The Adepta Sororitas of the Imperium have been sent in to investigate problems on a mining planet. There is some question regarding the morale of the people who work there. And this is the least of their concerns as they dive into a tunnel occupied in part by at least one creature of chaos in Warhammer 40,000: Sisters of Battle #2. Written by Torunn Grønbekk, the second part in the five-part series heats-up with art by Edgar Salazar. Grønbekk’s distinct take on brutal sci-fi warfare is enjoyable. Still, there isn’t enough differentiation between this series and the one which preceded it to fully embrace the potential of the Warhammer 40,000 world.

The mining colony is happy. No concerns. No complaints. Labor is actually kind of OK with everything. So there’s no question that something is wrong. But what exactly is it? Could it be that they have backed away from the righteousness of the Imperium and begun to embrace chaos? The presence of a dangerous daemon in the tunnels is kind of a red flag that not all is well in the mines. Will the Sisters of Battle be able to fend it off unscathed? Probably not: this IS the world of Warhammer.

Grønbekk curves out fascinating territory in The second issue of the series. The interplay between brutal futuristic warfare and politics nestles itself into a story featuring a group of women who are elite fighters. Nothing is overplayed. It’s all very well articulated. However, Marvel’s Second Warhammer 40,000 series doesn’t differentiate itself enough from the language preceding it to really make much of an impact. The specific and unique badassery of the Sisters of Battle is quite appealing, but it would take a lot more than just about to make a memorable impression after the story of Marneus Calgar, which precedes the series.

Salazar has a firm grasp on the darkness of the world. His faithfulness to the Lord, and he only has been established by many designers before him over the decades, is palpable. The problem is that reaction doesn’t necessarily lift off the page all that well. It’s all laid out fairly, definitely. There’s a sense of power and percussion about it that is quite true to the style of the Warhammer world, but it lacks the depth necessary to feel like anything other than a big, hopeless mess. However, it is worth noting that this is more or less faithful to the impenetrable chaos that is the world of the Imperium.

The series direction may be following pretty closely with the type of thing that has sold well in a game of format in recent years. There is, however, a huge world out there beyond space Marines and the emperor that would benefit from a series like this. As it is, Sisters of Battle hasn’t really found its own voice within the confines of the Warhammer 40,000 property. It just feels kind of like an echo of the series that came before it. It was slightly mutated and pleasantly enjoyable but lacking the distinct fingerprint that it would need to be something truly extraordinary.

Grade: B