While the first volume felt like a refreshing “teenager-adventure”, without really giving itself away to obnoxious cliché, ‘Bright Side’ continues the comic book tradition of making the further stories (after the introduction) a filler.
If we could’ve thought that ‘The Hollow’ would be stablished as the main villains in the series, the first volume pretty much gets rid of them in a way I was a little worried might happen: the adults solve the conflicts. Now, this volume, seemed to me, it was entirely dedicated to create bounds and connections between this group of peculiar friends, and having certain stereotypes here and there, certain issues might be added to feed upon a series of circumstances that’ll turn out to be just mere complications for these kids to get along. Again, this volume turned this series into what I was a little scare it might be, ultimately; another ‘Young Adult’. In reality, the real plot starts during the final issue, when a former Doctor Strange enemy returns and possesses one of the students, and suddenly all hell breaks loose. Before that, the other issues were just the main characters having fun, being interested in each other-at times, romantically-, and plenty of cameos, locations, and references are throw here and there, mostly as an “eye candy” than anything else, but ultimately, it is fun just to watch these youngsters be related to the wide Marvel Universe, sometimes, in a direct way.
Now, after saying all this, it might seem I’m sort of “trashing” this volume, but in reality, there are some elements in it I found myself enjoying more than I though. For starters, the filler issues are still fun to read, but specially to watch. Ramos is still excelling at the artwork, and it looks amazing; one could tell he’s having more fun designing and toying with these characters than in other series he has worked in.
Young is also having a blast, and at times, he either goes full dark, or full John Huges with his style, and I’m not going to lie, I’m starting to develop a certain affection for some of these kids. Doyle, the son of Dormammu, is the typical “descendant of a bad guy, who in reality, wants to be good”, but his chemistry and fixation towards-maybe, the lead-, Emily Bright, is adorable.
There is also this girl who’s basically a member of purgatory and is able to tell people’s secrets, so she is kind of intrusive and indiscrete, is hilarious at times. There is also a New Orleans girl, who has to hide her identity because she’s a living dead, so that comes as your typical “character has a peculiar and dangerous secret”, and the bullies that, of course, they come from ‘Asgard’, and they’re obviously good looking, but one is just an asshole to Doyle, because of who his father is, but turns out, he’s also the son of a villain from the Thor comic books. Yeah, it is cliché, but Young’s script makes it so fun to get through, along Ramos’ artwork, you almost forgive it if it weren’t for the evident lack of plot and stakes at risk, at least, towards the end.
This was entertaining, fun at times, but I was hardly invested in each one of these issues, at least, until the final one arrived, and the actual action took place. Its characters are decently executed, and it comes a moment in which they become more appealing and charming, compared to the previous volume, but it doesn’t help that this doesn’t offer a solid villain, from start to finish, and the overall sensation of it is just so inconsequential, without any possible narrative hook, or investment a series with such a concept has by default. It’s just the case of another teenager at high school kind of story, and besides, there is not enough interest to drag in a hardcore “Doctor Strange fan”, which reminds me: for a series called “Strange Academy”, there doesn’t seem to be enough “Doctor Strange” is this.