Crossover #2

I am massively impressed by Crossover. Not just with the story and art, but the overall delivery is second-to-none. This seems to be such a layered and considered piece of art that I cant help but be spellbound when I read it. I love that Ive plugged into this on multiple levels and yet I still really have no idea where this story is going to go. 110%, this is one to watch and savour. Read Full Review

Crossover #2 continues to build on the events of the first issue, showing what happens when fiction turns fatal. The next issue has been teased to be a monumental occurrence by Cates, and I'm more than ready to see what happens. Read Full Review

Donny Cates has suggested the crossover will do more and then bring superheroes into the actual world. The knowledge that this story is designed to brush against other worlds separated by that invisible membrane known as imagination, continuity, and universe adds to the heightened sensation that this is a story about comic book fans. That it is in fact a love story. One that is both to and for comics. Get smitten. Read Full Review

Geoff Shaw delivers some fantastic art in this issue. I continue to be blown away with the contrast between the "real" people and the comic book characters. I love the style of that contrast and how it looks on the page. I also love the visual Easter eggs throughout. Read Full Review

Crossover issue two continues to skillfully build on this insane world even further and left me wanting more. Its that type of issue that you think about for days after you read it right until the next issue, which is undeniably going to be huge. Read Full Review

Crossover #2 is a fantastic second issue that grounds the fantastical set up. Like so many solid sci-fi stories, this one is not just entertaining but acting as commentary and reflection on our reality. What seemed like an initial fun homage to comics is quickly shaping up to be an excellent story about our politics and reactions to fear and the unknown. It also reflects how quickly we can “other” individuals and groups to justify actions. With one issue, the series has become infinitely more interesting and deep. Read Full Review

An utterly fantastic continuation of the most promising indie book of the year. Read Full Review

While not as emotionally affecting as the first issue, Crossover #2 is still a great comic. Cates plays the whole thing perfectly, making all the set-up and world-building extremely interesting. He introduces a lot of plot points in this issue, ones that could make for fertile story ideas, and the book goes on. Shaw's artwork makes the whole thing look amazing, really bringing Cates' script to life. Crossover #2 sets up a lot of exciting stuff for the future and does it adroitly. Read Full Review

Crossover is quickly becoming one of my favourite comics out right now. Its use of characters and references from the comics industry (which I'm sure Cates had to pull a few favours for) is enough to spark your interest but it's the interesting story beneath it that's developing which will keep you coming back every month. Read Full Review

Between his big ideas and Geoff Shaw's grounded work, it's easy to buy into what Crossover is selling. Read Full Review

Overall, Crossover has an ambitious premise, but Cates' limiting of scope chains the story and his artistic team to mundanity and draggy pacing/storytelling. Read Full Review

Face its Donny Cates is the Magic Man, of making easter eggs into full-blown narrative points, I would recommend picking up a copy of issues # 1, 2 and 3. Read Full Review

Cates is a great storyteller but has played it too safe and too small here to make a coherent exciting issue. With such a great premise we're given very little to work with here because what we expect to happen doesn't and the story is mired in minutia. We want the bigger story, we want the comic book characters to actually "crossover." Perhaps, Cates is saving a big reveal for later but what we're left with is not very engaging or making a ton of sense.  Read Full Review

"Crossover #2" is a deeply interesting mystery that makes some genuinely appalling narrative decisions Read Full Review

An interesting plot gets a little too clever. Read Full Review

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Psycamorean

Dec 10, 2020

So let's break it down: Are the characters likable? Yes. Ryan and Otto stand out. Is the story good? Yes. The story is a novel concept with a potential to become better. Is the art good? It's great. You gotta be blind to think otherwise. Or a Sam Kieth fan. Is it really Image's Watchmen? No. That was called marketing. People who set their expectations so high have no one to blame but themselves. Does it pander to general comic fans? As opposed to what? Pandering to niche comic fans? What an indictment. Is it written like a Netflix pitch? No. Go read Undiscovered Country. Also, lol, Netflix. Is it really closer to the comic equivalent of Ready Player One? No. Ready Player One doesn't have a story, nor does the one it pretends to ha ve have any similarity with this story. Aside from the very cynical surface level analysis of "it has characters from other things in it." I have liked the majority of Donny Cate's work, really only disliked his Venom variant covers before this, but this one comes off as really well written, like half the industry wouldn't be able to handle it (Bendis, Snyder, etc). In fact Chip Zdarsky is revealed to be dead in the beginning, and this story actually reminded me of a less repulsive version of his existence. more

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Swift Planet - Dec 10, 2020

Okay. My opinion still stands. Only someone with a chip on their shoulder would think insulting someone for liking Sam Kieth would be an insult. I encourage anyone reading this to read The Maxx and see for themselves.

Psycamorean - Dec 11, 2020

I encourage anyone reading this to read Batman/The Maxx and see for themselves.

Swift Planet - Dec 11, 2020

There's a reason I recommended The Maxx and not Batman/Maxx.

Psycamorean - Dec 11, 2020

There's a reason I recommended Batman/The Maxx too!

Swift Planet - Dec 12, 2020

Still better than Hunt for Wolverine.

Psycamorean - Dec 12, 2020

Not by any measure

Swift Planet - Dec 12, 2020

Every one.

Psycamorean - Dec 12, 2020

Finish off Batman/The Maxx and then come back.

Kalaoui

Dec 10, 2020

I liked this one a lot. Cates is hit or miss for me and this one so far is very good and the art by Shaw matches the vibe very well. I can't wait to read more. The only thing I couldn't believe is seeing Batman still behind bars? I'm sure he's already out and back into the dome by now.

Rauld

Dec 10, 2020

Love the idea and the characters. This was more of a set up issue and I can see this series is going to be amazing

Spacey Medicine

Feb 26, 2021

A good issue again!

Hellblazer

Dec 09, 2020

This comic is a novelty that is setting up the stage for something unique. Donny Cates and his team are doing a fantastic job. Also, that little reference/homage to SPAWN in the prison was great.

Miracleman92

Dec 09, 2020

Cates continues with a compelling story. While this series so far hasn't quite lived up to the hype, I have enjoyed the first two issues and plan to keep reading through at least the first arc.

the_comic_book_club

Dec 11, 2020

Crossover Issue: 2 Publisher: Image @imagecomics Writer: Donny Cates @dcates Artist: Geoff Shaw @geshaw Colors: Dee Cunniffe @deezoid Letters: John J. Hill @johnjhill Ryan seemingly faces the consequences for his aggressive actions and finds himself before Nathaniel Pendleton, the government director on all things related to the comic book “Event”. Mysteriously given a power dampening gun with a note, Ryan is perplexed to ultimately face his destiny. Comic book writers around the country are turning up dead as Ellie, Otto and their new friend Ava take refuge and learn the shocking truth of her circumstances. Never existing within the dome, Ava and her family were captives in a government-run camp and subject to experimentati on. Ellie is determined to expose the camps but Otto pleads with her to abandon her mindset and is rightfully fearful of Ava, as unbeknownst to them she displays a deadly ability. This issue serves to set up the series' initial arc and does a great job pointing our protagonists in their respective directions that will ultimately lead towards each other. I hope that as this series moves forward we learn more about the Event and how and why it occurred. Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5) Reviewed by: @meanadam of the Comic Book Club of Instagram Note: Follow @the_comic_book_club on Instagram for more reviews! more

mylosh

Dec 10, 2020

decent setup, but this might be better consumed in a trade vs monthly floppies. Got bored upon first read, but after rereading issue 1 and this together, I appreciated it more

AdmiralWhiskers

Dec 21, 2020

Cates slaughters his writer buddies off camera. The relationship between those outside of the bubble ("real life") and in the bubble ("comics life") is explored. Those outside are rough on the comics folk who get out. Wonder is it's the same vice versa. The preacher's kid is being compelled to go to the bubble. The comic shop girl in the domino mask wants to take the refugee comic girl to the bubble. I think we can see how this first arc is setting up. Art is unremarkable, which in this case means it doesn't detract from the story. I love the coloring effect of using pre-digital color separation dots on the comic world refugees. The gimmick works both for the purpose intended and to quickly identify the different states of being . Anyway, Cates is an easy, enjoyable read. No slogging here, but the story is plenty interesting enough to continue. more

Swift Planet

Dec 10, 2020

So let's break it down: Are the characters likable? No. Is the story good? Not thus far. Is the art good? It's average. Is it really Image's Watchmen? Big no. Does it pander to general comic fans? Yes. Is it written like a Netflix pitch? Yes. Is it really closer to the comic equivalent of Ready Player One? Yes. I have liked the majority of Donny Cates' work, really only disliked Death of the Inhumans before this, but this one comes off as really amateur and something that anyone in the business could have wrote. In fact Brian K. Vaughan dies in the beginning, and this story actually reminded me of a more mainstream take on his Private Eye concept.

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mylosh - Dec 10, 2020

what do you mean by "written like a netflix pitch" . I don't understand, but I did hear a youtuber say this too without explaining. Isn't that like saying "its trying to book?" . Cheers

Swift Planet - Dec 10, 2020

There are moments in the book when the narration is more fitting for a movie or film. Say, when the frame goes blue and time freezes or they talk about getting a bit too ahead of themselves, like when she spits in the man's face and says they later fall in love. These are cliches in so many movies and TV shows. Freezing a frame is kind of redundant in a comic book, unless you are trying to give the impression of a movie, no? Just my opinion.

Swift Planet - Dec 10, 2020

I guess I will give the artist credit in that case. Although I hate the idea of movie cliches in my comic books, it is pretty impressive how he can somehow convey a frozen frame just by changing the colour.

mylosh - Dec 11, 2020

cool thank you. I don't watch much streaming other than sports or doctor who lol so i didn't get it. Thank you

mylosh - Dec 11, 2020

"when she spits in the man's face and says they later fall in love" felt that part was corny

KFuqua

Dec 14, 2020

Just not enough there to get me to continue on. I dropped the series after this issue.