Manhunter Vol. 2: Trial by Fire (DC Comics) [Paperback]

Marc Andreyko (Author), Javier Pina (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 3, 2007

When super criminals use the legal system to escape justice, prosecutor Kate Spencer assumed the role of vigilante, becoming the Manhunter and meting out her own brand of street justice!

In this second collection, Spencer is poised to take on the trial of the year, as the eyes of the nation are on her latest case: finding the Shadow Thief guilty of murdering the hero Firestorm!

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: DC Comics (January 3, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1401211984
• ISBN-13: 978-1401211981
• Product Dimensions: 6.6 x 0.5 x 10.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #436,623 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Andreyko keeps things steady in this excellent continuation., January 24, 2008

By 

Sean Curley (Charlottetown, PE, Canada) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Manhunter Vol. 2: Trial by Fire (DC Comics) (Paperback)

The second volume of Marc Andreyko's "Manhunter" series picks up from the origin arc collected in volume one. We were earlier introduced to Los Angeles prosector Kate Spencer, who, tired of the many supervillains slipping through the justice system, dons a collection of items from the district's impound, and becomes the seventh DC hero to use the superhero identity Manhunter. We were also introduced to Kate's troubled personal life, with a novelist ex-husband and a son she has a hard time making time for. And then there's Dylan, her tech support in the crime fighting business.

This volume's main story ties in with DC's then contemporaneous "Identity Crisis" event, picking up from a plot introduced at the end of the first volume. In "Identity Crisis", longtime B-list DC hero Firestorm (Ronnie Raymond) was killed in a random brawl with the Shadow Thief. At the end of last volume, Manhunter and the Justice League apprehended the Shadow Thief, and now Kate, in her role as prosecutor, aims to bring him to justice, and to get him to roll over on his allies in the supervillain community, represented by the nefarious Calculator. Calculator, Merlyn, and the others want to free the Thief, or else ice him, in order to prevent any information from leaking. The entire trial story is a tribute to the depth of Andreyko's talent; Firestorm's death in "Identity Crisis" was random and unaffecting, but here Andreyko writes a remarkable tribute to the character (who I was never a fan of). It's as sad as anything I've ever read in a comic.

Elsewhere, we also address the legacy of the Manhunter title, as a mysterious villain targets the six previous holders of the title, starting with old Dan Richards, the Golden Age Manhunter. This story dovetails with the buildup to "Infinite Crisis", DC's next monster universe-wide event, but it isn't necessary to know anything about that to enjoy Andreyko's writing.

Another strong story from Andreyko and the talent artists who work with him.

4.0 out of 5 stars Strong follow-up to series opener, August 19, 2007

By 

Joseph Boone (Irvine, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (2008 HOLIDAY TEAM)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Manhunter Vol. 2: Trial by Fire (DC Comics) (Paperback)

When people talk about excellent books that are underrated or less popular than they "should" be, Manhunter is often cited as a prime example. Never a top seller, the book nonetheless has a devoted fan base and DC management has kept it going hoping for better times ahead. The book focuses on Kate Spencer who is a federal prosecutor by day and super-suited heroine by night.

This volume picks up right where the first volume in the series left off (and you should certainly read that one first) covering issues #6-14. There are two main stories covered with the first centering on the trial of the Shadow Thief for the murder of Firestorm. The second story involves a shadowy assailant who tracks down and murders everyone who has ever used the name "Manhunter" which obviously puts Kate in the crosshairs. Both stories move along well although the courtroom scenes are not exactly the caliber of LA Law at its peak if you know what I mean. The art is solid but not spectacular, yet I would say it fits the material very well.

I wouldn't say that Manhunter is the best series ever published, but it's certainly worth giving a try. If you've read the first volume and liked it, then you should definitely give this one a shot.