The Question: All Along the Watchtower (2024-) #2

by Alex Segura, Cian Tormey (artist)

As the Justice League Watchtower reels from a grisly murder, the Question must face a dark that the main suspect in the brutal crime could be someone close to her! But as Renee digs into the unsavory mystery, she’s derailed by an unexpected—and powerful—new foe. But are the killing and surprise attack related? If so, who’s pulling the strings? The Question must navigate clues and double crosses to get to the truth…if she can survive that long.

Genres: Comics, Dc Comics

Kindle Edition

Published December 18, 2024

About the author

Alex Segura is the bestselling and award-winning author of Secret Identity, which The New York Times called “wittily original” and named an Editor’s Choice. NPR described the novel as “masterful” and The L.A. Times called it “a magnetic read.”

Secret Identity received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly, Kirkus, and Booklist, was listed as one of the Best Mysteries of the Year by NPR, Kirkus, Booklist, LitReactor, Gizmodo, BOLO Books, and the South Florida Sun Sentinel, was nominated for the Anthony Award for Best Hardcover, the Lefty and Barry Awards for Best Novel, the Macavity Award for Best Mystery Novel, and won the LA Times Book Prize in the Mystery/Thriller category.

His upcoming work includes the YA superhero adventure Araña/Spider-Man 2099: Dark Tomorrow, the follow-up to Secret Identity, Alter Ego, and the sci-fi/espionage thriller, Dark Space (with Rob Hart). Alex is also the author of Star Wars Poe Dameron: Free Fall, the Anthony Award-nominated Pete Fernandez Miami Mystery series, and a number of comic books – including The Mysterious Micro-Face (in partnership with NPR), The Black Ghost, The Archies, The Dusk, The Awakened, Mara Llave – Keeper of Time, Blood Oath, stories featuring Marvel heroes the Avengers, Sunspot, White Tiger, Spider-Man and DC’s Superman, Sinestro, and The Question, to name a few.

His short story, “90 Miles” was included in The Best American Mystery and Suspense Stories for 2021 and won the Anthony Award for Best Short Story. Another short story,“Red Zone,” won the 2020 Anthony Award for Best Short Story.

Alex is also the co-creator of the Lethal Lit podcast, named one of the best fiction podcasts of 2018 by The New York Times.

A Miami native, he lives in New York with his wife and children.

Reviews

[Roland Baldwin · Rating 5 out of 5]

So many classic cameos. Renee and Kate doing their usual dance. I’m really enjoying this.

[Cybernex007 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am really loving this series, especially with how large the watchtower feels. Every moment there is a new section and it’s own world to explore, I would love to just have a montage or Renee walking around. But with his much that has happened in only 2 days, that does feel impossible. This issue picks up with the near death of the challenger as animal man is woken up by Tawny (love that he is there) to see the cage that was busted ho from the Thanagarian leopard that escaped. We saw at the end of the last issue the blood stained mess it left behind in the questions quarters and now she is seeing the same thing. But even worse is the security footage Ted shows her…as it clearly shows a disoriented challenger in her room as batwoman leads the leopard and opens the door for it to maul him. This is probably the worst thing that could have happened.

So of course the sober Renee decides to go to the one place with all the answers…a bar. But not just any bar, apparently nightshade runs this bar!! I absolutely love that!! This is such a question and generic noir thing to go to the bar for answers and I love it. Turns out she did actually see batwoman last night, but she was strange. Bolted out like she forgot something without paying her tab. It was weird.

But even stranger is what is currently happening in the armory, which is lead by the bulleteer! Which is so cool to see again!! She is a bit disgruntled about managing inventory but she will be damned if she will let the eradication show up and just start taking whatever he wants. Had to do a bit of research on the eradication never heard of it before, but it is a Kryptonian robot hybrid that believes it is the most pure Superman but it shouldn’t have the ability to mind control the bulleteer like it did. Or maybe it didn’t, I’m wondering if an external source did that. But nonetheless I also had to look up what it stole which was a green lantern ring from Malvolio, which seems like a pretty deep cut callback.

Meanwhile in the hospital room of the challenger Kenn Kawa, Kate Kane is looking over and wondering what happened…that when Renee shows up and decides to pull the bad cop routine before pulling out the security footage. As Kate tries to explain that isn’t her, Kenn suddenly wakes up!! He starts yelling about “him” being inside the watchtower trying to control him and that he wants Kenn to give him everything and that he’s coming for the atom project and its secrets and they he won’t let him have it. And just then the door is ripped open at the eradication bursts in with the green lantern ring in hand. Question orders Batwoman to get Kenn out of there as she runs forward to take on the eradicator herself! He doesn’t see them as a threat which plays a bit to their advantage, plus with the new ring he seems wobbly and unsure with his power. Just as eradicator started to get the upper hand on Renee, the ring was disabled within its containment unit, as Ted, Buddy, and the bulleteer all showed up with the tech and skills to take him down, plus a Kryptonite ring to really weaken him. It may not have been the most practical thing to get her questions answered but Renee took great satisfaction in snapping the eradicator shin.

Something much deeper and much worse is going on in the watchtower and Renee is having a hard time grasping the watchtower itself. To make matters worse batwoman hates how Renee treated her especially when they are supposed to be friends and colleagues and now feels like Renee can’t trust anyone. And to make matters worse this issue ends with a focus on Jaime as he receives a call from Ted asking where the brig is. He’s a bit shocked that he needs his help as he is with others but he decides to leave his post to help…as he leaves the computer lights up as a search on the phantom zone containment begins and then something is disabled. I’m 90% sure that was a faked call and something just got let out, crap I can’t wait for the next issue.

[James B · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another really good issue but leaves a lot of questions.