Eternity Girl #2 // Review
Series writer Magdalene Visaggio and her creative team featuring artist Sonny Liew and colorist Chris Chuckry are back for issue two of this mini series that explores the darker side of being a superhero. Main character Caroline Sharp, also known as Chrysalis, was mutated into a humanoid being who has trouble controlling her incredible matter manipulation powers. After an incident in the offices of agency Alpha 13 where she works, Caroline is placed on paid leave. Caroline’s world begins to unravel as she spirals into a deep depression. Caroline wants to die, and has tried to end her life many times. However, her powers make her immortal as far as she knows. That knowledge, of course, only make her depression worsen. This is the driving force of the series, and a hot button issue in society that doesn’t get enough of the attention that it deserves. How Caroline deals with her depression, and how others either deal with it or try to help her through it, is going to lead to a thrilling and potentially dangerous climax.
Magdalene Visaggio is tapping into elements rarely touched on to this degree in comics with Caroline and her deepening depression. At the end of the last issue, Caroline has a long conversation with the skeletal remain of her enemy, Madame Atom. In the middle of this conversation, however, Caroline is shown to be having lunch with her friend Dani who has been trying to help her cope with everything going on. What seems to become confusing is when or if this conversation is happening. The crux of this conversation is that Madame Atom knows how Caroline can end her life. This conversation continues into the next issue, along with Dani taking Caroline out to a comedy club to try easing her back into society. Visaggio takes her writing to a new level with the continuation of these two separate conversations. This is a perfect representation of how far Caroline has spiraled out of control, as she can no longer separate reality from fantasy, and Madame Atom has now become a manifestation of her illness.
Visaggio continues exploring these diverting journeys, one physical one mental. Caroline, uses her matter manipulation powers struggles to assume her former appearance, before her accident to attend to comedy show with Dani. Elsewhere, she is being led by a now-normal looking Madame Atom deep into space, with the explanation that Caroline will only be at peace once she destroys reality as they know it. Caroline has a falling out with Dani, also shedding her disguise, and decides to confront her boss that placed her on leave. Meanwhile, in space, Atom and Chrysalis, as Caroline is referred to by Atom, confront a Cosmic God that blocks them from their goal. The dichotomy in which Magdalene has written these epic confrontations on separate planes of reality is superb.
As mentioned earlier, artist Sonny Liew has now depicted Madame Atom as a person of flesh and blood. Coupled with the revelations of her slip from reality, this makes her appearance all the more eerie. She was quite frightening in her skeletal form, however now, as a fleshed out manifestation, she has an even greater hold on Caroline’s psyche. Liew also delivers an incredible character in the Space God Astrolas. This is an astounding looking character and a great representation of the hurdles that Caroline must clear in her dual realities.
Colorist Chris Chuckry really gets to fly high in this issue. The cosmic journey that Caroline ferries off on is a visual treat for readers. Beautiful colors fill what normally would be the blackness of space, while in reality, Caroline is left with a very bleak night with blueish gray twilight and the sickly orange yellow glow of streetlights.
Magdalene Visaggio and her creative team have a real gem on their hands. Exploring these dueling realities hindering on mental health is something that hasn’t been analyzed in this depth. With these new revelations about Caroline’s mental health, it will be interesting to see just how far Caroline will spiral and if anyone will be able to give her the help she desperately needs. The real question though is, will she actually want that help, knowing she may be able to end her life finally?
