You have to feel sorry for Agent Danger. He’s spearheading a team, has uncool super powers and no leadership skills. Worse yet he’s being maligned by the media in a climate where they can make you look like a great hero or a worthless sad sack. His girlfriend who’s also a superhero has a father who resents the very thing she is. Even more he’s a cop. Created and written by Samuel Bruch ‘Cop 2’ is redefining the traditional superhero comic.
In a nondescript city heroes are government sanctioned to deal with super-powered beings. In other comics where the firefighters and police officers are called the real heroes here they’re the ones stuck with the paperwork. It breeds an environment of resentment that is bound to erupt at the worst time. Still, Agent Danger has a history with one of the cops. You would think there’s a commissioner Gordon, young Batman situation where the experienced veteran helps out a man who dresses up like a mammal? Not even close. This cop hates the recklessness and arrogance of the man who he once trained. From the start Danger was given that double-edged sword of a codename in hopes that he would show some humility. Instead he alienated the services he was supposed to be helping. But running his mouth seems to be his greatest super power as everyone he comes into contact with wants him to disappear. Similar to the other heroes, who are nowhere to be found.
The resolution that comes out of a night where alcohol is involved will not turn out well. These me who now feel marginalized are the ones who want to fight back. But against what, becoming obsolete? Why are they so angry? Perhaps it’s because they’re not able to articulate what it’s like to be the other or less than. It goes to show that they feel a sense of entitlement they believe the “heroes†haven’t earned. So the first thing they think of will only make things worse. If they’re trying to be the heroes again, where does that leave the villains? Most likely it will be the opportunity for them to take over the city. Matt who has more invested than he believes he does seals his fate. In two panels with no words he makes a life changing choice that he will regret.
The bad guys do have some hysterical names. And you may not want to know why Naked Arsonist commits evil in the nude, but among other things you begin to understand why this comic is called ‘Cop 2.’ Volume One does its job by laying a foundation of a new narrative for those who want more than the status quo. In a world of heroes and villains, there comes an evolutionary process where a third entity will emerge. That happens in this trade paperback. The thing is what’s going to happen in volume two?
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