book Review: Mech Cadets #2

September 14, 2023

by Tony Rhea, Reporter

When the hits come, they keep coming, and this couldn’t be more true than with this series. Mech Cadets #2 hits us this week, and it hits HARD.

Official Description:
The cadets don’t know what’s in store for them when they discover a Sharg prison! But solemnity strikes as the battles rage and our heroes and even their Robos have tragedy in store. And as all feels hopeless, Hero Force Two comes under attack, and an unexpected ally will make the ultimate sacrifice for the greater good…

Creative Team:
Written by: Greg Pak
Illustrated by: Takeshi Miyazawa
Colors by: Ian Herring
Letters by: Simon Bowland

The cadets continue their adventure in space to save Frank’s cousin, while General Park heads off to reign in his headstrong daughter. This battle with the Sharg brings more than just fighting, however, as discoveries are made that change the stakes of this war, and decisions are made that will change things for everyone.

Pak does an amazing job blending levity and seriousness. There are some fun moments in this issue, as well as a gut punch I didn’t see coming. Mech Cadets is truly shaping up to be a story that will continue to be talked about for years to come, and I don’t think this would be possible without Pak at the helm. The larger story hinted at in the ending of “Mech Cadet Yu” is coming into greater focus, and I couldn’t be more excited for the direction they are taking it.

While I’m a fan of the redesigns used for the Netfilx series, I’m a much bigger fan of Miyazawa’s designs for these robos, and the Sharg are equal parts terrifying and interesting. With the inclusion of more robotic components on the Sharg, their designs will only get more interesting as this series continues. There are some great battle panels in this issue, but it’s the last page that really brings it all home.

Mech Cadets #2 is fantastic, and if you haven’t picked it up yet, you really should. This series is a standout of the Mecha genre, and this issue is quite possibly the best so far between Mech Cadet Yu and Mech Cadets. This is an easy “buy this if you only buy one comic this week” for me, and I think anyone else that reads it would agree.

Rating:
ComicsOnline gives Mech Cadets #2 an easily-earned and well-deserved 5 out of 5 sweet robos!