Feb 10

Feb 10 Scout's Honor #2 // Review

Scouts Honor #2 is written by David Pepose, drawn by Luca Casalanguida, colored by Matt Milla, and lettered by Carlos M. Mangual. Scouts Honor #2 offers a brief look into Kit's past while also expanding on the secrets and lies surrounding the Ranger Scouts and their true purpose.

When Scout's Honor #1 left off, Kit had learned the devastating truth behind Scout founder Doctor Jonathan Hancock's death; the Ranger Scouts he supposedly loved killed him. This is a devastating realization for Kit because she's dedicated her life to the Ranger Scouts. During a brief flashback at the start of Scout's Honor #2, we learn that the very reason Kit wanted to become a Ranger Scout was because she saw them as heroic protectors. And after her mother dies, she wants to be able to protect herself and her dad.

Kit is a hero among her troop of Ranger Scouts. She's one of the best. And because of this, the Scoutmaster wants Kit to undergo the Trials of the Eagle, a grueling test designed to find recruits for the Eagle's Guard. Doing so would mean getting deeper into an organization she no longer trusts and potentially taking away that spot from her best friend, Dez. But in order to learn the truth about the Scouts, it's a risk she may have to take.

In Scout's Honor #2, the story Pepose tells intensifies as the stakes increase for Kit. The Scoutmaster's interest in Kit feels even more dangerous than before now that she's not only hiding her gender but her concerns about the true nature of the Ranger Scouts. Also, in this issue, Pepose reminds readers that Kit is still just a teenager, despite how circumstances have forced her to grow up too fast. And that makes the circumstances she faces in Scout's Honor #2 even more painful.

Casalanguida's linework has a loose, sketchy feel to it that fits perfectly with the rough and tumble post-apocalyptic world of the Ranger Scouts. And Casalanguida does a lot with character and costume design in Scout's Honor #2. There's a huge contrast in the discipline and fighting styles of the Ranger Scouts and the Highwaymen, and their costumes reflect that. While the Ranger Scouts have their formal uniforms, the Highwaymen have more of a ragtag look, like they scavenged the bits and pieces of their armor. The Highwaymen aren't concerned with looking like a unified front, only staying alive.

Just as in the previous issue, Milla's colors are stunning, despite the setting of Scout's Honor #2 being a bleak and barren, ravaged world. Milla is able to do a lot with color. From the dusty, muddy brown of the Ranger Scouts' "Proving Grounds" to the deep pinks and purples of Dez and Kit's emotionally tense trip to the mysterious Eagle's Nest, Milla uses color to match the mood of the scene.

Mangual's lettering is a complement to the art. Mangual's letters feel similar to the loose and sketchy feel of Casalanguida's linework while still being easy to read. And the layout of the speech bubbles is easy to follow without getting in the way of the action. Mangual also does a wonderful job of creating dynamic sound effects both in and outside of action scenes.

As the mystery and tension build in Scout's Honor #2, readers are in for a wild ride as the Scout Rangers' real story unravels.