By Anna Bailey — With a name like Lady Dick, what could actually possibly go wrong? Other than a murdered friend, a couple of stab wounds, and a family that might be involved in the one thing she’s trying to take down. 

At the end of Bylines in Blood #1, we’re left with Satya wishing she just had a moment to grieve. Bylines in Blood #2 does not bring Satya that moment of relief. She — and we — are thrown right into a fight with Denzin’s killer, and it’s a lot tougher than she expected. Whoever it is has the technology to become nearly invisible.

As Tom, the Foggy Nelson to her Matt Murdock, patches her up, they figure out exactly who they need to go after to avenge Denzin. In the first issue, we had a few mentions of Mayor Wilkes, but in this issue, we find out he’s our main villain, or at least according to Satya. She heads to The Gulch, where most of the city’s poor live and where most of the protests happen after the pandemic. She finds her brother in the crowd of protestors, which is only important because now the head of The Truthers, Jenn, knows who he is. With that information in his corner, Jenn makes a deal with Satya–help him and he’ll help her. 

And that’s how Satya finds herself at a Mayor Wilkes event later that evening. 

And then that’s how Satya finds out her parents might be Mayor Wilkes supporters. 

She tries to bust out of there but is stopped by Mayor Wilkes and his guards, and their conversation only confirms to Satya that Wilkes murdered Denzin. Now, all she needs is proof.

In the scene with Jenn, he quotes philosopher Ludwig Wittengenstein: “The world of a happy man is a different one from that of an unhappy man.” Aside from the obvious pronoun/gender issue, that quote is the crux of the issue. I hope that the juxtaposition at the end between Mayor Wilkes standing above a bloodied Satya only furthers as issues go on because to see it widen and then narrow, little by little, is one of the best storytelling techniques, in my book. I love to see a smiling, happy, rich villain work so hard to keep down a poor, angry, morally-gray hero. 

The art is another fun reprieve from normal crime noir bleakness. We’re hit with bright colors, even during fights. The best layout is within the first few pages and is a full spread of Satya shooting in a circle.

Bylines in Blood #2 is good writing, good storytelling, and, above all, makes me wonder why I’m rooting for someone who’d do anything for a little bit of cash. (It’s most likely because Satya’s character feels so personal, and that’s due to Erica Schultz & Van Jensen’s writing.)

Overall: As far as neo-noir thrillers go, Bylines in Blood #2 is as good as they come. It has me trying to guess what happens on the next pages before I flip. 8.5/10

REVIEW: Bylines in Blood #2

Bylines in Blood #2
Writer: Erica Schultz & Van Jensen
Artist: Aneke
Letterer: Cardinal Rae
Publisher: Aftershock Comics
An assassin is loose in the City, and Satya is the target! This points the Lady Dick toward a new suspect in her investigation into the murder of her former mentor. But before she can follow this trail of clues, our pugnacious private detective will have to survive the assassin’s blade.
Price: $4.99
Read It Digitally: Bylines in Blood #2

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Anna Bailey is an email marketer that exclusively watches horror films. You can follow her on Twitter at @annuh_bailey to see all her favorites.