Like Father, Like Daughter #2 - Short Fuse Media Group

LIKE FATHER, LIKE DAUGHTER No. 2, July 2016

Firmly focusing upon the emotional turmoil of being a super-hero and the high maintenance involved in order to keep one’s alter ego safe from those who would likely take full advantage of such knowledge, Kathryn Calamia’s narrative for Issue Two of “Like Father, Like Daughter” is a good example of an author trying to provide the genre with a somewhat innovative and “unique spin” upon the idea of a teenager discovering they have super-powers. Indeed, both this comic’s pulse-pounding opening, which depicts two incredibly foolish muggers knowingly attacking Invulnerable with a blade simply because they decide the guy “needs to learn how to keep a secret identity”, as well as the publication’s introduction of “comic book geek” Wesley Kelly, prominently highlight the incredible dangers super-powered personalities face should they be exposed to the wider public; “This is exactly the reason why you need to learn how to use your powers correctly…Take these. It will teach you what to do in these kinds of situations.”

Of course so detailed an exploration of this subject does result in this twenty-three page periodical containing an awful lot of dialogue and conversation-heavy moments, the majority of which are centred around the corridors and canteen of Casey Ryder’s college. But whilst these sequences are understandably somewhat sedentary in nature, “Comic Uno” does manage to imbue her storyline with bursts of action, or at least tension, by having the blonde teenager’s increasingly disagreeable boyfriend demonstrate his adolescent immaturity by first ‘muscling in’ on the girl’s conspicuously conspiratorial lunch with Wes and Stephanie Wilkins and then later, almost ‘flooring’ her when he tries to catch a ‘long bomb’ despite being in a particularly packed school hallway.

In addition, the American “YouTube personality” cleverly injects this comic with some much-needed intrigue by having Invulnerable utilise the services of Detective Strong so as to covertly keep an eye on his daughter just in case, as he clearly fears, she has inherited his extraordinary abilities. This straightforward scene, coupled with Casey’s suddenly violent, gamma-coloured vision of “an island, scientists, and guns”, provides a great hook as to the potential history of James Ryder and his evidently close relationship with a marvellously mysterious man who seemingly ‘always has his back.’

The sheer creative energy which this Indie title exudes arguably also requires a notable nod to artist Wayne A. Brown and colourist David Aravena, who undoubtedly add plenty of dynamism to the book’s proceedings with some wonderfully exaggerated facial expressions and vibrant palette choices. Indeed, one of the highlights of this tale are the numerous looks of horror upon Stephanie’s face as her friend unconvincingly attempts to clumsily illicit information from Kelly to help with the fictitious “group project we’re working on.”

Written & Created by: Kathryn Calamia, Pencils & Inks by: Wayne A. Brown, and Colors by: David Aravena