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Mother Panic #2
Mother Panic, Vol. 2: Under Her Skin
One of the breakout hits from Gerard Way's DC's Young Animal imprint, featuring a new vigilante on the streets of Gotham City in this new graphic novel MOTHER PANIC VOL. 2!
Part of Gerard Way's new imprint, DC's Young Animal!
Gotham's newest vigilante, Mother Panic, sees a life she once saved again struck by tragedy, causing her to take a deeper look at her mission of revenge and her role in Gotham City. But when she gets a hunch about the new murderer in Gotham, are impulsiveness and a thirst for vengeance really the right tools to stop a killer?
Collects issues #7-12 of this brand-new series from Jody Houser (Faith) with art by Shawn Crystal (ARKHAM MANOR)!
MOTHER PANIC is a part of DC's Young Animal--a four-book grassroots mature-reader imprint, creatively spearheaded by Gerard Way, bridging the gap between the DCU and Vertigo, and focusing on the juxtaposition between visual and thematic storytelling.
Part of Gerard Way's new imprint, DC's Young Animal!
Gotham's newest vigilante, Mother Panic, sees a life she once saved again struck by tragedy, causing her to take a deeper look at her mission of revenge and her role in Gotham City. But when she gets a hunch about the new murderer in Gotham, are impulsiveness and a thirst for vengeance really the right tools to stop a killer?
Collects issues #7-12 of this brand-new series from Jody Houser (Faith) with art by Shawn Crystal (ARKHAM MANOR)!
MOTHER PANIC is a part of DC's Young Animal--a four-book grassroots mature-reader imprint, creatively spearheaded by Gerard Way, bridging the gap between the DCU and Vertigo, and focusing on the juxtaposition between visual and thematic storytelling.
144 pages, Paperback
First published February 27, 2018
2 people are currently reading
145 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews
August 15, 2022
The story telling is much more focused in this book compared to volume 1. The flashbacks are less chaotic and easier to follow. I really liked the story in the first half of the book. John Paul Leon is a gifted storyteller and I didn't find myself lost at all. The villain was interesting as well. Then Shawn Crystal steps in on the second half of the book and I was lost half the time again. His style is cartoony which doesn't fit the tone of the book at all. All of the women characters looked the same. I was constantly confused by the love interest and best friend who look exactly the same. I wish the backup story that now spans both volumes would be collected in its entirety when it is complete instead of being split across multiple volumes. I had no idea what was going on in that story.
Mother Panic has a very neat visual look to the character. It has the potential to be an interesting book if Houser is given the right artist who can stay on the book for awhile.
Mother Panic has a very neat visual look to the character. It has the potential to be an interesting book if Houser is given the right artist who can stay on the book for awhile.
February 1, 2018
Much more focused.
World: The art is fine for the first three issues, the tone is consistent to the dialog and the art informs the feel of the book the writer is going for. Then the next three issues come with Crytal and the art becomes cartoonish and the heavy story becomes disjointed due to the art. I’m not saying the art is not good, just not good for this series. The world building here this time around is much improved. There is still the choppy nature of the Gather House and the origins of Violet Panic and the name Mother Panic, it’s a lot more put together this time around and the world building weaves a lot better with the narrative but still needs a bit work.
Story: The story is much better this time around. Where the first 6 issues were an utter and unreadable mess this is much more focused and the plotting is much more linear. I don’t think Houser had the ability to write the multiple time jumps and stitched together narrative that she was hoping for in the last 6 issues and now with this one the story is much more palatable. The idea of Violet and her past and Mother Panic and her mission is much more clear and well done. I did enjoy this arc quite a bit more. The first 3 issues in particular really surprised me, they were well constructed and safe but with the added flavor of Violet I enjoyed it. The second 3 issues were a bit choppy and the art did not really help the heavy tone of Gather House which took me away from it. Also the reveal of the sister and the name was a bit rushed.
Characters: Violet was a mess in the first book not only because of her character but because of the terrible writing. This time around the she’s much more fully realized and we see Houser’s intention for her. Violet is a mess, she is directionless and living with a lot of anger and trauma and this is an interesting look at what it does to a person and how they lash out, sometimes without logic. I like how much of a mess she is and how much that she clearly is a work in progress and her worst enemy is herself. This was what I gathered from the pieces from the first 6 issues and here it’s much better defined. I am invested in her journey. Now we need to slow it a bit down and also develop the people around her to give her little slice of the DC universe some weight and depth. The first villain looked very cool but was forgettable and the second villain was wasted as it was suppose to be huge for Violet as a character but yeah it could have been better.
Much improved. I am starting to see the intention of Houser with Violet and I like this work in progress, I like seeing her fail and discovering her as a character. Keep up this structure, slow it a bit more down and give us more quiet moments to fill in the character gaps and we have an interesting new character roaming around Gotham.
Onward to the next book!
*read individual issues*
World: The art is fine for the first three issues, the tone is consistent to the dialog and the art informs the feel of the book the writer is going for. Then the next three issues come with Crytal and the art becomes cartoonish and the heavy story becomes disjointed due to the art. I’m not saying the art is not good, just not good for this series. The world building here this time around is much improved. There is still the choppy nature of the Gather House and the origins of Violet Panic and the name Mother Panic, it’s a lot more put together this time around and the world building weaves a lot better with the narrative but still needs a bit work.
Story: The story is much better this time around. Where the first 6 issues were an utter and unreadable mess this is much more focused and the plotting is much more linear. I don’t think Houser had the ability to write the multiple time jumps and stitched together narrative that she was hoping for in the last 6 issues and now with this one the story is much more palatable. The idea of Violet and her past and Mother Panic and her mission is much more clear and well done. I did enjoy this arc quite a bit more. The first 3 issues in particular really surprised me, they were well constructed and safe but with the added flavor of Violet I enjoyed it. The second 3 issues were a bit choppy and the art did not really help the heavy tone of Gather House which took me away from it. Also the reveal of the sister and the name was a bit rushed.
Characters: Violet was a mess in the first book not only because of her character but because of the terrible writing. This time around the she’s much more fully realized and we see Houser’s intention for her. Violet is a mess, she is directionless and living with a lot of anger and trauma and this is an interesting look at what it does to a person and how they lash out, sometimes without logic. I like how much of a mess she is and how much that she clearly is a work in progress and her worst enemy is herself. This was what I gathered from the pieces from the first 6 issues and here it’s much better defined. I am invested in her journey. Now we need to slow it a bit down and also develop the people around her to give her little slice of the DC universe some weight and depth. The first villain looked very cool but was forgettable and the second villain was wasted as it was suppose to be huge for Violet as a character but yeah it could have been better.
Much improved. I am starting to see the intention of Houser with Violet and I like this work in progress, I like seeing her fail and discovering her as a character. Keep up this structure, slow it a bit more down and give us more quiet moments to fill in the character gaps and we have an interesting new character roaming around Gotham.
Onward to the next book!
*read individual issues*
November 15, 2018
Whoa talk about a upgrade. While I thought volume 1 was good it lacked solid plotting and artworked was a bit eh. Here? Well damn.
A guy is going around hurting people who have been hurt. So say you were raped, he decides to punish you more, to see if you can truly survive. It's some weird shit but it makes for a compelling villain. Violet sets herself up in a trap to lure him out. On top of that the 2nd half we get some of her past and actually a very creepy villain once again.
Good: I love the first arc. It's pure bait and fight issue. It shows the steps violet will take to take down the villains of Gotham. She just goes by it a different way than our batman. The villain is interesting, the story is, and the dialogue is pretty strong. I also thought the 2nd arc was interesting, getting violet's past is good, and by the end was interested to see where this will go.
Bad: The art on the 2nd half is kind of eh...sometimes decent, sometimes not so good. Hard to tell what the fuck is happening at points or who is who.
A huge step up from volume 1. While 1 was decent, this is great. I want more. 4 out of 5.
A guy is going around hurting people who have been hurt. So say you were raped, he decides to punish you more, to see if you can truly survive. It's some weird shit but it makes for a compelling villain. Violet sets herself up in a trap to lure him out. On top of that the 2nd half we get some of her past and actually a very creepy villain once again.
Good: I love the first arc. It's pure bait and fight issue. It shows the steps violet will take to take down the villains of Gotham. She just goes by it a different way than our batman. The villain is interesting, the story is, and the dialogue is pretty strong. I also thought the 2nd arc was interesting, getting violet's past is good, and by the end was interested to see where this will go.
Bad: The art on the 2nd half is kind of eh...sometimes decent, sometimes not so good. Hard to tell what the fuck is happening at points or who is who.
A huge step up from volume 1. While 1 was decent, this is great. I want more. 4 out of 5.
March 24, 2020
5
The first book was a shot of adrenaline, this second book is the aftermath. Mother Panic is a breath of fresh air for the vigilante model at DC. They tend to have all the same books year after year, so a new character, with larger issues, was a welcomed change. Young Animal's last character Mother Panic is a gritty character exploration and you are less intrigued when she suits up. That's a giant praise to Houser, that she can maintain character, without the vigilante being the only reason for making the series.
Why the 5?
Young Animal have carved themselves out a little corner in the DC world. Jody Houser and the team have created a character that's much grander than the run of the mill characters. The arc is left unfinished here, but there's a last volume and the milk wars spin-off. This volume builds on the first book and answers some of those questions people wanted in the first volume. I enjoyed the first volume and this volume leaps the previous in terms of scope and mystery.
The first book was a shot of adrenaline, this second book is the aftermath. Mother Panic is a breath of fresh air for the vigilante model at DC. They tend to have all the same books year after year, so a new character, with larger issues, was a welcomed change. Young Animal's last character Mother Panic is a gritty character exploration and you are less intrigued when she suits up. That's a giant praise to Houser, that she can maintain character, without the vigilante being the only reason for making the series.
Why the 5?
Young Animal have carved themselves out a little corner in the DC world. Jody Houser and the team have created a character that's much grander than the run of the mill characters. The arc is left unfinished here, but there's a last volume and the milk wars spin-off. This volume builds on the first book and answers some of those questions people wanted in the first volume. I enjoyed the first volume and this volume leaps the previous in terms of scope and mystery.
Read
April 29, 2018So we know why "Mother Panic".
And that's about it. A Batman cameo. A few glimpses of Violet's past. More dirty words and anger issues. And more cryptic pseudo-allegorical monologues by her mother. Gosh, I bloody hate those.
So I got a better grip on Violet and her past. Do I care? Eh.... no. I don't. The character is too angry and unlikeable to attract any sympathy and her origin is way, way too far-fetched for me to take it seriously.
Only John Paul Leon on the board on issues 7 to 9 saved this book from a single * and it's not even the best Leon ever.
Yet another Young Animals series I'm done with.
And that's about it. A Batman cameo. A few glimpses of Violet's past. More dirty words and anger issues. And more cryptic pseudo-allegorical monologues by her mother. Gosh, I bloody hate those.
So I got a better grip on Violet and her past. Do I care? Eh.... no. I don't. The character is too angry and unlikeable to attract any sympathy and her origin is way, way too far-fetched for me to take it seriously.
Only John Paul Leon on the board on issues 7 to 9 saved this book from a single * and it's not even the best Leon ever.
Yet another Young Animals series I'm done with.
May 9, 2018
More background and revenge on the people who made her ....antihero what Batman could have been.
June 29, 2019
I would say that both of the stories in Vol 2 are better than their counterparts in Volume 1 -- the John Paul Leon-illustrated "Victim Complex" is a better noir/origin story than Vol 1's similarly-styled "Work in Progress," an inaugural tale illustrated by Tommy Lee Edwards that attempted to lay the groundwork for Mother Panic without knowing anything at all about the main character. "Victim Complex" demonstrates that the series finally has a handle on itself and, even if MP's backstory is basically just Black Widow with cyborgs, to be totally honest there are far worse ideas.
"Under the Skin," the book's second arc (and the final arc in this iteration of the series) is a slightly better story illustrated by Shawn Crystal than "Broken Things," the completely incomprehensible something-or-other three-parter he drew for Vol 1. Though Jody Houser isn't unique in this, it's still kind of mindblowing to me how some writers can get completely derailed by subpar artists. Crystal can draw a pretty line, but he can't make a page follow a narrative in an understandable way to save his life. And through sheer bad luck, Houser's knack for nifty dialogue goes down the drains right alongside.
None of this is saved by the fact that over twelve issues, Mother Panic's scope whittles down from a broad cyberpunky portrait of conspiracy and espionage into the titular character facing down The Bad Place That Made Her and also One Creepy-But-Overused-Villain over and over.
I continue to feel like Mother Panic is the germ of an idea that the creators don't know how to develop, so they just get high, bang some shit out, and hope something sort of sticks. It's a book that's lazy as fuuuuuck, but I'm also somewhat morbidly curious about its incremental improvement over time. In the world of cancelled-before-conception superhero comics that plague the Big Two, the fact that MP is given so many chances to get it right is a kind of goddamn miracle.
"Under the Skin," the book's second arc (and the final arc in this iteration of the series) is a slightly better story illustrated by Shawn Crystal than "Broken Things," the completely incomprehensible something-or-other three-parter he drew for Vol 1. Though Jody Houser isn't unique in this, it's still kind of mindblowing to me how some writers can get completely derailed by subpar artists. Crystal can draw a pretty line, but he can't make a page follow a narrative in an understandable way to save his life. And through sheer bad luck, Houser's knack for nifty dialogue goes down the drains right alongside.
None of this is saved by the fact that over twelve issues, Mother Panic's scope whittles down from a broad cyberpunky portrait of conspiracy and espionage into the titular character facing down The Bad Place That Made Her and also One Creepy-But-Overused-Villain over and over.
I continue to feel like Mother Panic is the germ of an idea that the creators don't know how to develop, so they just get high, bang some shit out, and hope something sort of sticks. It's a book that's lazy as fuuuuuck, but I'm also somewhat morbidly curious about its incremental improvement over time. In the world of cancelled-before-conception superhero comics that plague the Big Two, the fact that MP is given so many chances to get it right is a kind of goddamn miracle.
November 30, 2019
Dos quadrinhos da Linha Young Animal, Madre Pânico juntamente com a Patrulha do Destino de Gerard Way foi um dos títulos que mais se deu bem e foi melhor realizado. Claro, um dos fatores dele ter se dado bem é que se passa em Gotham City, cidade base do Universo do Homem-Morcego. Nisso, o Batman também acaba aparecendo e fazendo uma breve aparição especial neste quadrinho. Mas muito mais que o background que cerca a Madre Pânico e seu alter-ego o que faz esse quadrinho interessante são os coadjuvantes peculiares e as interações que se estabelecem entre eles. Como quase todos os quadrinhos que fazem parte da linha Young Animal, este também possui um second feature que é a Radio Gotham que apesar de não ter muito a ver com a história da Madre Pânico, está envolta em seu universo gothamita. Os desenhos dessa edição, tem uma metade sensacional que é feita por John Paul Leon e uma metade marromenos que é feita por Shawn Crystal. Este é o encadernado que encerra a primeira fase de Madre Pânico, que é seguido pelas Guerras Lácteas e, depois por Madre Pânico no futuro! Eita nóis!
December 29, 2017
A great second volume! So this series has had some mixed reception for readers; this volume however I felt has really elevated this series In both story and artwork! So this book is split into two mini arcs; the first being, "Victim Complex". I thought this first arc was pretty good, as we see Mother Panic fight a serial killer named the Gotham Coroner; we find out more about her origin. which was nice, shows she's not just a batman clone; speaking of, we get see more Batman and him interacting with Mother Panic which I thought was cool to see! Overall I really enjoyed this first arc, the writing and story just got really good, and it made me appreciate the story and characters a lot more!
Second arc we have "Under The Skin", which also explores more of Mother Panics backstory! I like how this series doesn't give you everything in one issue, we only get bits and pieces of Violets Pages back story and how its often tied to the story, I think is really clever. We also see a return of Madame Gala, who is quickly shaping to be Mother Panics main villain I feel; that was nice to see. Overall I didn't like this story as much as the first arc, but it was entertaining enough, and the artwork was vastly better in this one!
Overall if you haven't picked up this series, I highly suggest you do! Next is the Young Animal, Milk Wars event involving Mother Panic, then after that were getting a new fresh Mother Panic series; although I wish they would just stick with this instead of going back to #1 like comics seem to do these days!
Second arc we have "Under The Skin", which also explores more of Mother Panics backstory! I like how this series doesn't give you everything in one issue, we only get bits and pieces of Violets Pages back story and how its often tied to the story, I think is really clever. We also see a return of Madame Gala, who is quickly shaping to be Mother Panics main villain I feel; that was nice to see. Overall I didn't like this story as much as the first arc, but it was entertaining enough, and the artwork was vastly better in this one!
Overall if you haven't picked up this series, I highly suggest you do! Next is the Young Animal, Milk Wars event involving Mother Panic, then after that were getting a new fresh Mother Panic series; although I wish they would just stick with this instead of going back to #1 like comics seem to do these days!
September 20, 2018
I did like this more than volume 1, although still not as much as I want to like it. The story telling definitely felt more linear this time and they flashbacks provided actual clarification instead of just being incredibly confusing. I didn't like the artist switch in the middle because the cartoony style definitely doesn't go with this title but I guess it could be worse. I'm still so torn because 'queer teen female Batman who was raised by nuns to be an assassin' is like ...just about the best sentence I think I've ever typed, but the actual content continues to fall short of that great expectation. Not sure if I will be continuing with this series, guess I'll decide when the next volume comes out.
September 16, 2018
Easier to follow than the first volume.
September 30, 2018
This was much better than Volume 1, as Mother Panic gets some much-needed development. She doesn't feel like just another Batwoman anymore, but has her own story and characteristics. The story itself was much more personal for her too, and we learn a lot about the experiments she went through in her childhood that made her the way she is.
She also gets a thumbs up from Batman, which is kind of cool. Batsey loves building his little army, doesn't he?
She also gets a thumbs up from Batman, which is kind of cool. Batsey loves building his little army, doesn't he?
September 6, 2018
Better than the first volume, but still disjointed. I wish I could follow the plot points, and I wish they would stick with one art style. I like Violet though, and I like that they're maintaining her bisexuality.
August 27, 2025
📝 Mother Panic Vol. 2: Under Her Skin (#7-12) та Mother Panic: Gotham A.D. (#1-6)
Перший том Мати Паніки у мене викликав дещо суперечливі враження, мені цілком сподобався сюжет в перших трьох номерах, але наступний скоріше розчаровував ніж захоплював. Була надія, що можливо ситуація трохи вирівняється в другому томі. Однак цього не сталося і другий том вийшов рівно таким же як і перший.
Як і в минулому томі, тут є два сюжети, які тривають три номери. У першому Вайолет намагається впіймати вбивцю одягненого в мішок для трупів, який нападає на людей які мали певний травматичний досвід, серед яких і дівчинка, яку Мати Паніка врятувала в першому сюжеті. Ситуацію ускладнює те, що у нашої героїні почали збоїти імпланти. Більшу частина мені сподобалася, зокрема моменти коли Паніка приходить до дівчинки і те, що вона вирішує сама стати наживкою для поганця через, що їй доводиться трохи перекрутити історію смерті свого батька. Що мене розчаровує в цьому сюжеті так це те як лінія з вбивцею завершується. Просто приходить Бетс, як той Бог із машини, вирубає вбивцю, розказує хто він і каже Пейдж, що вона хоробра і робить хорошу роботу, ну таке. Теж саме можу сказати про флешбеки, вони не те щоб погані, але якось все одно на них було.
Друга історія, по традиції, мені не сильно сподобалася. У ній Вайолет наштовхується на дівчину з якою була близькою коли перебувала в пекельній приватній школі. Однак це возз'єднання завершуються конфронтацією між Мати Панікою та Ґалою, лиходійкою з першого сюжету, яка маю подругу під контролем і яка також є частиною організації Колектив, які і стояли за тією школою в яку потрапила героїня. Паралельно нам розповідають про те як Щуролов та Домінік намагаються розібратися з причиною психологічних проблем матері Вайолет.
Що мене розчаровує так це те, що основна лінія по суті закінчується нічим, що не було б чимось поганим якби це не було фіналом серії і так історія Мати Паніки продовжилася, але вже в дещо іншому і досить суперечливому, як на мене, напрямку. Другий том загалом вийшов плюс-мінус на тому ж рівні, що й перший, читати можна, але якщо скіпнете, то нічого важливого не втратите.
Перший том Мати Паніки у мене викликав дещо суперечливі враження, мені цілком сподобався сюжет в перших трьох номерах, але наступний скоріше розчаровував ніж захоплював. Була надія, що можливо ситуація трохи вирівняється в другому томі. Однак цього не сталося і другий том вийшов рівно таким же як і перший.
Як і в минулому томі, тут є два сюжети, які тривають три номери. У першому Вайолет намагається впіймати вбивцю одягненого в мішок для трупів, який нападає на людей які мали певний травматичний досвід, серед яких і дівчинка, яку Мати Паніка врятувала в першому сюжеті. Ситуацію ускладнює те, що у нашої героїні почали збоїти імпланти. Більшу частина мені сподобалася, зокрема моменти коли Паніка приходить до дівчинки і те, що вона вирішує сама стати наживкою для поганця через, що їй доводиться трохи перекрутити історію смерті свого батька. Що мене розчаровує в цьому сюжеті так це те як лінія з вбивцею завершується. Просто приходить Бетс, як той Бог із машини, вирубає вбивцю, розказує хто він і каже Пейдж, що вона хоробра і робить хорошу роботу, ну таке. Теж саме можу сказати про флешбеки, вони не те щоб погані, але якось все одно на них було.
Друга історія, по традиції, мені не сильно сподобалася. У ній Вайолет наштовхується на дівчину з якою була близькою коли перебувала в пекельній приватній школі. Однак це возз'єднання завершуються конфронтацією між Мати Панікою та Ґалою, лиходійкою з першого сюжету, яка маю подругу під контролем і яка також є частиною організації Колектив, які і стояли за тією школою в яку потрапила героїня. Паралельно нам розповідають про те як Щуролов та Домінік намагаються розібратися з причиною психологічних проблем матері Вайолет.
Що мене розчаровує так це те, що основна лінія по суті закінчується нічим, що не було б чимось поганим якби це не було фіналом серії і так історія Мати Паніки продовжилася, але вже в дещо іншому і досить суперечливому, як на мене, напрямку. Другий том загалом вийшов плюс-мінус на тому ж рівні, що й перший, читати можна, але якщо скіпнете, то нічого важливого не втратите.
January 24, 2019
Better than the first volume
Summary
Violet Paige is back again as Mother Panic for two new adventures in this action-packed volume. In the first, a new villain dubbed as the “Gotham City Coroner” appears, and Violet must find him through the pain of her cybernetics uncooperating. In the second, Violet comes face to face with her former friend from her traumatic experiences at the Gather House.
Review (WARNING: SPOILERS BELOW)
Like the previous volume, this selection is divided into two three part stories.
The first arc is “Victim Complex,” which is illustrated by John Paul Leon. In my opinion, I’d say he’s the close-to-perfect artist for this series. He effectively depicts the grim aspects of the basis of the story. Also, the plot is more focused and easier to understand (I’m basing this review off of my first and only read of both arcs), and the flashbacks connect better. Overall, not really much complaints; this is a good capture of what Mother Panic should be.
Then the second arc is “Under The Skin”, with illustrations by again, Shawn Crystal. For the previous volume I noted that although I have nothing against his style, I feel it doesn’t fit well with the dark Mother Panic series. The plot for this one is also developed well, and I’ve realized I’ve grown to be really annoyed of Violet’s mother. Flashbacks are more controlled, and have influence on the plot; check. My only complaint for this one was my confusion between Violet’s girlfriend and Jane; they have the exact same build, hair, and face shape, except the only difference is the hair color and one has freckles.
All in all, I’ve far more enjoyed this selection of issues, and I’m excited to see what happens next!
Summary
Violet Paige is back again as Mother Panic for two new adventures in this action-packed volume. In the first, a new villain dubbed as the “Gotham City Coroner” appears, and Violet must find him through the pain of her cybernetics uncooperating. In the second, Violet comes face to face with her former friend from her traumatic experiences at the Gather House.
Review (WARNING: SPOILERS BELOW)
Like the previous volume, this selection is divided into two three part stories.
The first arc is “Victim Complex,” which is illustrated by John Paul Leon. In my opinion, I’d say he’s the close-to-perfect artist for this series. He effectively depicts the grim aspects of the basis of the story. Also, the plot is more focused and easier to understand (I’m basing this review off of my first and only read of both arcs), and the flashbacks connect better. Overall, not really much complaints; this is a good capture of what Mother Panic should be.
Then the second arc is “Under The Skin”, with illustrations by again, Shawn Crystal. For the previous volume I noted that although I have nothing against his style, I feel it doesn’t fit well with the dark Mother Panic series. The plot for this one is also developed well, and I’ve realized I’ve grown to be really annoyed of Violet’s mother. Flashbacks are more controlled, and have influence on the plot; check. My only complaint for this one was my confusion between Violet’s girlfriend and Jane; they have the exact same build, hair, and face shape, except the only difference is the hair color and one has freckles.
All in all, I’ve far more enjoyed this selection of issues, and I’m excited to see what happens next!
March 12, 2018
*Advanced copy received from NetGalley*
With volume 2 of Jody Houser's "Mother Panic," Violet's investigation into her past, as well as her quest for revenge, push her closer to becoming the champion for Gotham she never intended to be.
With this second installment, the writing for the series feels tighter and more effective, still driven by the dynamic internal conflicts of Violet and those that surround her, but finding a tighter focus that was lacking in the initial collection.. This volume follows the same stylistic and artistic changes as the first, dividing the story into three distinct sections--with the first being the best visually and the last expanding the plot beyond Violet to the larger conflicts and intrigues of the city. And though this third section continues to be the weakest element of the series, it does provide an interesting scope that would not otherwise be present.
The series still has its rough patches, but volume 2 is a clear movement in the right direction, proving that "Mother Panic" occupies an engaging and unique space within the story of Gotham City, embracing the grittiness and complexity of vigilantism but never forgetting the humanity of those caught up in the plot.
It's not a perfect series, but it is a series to watch. It has a definite appeal (albeit to mature audiences), and I expect many interesting things to comes as the series continues to find its feet, and Violet's story unfolds amidst the glamour of high society and the grime of Gotham's darkest streets.
With volume 2 of Jody Houser's "Mother Panic," Violet's investigation into her past, as well as her quest for revenge, push her closer to becoming the champion for Gotham she never intended to be.
With this second installment, the writing for the series feels tighter and more effective, still driven by the dynamic internal conflicts of Violet and those that surround her, but finding a tighter focus that was lacking in the initial collection.. This volume follows the same stylistic and artistic changes as the first, dividing the story into three distinct sections--with the first being the best visually and the last expanding the plot beyond Violet to the larger conflicts and intrigues of the city. And though this third section continues to be the weakest element of the series, it does provide an interesting scope that would not otherwise be present.
The series still has its rough patches, but volume 2 is a clear movement in the right direction, proving that "Mother Panic" occupies an engaging and unique space within the story of Gotham City, embracing the grittiness and complexity of vigilantism but never forgetting the humanity of those caught up in the plot.
It's not a perfect series, but it is a series to watch. It has a definite appeal (albeit to mature audiences), and I expect many interesting things to comes as the series continues to find its feet, and Violet's story unfolds amidst the glamour of high society and the grime of Gotham's darkest streets.
June 30, 2020
The second volume of Mother Panic is much more focused in its approach, and I found it much more enjoyable because of it.
The first volume kind of devolved into a mess of ideas, so I was glad to see Houser really settle into the character of Mother Panic to explore not only her as a character, but the world around her. I really like the tone of the book and the character herself, and I'm glad to see the book fleshing out some of the things about her like her past, the characters around her, and her self really.
The main story has to do with MP looking for a new serial killer who targets victims of past horrible crimes to "make them stronger". However, along the way there are a lot of sub plots that get touched on and expanded by Houser. Again, this was a better approach because it makes the world not so one dimensional and ends up rounding out MP as a result.
The art is still split between John Paul Leon and Shawn Crystal. They are both good, and fit the tone of the story well (I'm more of a fan of Leon's style I would say in this regard) but I still wish they would stick to one artist. I know realistically speaking, that isn't really viable, but these two artists are so different that it is jarring when the volume switches artists mid way through.
Overall, this series is getting better I would say. They almost lost me from the get go, but I will stick around to see how things develop in the next one.
The first volume kind of devolved into a mess of ideas, so I was glad to see Houser really settle into the character of Mother Panic to explore not only her as a character, but the world around her. I really like the tone of the book and the character herself, and I'm glad to see the book fleshing out some of the things about her like her past, the characters around her, and her self really.
The main story has to do with MP looking for a new serial killer who targets victims of past horrible crimes to "make them stronger". However, along the way there are a lot of sub plots that get touched on and expanded by Houser. Again, this was a better approach because it makes the world not so one dimensional and ends up rounding out MP as a result.
The art is still split between John Paul Leon and Shawn Crystal. They are both good, and fit the tone of the story well (I'm more of a fan of Leon's style I would say in this regard) but I still wish they would stick to one artist. I know realistically speaking, that isn't really viable, but these two artists are so different that it is jarring when the volume switches artists mid way through.
Overall, this series is getting better I would say. They almost lost me from the get go, but I will stick around to see how things develop in the next one.
July 31, 2020
Mother Panic: Volume 2 - Under Her Skin Review:
Mother Panic: Vol.2 - Under Her Skin is a continuation of the events that took place in volume 1. It has same writer, but there are different artists this time. It is also once again from DC's Young Animal lineup. I've also already reviewed volume 1 and I was really disappointed by that one.
The story was a mess and the main character is unlikeable as well. The artwork for volume 1 is amazing though. So I lowered my expectations for this volume and while it is better than volume 1 as it has improved from it. It is still however, not a good story at all.
The story is much more coherent, although at times it still gets confusing. The character is much more improved here and was given a bit more backstory. The art is still good, although not as good as vol.1. Because at times the different art change can get a bit confusing imo.
So although it is an improvement, I would say that the book still isn't that good. I think that the execution at times is still lacking and vol.1 definitely hurts this volume imo. But still, the characters have improved and so does the story as well, but imo not that much unfortunately.
5.5/10
Next: Mother Panic: Gotham A.D.
Mother Panic: Vol.2 - Under Her Skin is a continuation of the events that took place in volume 1. It has same writer, but there are different artists this time. It is also once again from DC's Young Animal lineup. I've also already reviewed volume 1 and I was really disappointed by that one.
The story was a mess and the main character is unlikeable as well. The artwork for volume 1 is amazing though. So I lowered my expectations for this volume and while it is better than volume 1 as it has improved from it. It is still however, not a good story at all.
The story is much more coherent, although at times it still gets confusing. The character is much more improved here and was given a bit more backstory. The art is still good, although not as good as vol.1. Because at times the different art change can get a bit confusing imo.
So although it is an improvement, I would say that the book still isn't that good. I think that the execution at times is still lacking and vol.1 definitely hurts this volume imo. But still, the characters have improved and so does the story as well, but imo not that much unfortunately.
5.5/10
Next: Mother Panic: Gotham A.D.
November 28, 2017
I suppose a part of me felt a bit iffy about the first volume but felt there could be potential enough to continue through the second volume. Upon reading the first few pages, I immediately felt confident about my decision as the first few pages alone added so much to the story that I felt compelled to reread volume 1. I was able to fully understand certain elements of Violet that she looked like a whole new character to me. My gosh! This volume really changed in pace and firmly established what are the good and the bad guys. We learn so much more about Violet to the point where we got answers to questions we never even asked ourselves. We get an origin story and learn Mother Panic is going to be all about revenge. Revenge in a ruthless city that certainly knows how to mess with the psyche.
So the volume continues to follow the previous sequence of two mini arcs. Not a single page of this volume is wasted on the irrelevant. Some moments are really touching and moving. Every supportive character has important roles, some very much surprising. There is a great and emotional ending that the reader cant help but smile too.
So the volume continues to follow the previous sequence of two mini arcs. Not a single page of this volume is wasted on the irrelevant. Some moments are really touching and moving. Every supportive character has important roles, some very much surprising. There is a great and emotional ending that the reader cant help but smile too.
February 3, 2024
This was a definite step up from the first volume, with an actual coherent story and legible artwork. It still isn't what I would call good - the first storyline feels like a rejected Batgirl plot, and the second storyline feels like a Black Widow pastiche. While there are glimmers of originality, none of the characters have any real personality, and the artwork is some of the most bland I've seen in a comic - maybe it was the color scheme rather than the actual line work. A lot of the edginess that the first volume threw out is sanded off here, but they forgot to put anything in to fill up the void. At least the story mostly keeps to itself - there's only one larger DC cameo this time (there's a Ratcatcher, but he seems to have nothing in common with the DC line version of the character). But yeah, if I hadn't made it a goal to read all the Young Animal volumes, I wouldn't have bothered with this, and now that I did read it, I don't think it'll stick with me long.
July 6, 2018
The first arc in this second volume excellently continues the tone and thrilling darkness of the first Mother Panic collection. Violet continues to be a stubborn, focused, hurt individual who must reckon with her past before she can defeat villains in the present. The first arc showcases this aspect of her character by forcing Violet to deal with a nagging back injury from her multiple surgical enhancements. And, you know, defeat a bad guy at the same time.
The second arc features an unexplained, non-descript villain, the introduction of a frenemy from Violet's dark days in Gather House, and a change in art style that is painfully disjointed from the story of abuse. Honestly, I can barely remember the plot since I was so baffled by the cartoonish art juxtaposed with the anguished storyline. My advice? Quit halfway through this volume and you'll have a satisfying experience.
The second arc features an unexplained, non-descript villain, the introduction of a frenemy from Violet's dark days in Gather House, and a change in art style that is painfully disjointed from the story of abuse. Honestly, I can barely remember the plot since I was so baffled by the cartoonish art juxtaposed with the anguished storyline. My advice? Quit halfway through this volume and you'll have a satisfying experience.
June 18, 2022
Loved vol 1, loved vol 2 even more!
Volume 2 sees Violet Paige start to engage with her heroic side more, albeit reluctantly. Her hero’s journey has really begun as she connects with an orphaned kid and faces her first Gotham nutjob criminal - a guy wearing ‘a bag’ shooting up victims to see if they’re strong enough to survive.
We also delve deeper into her time at Gather House and her origin becoming Mother Panic.
This a great exploration of a developing new character and I can’t wait for more.
Note: Mother Panic’s next story is part of the Milk Wars crossover and is important for the character. I’ve already read that one as part of Gerard Way’s Doom Patrol (and her issue there is what made me give this series a go) but have just re-read it and it is an excellent follow on to this volume.
Volume 2 sees Violet Paige start to engage with her heroic side more, albeit reluctantly. Her hero’s journey has really begun as she connects with an orphaned kid and faces her first Gotham nutjob criminal - a guy wearing ‘a bag’ shooting up victims to see if they’re strong enough to survive.
We also delve deeper into her time at Gather House and her origin becoming Mother Panic.
This a great exploration of a developing new character and I can’t wait for more.
Note: Mother Panic’s next story is part of the Milk Wars crossover and is important for the character. I’ve already read that one as part of Gerard Way’s Doom Patrol (and her issue there is what made me give this series a go) but have just re-read it and it is an excellent follow on to this volume.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 24, 2023
Masked vigilantes are a dime a dozen in comic books.
Esp. in Gotham City. Where everyone wants to be BATMAN.
Mother Panic is a cut from a different cloth.
Abused as a child at the school she was sent off to by her father when she discovered he was a bit of a bastard ( crime lordesque ) .
She is operated on to give her enhanced abilities.
All it does is make her more than a little crazy and prone to violence. She Burns the school down and then proceeds to hunt down the other graduates from the school who sort of became serial killers.
Fresh and original which is a good trick for such well trodden tropes.
Bringing the feel and energy of Vertigo tittles of old, The Young Animal imprint was a breath of fresh air.
Esp. in Gotham City. Where everyone wants to be BATMAN.
Mother Panic is a cut from a different cloth.
Abused as a child at the school she was sent off to by her father when she discovered he was a bit of a bastard ( crime lordesque ) .
She is operated on to give her enhanced abilities.
All it does is make her more than a little crazy and prone to violence. She Burns the school down and then proceeds to hunt down the other graduates from the school who sort of became serial killers.
Fresh and original which is a good trick for such well trodden tropes.
Bringing the feel and energy of Vertigo tittles of old, The Young Animal imprint was a breath of fresh air.
May 24, 2020
Far more focused than the last volume. The 2nd volume gives us Violet’s origin story and how she escaped Gather House. She’s far more likable and empathetic this volume and her dialogue doesn’t constantly descend into cursing constantly. We also get a bit intrigue regarding Violet’s mother. Very interested to see the rest of her family explored. Frustratingly, this series can’t keep a consistent artist. The one featured in the second story in the book is very cartoony and doesn’t work for a gritty book like this. Glad I stuck with this series. Interested to see how it resolves with the few issues it has left.
April 13, 2018
I found this volume more interesting than Vol. 1, but… the whole seems to be one long set-up. And… it feels like by the end of Vol. 2, there should have been some more plot to move things along.
I read the book to decide whether to read the current Mother Panic: Gotham A.D. series, and I think that, while I care to find out what happens, the pace is too slow for me to shell out the cost of individual issues, and I'll wait until I can either find the next collection on sale or find it available at my local library.
I probably should have lowered this to three stars, but I enjoyed most of this volume, just not enough to overcome the glacial pace
I read the book to decide whether to read the current Mother Panic: Gotham A.D. series, and I think that, while I care to find out what happens, the pace is too slow for me to shell out the cost of individual issues, and I'll wait until I can either find the next collection on sale or find it available at my local library.
I probably should have lowered this to three stars, but I enjoyed most of this volume, just not enough to overcome the glacial pace
June 25, 2019
Violet was less one-note in this collection, but not by much. She’s still a jerk driven mostly by vengeance, and the Batman’s appearance, telling her she’s doing a good job, didn’t sit well with me. I’m pretty sure Mother Panic’s killed a perp or two and the Batman would definitely know that.
The back-up story about a murdered radio show host continued on from the first collection, and had a pretty good ending. I mean, the whole thing was very, very condensed, but still felt like a more complete story than the main Mother Panic one (though they may or may not be connected).
The back-up story about a murdered radio show host continued on from the first collection, and had a pretty good ending. I mean, the whole thing was very, very condensed, but still felt like a more complete story than the main Mother Panic one (though they may or may not be connected).
April 18, 2019
Not quite the fun of the first, but still enjoying delving into the character's origin and motivation. We're having the "Second Volume Problem" again here, where the art teams get switched around, and while there's no definitive drop in quality, some details - like the protagonist's signature scars - probably ought not to be fucked about with. The back-up story was still great, and came to a satisfying - for Gotham - conclusion.
May 9, 2019
I thought volume one was really good; solid start, compelling characters and decent start on the long-game plot.
This volume really kicked that up even further.
I love this character, she is flawed in the same way as Batman but seems more passionate and impulsive in the best ways. Her backstory of "The Collective" is pretty original (at least in DC, I believe?) and I love that she .
This volume really kicked that up even further.
I love this character, she is flawed in the same way as Batman but seems more passionate and impulsive in the best ways. Her backstory of "The Collective" is pretty original (at least in DC, I believe?) and I love that she .
December 28, 2019
A pretty seamless continuation from the previous volume. Once again, the art is inconsistent over the full length of the volume. I enjoyed storyline progression, and the artist villain character and storyline is fun in a really dark way. Also, the "Gotham Radio" issues that have closed out each of the last two volumes have been a fun little storyline, though this one did take some bizarre turns I wasn't expecting.
3/5 Blood Paintings
3/5 Blood Paintings
April 9, 2018
Violet Paige is running into problems with her cybernetic implants. So her attacks on crime has been curtailed. But her past keeps cropping up as she discovers things about her past that do not match up with her memories. And then there is the revelation about her mother. Plus there is the solving of the murder of Danny Rose, radio host.
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