Paper Girls Vol. 2 by Brian K. Vaughn

Series: Paper Girls, Vol. #2
# of Pages: 128
Publisher: Image Comics
Publication: November 30th, 2016
Source: Library E-Book
Genre: Sci-Fi
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Brian K. Vaughan, #1 New York Times bestselling writer of SAGA, and Cliff Chiang, legendary artist of WONDER WOMAN, return with acclaimed colorist Matt Wilson and innovative letterer JAred K. Fletcher for the second volume of PAPER GIRLS, as the hit series continues with a bold new direction. After surviving the strangest night of their lives in the Cleveland suburb of Stony Stream, intrepid young newspaper deliverers Erin, Mac, and Tiffany find themselves launched from 1988 to a distant and terrifying future... the year 2016. What would you do if you were suddenly confronted by your 12-year-old self? 40-year-old newspaper reporter Erin Tieng is about to find out in this action-packed story about identity, mortality, and growing older in the 21st century.

Oh Brian K. Vaughn, you really know how to write a hell of a comic book series. He never ceases to amaze me and blow my mind with his narratives. As this is the second book in the comic book series I wouldn’t recommend reading the rest of this review because of spoilers.

Volume 2 of Paper Girls picks up exactly where volume one has left off. The four paper girls are transported from their time in 1988 to 2016 where they meet the adult Erin. This volume definitely pushes the characters and readers to consider who they can and can’t trust as they attempt to figure out what has happened to their world, but there is also this interesting struggle between younger and older Erin. She acts in the stereotypical fashion by judging the life that the older version of herself has been living. She gives off this air of knowing best while not truly knowing anything. It’s such an interesting dynamic to read and watch. And when Vaughn throws in the possibility of another Erin, shit hits the fan. This comic book also brings forth the interesting question of whether one would want to know the day and time of death. It’s quite heartbreaking watching one of the characters deal with this revelation.

While I know that most (this includes myself) find Paper Girls to be quite confusing at times, I will admit that I find it to be fast-paced and really intriguing. Like the first volume, volume two leaves the reader wanting more answers. It’s time travel so it can be easily assumed that a lot of the components of the book are going to be complex, but readers are also put into positions to gain as much information as possible from issue to issue. I can very well admit that I didn’t know how to react to seeing three versions of Erin in addition to the confusion on who to trust. I would recommend that if you feel nervous about continuing keep going because the volumes do get better. The relationships that you see form between these 12-year-old girls and the adventures that they embark on is definitely rewarding. And the art! The art is phenomenal. The color palettes match the writing perfectly to make for an enjoyable visual experience. There are also so many nods to 80s so pop culture fans would truly enjoy. I’m typically not a huge fan of science fiction but I’m really enjoying this series.