After following a very memorable first issue, where the fate of James Rhodes was revealed and She-Hulk was close to death, Tony Stark kidnaps Ulysses in order to get some insight into his powers, which in turn makes the Inhumans pretty mad.
One of the bigger problems and this event as a whole is that there isn't a sense of danger or urgency but the characters are acting like it's about to be the end of the world. The book constantly presents the idea that the Inhumans and Tony Stark are going to fight to the death because Tony kidnapped Ulysses, yet there seems to be only minor conflict between these characters. Readers know what this is building towards but the stake just don't feel high enough to be an all-out-war.
The original Civil War presented a complex story that dealt with morality, safety, and freedom. There's a reason it's held to such a high standard. Thus far, Civil War II doesn't doesn't offer what fans has hoped for in a followup. As far as an individual issue goes, it's alright but more of a let down over anything else.
The best moments in this issue come from the art of David Marquez, with Justin Ponsor on colors. He's capable of a lot of memorable moments and displaying great moments of action as well.His page and panel layouts are dynamic. Each page feels fresh. The two-page spread of Ulysses' vision is epic.One of the coolest looking scenes in months. The best part of this series is the art and colors.
The second issue of Civil War II is a bit of a letdown. While the first issue didn't blow us away, there were some interesting developments. Issue #2 doesn't live up to the hype, and while it does offer up some incredible and colorwork that keeps the issue interesting. The high stakes this book presents just don't feel that high. We'll see how the rest of this story plays out but this is just a bit of a letdown.
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