The Good
Deathstorm and Power Ring have the Rogues cornered. While they may escape, they end up having to face a very hungry and very angry Parasite.
If you've been reading and you're caught up on FOREVER EVIL, then you know what's going on with the Rogues: Captain Cold lost his powers after Deathstorm rearranged his DNA to take them away. This issue gets a bit more in depth with that particular scene and what happens right afterwords.
A good chunk of this issue is the Rogues taking on Parasite in an incredibly satisfying and fun battle. The Rogues are really outmatched by Parasite, but writer Brian Buccellato keeps it entertaining and moving forward. There is a good element of of fun prior to the fight when Archer shows up for a whole three seconds. Buccellato knows how to write these characters. There's a lot of love within the writing and he really has a great voice for each of them.
One of my main problems with the first issue of this mini-series was the fact the art styles were so different. Patrick Zircher and Scott Hepburn didn't mesh that well, although they are both extremely talented in their own right. This issue boasts artwork solely from Hepburn with Nick Filardi on colors. While Hepburn and Filardi provide more of a cartoonish style, it emphasizes the fun of the issue. Sure, Forever Evil is a pretty gritty story filled with the loss of hope and no sunlight for the kids, but the Rogues group is a tad more light-hearted. When Hepburn is the sole artist on the book, the more fun side of the Rogues really comes through, but it never completely loses the seriousness of the situation.
The Bad
Not too sure on where this mini-series is going. From where it leaves us off, it seems like these guys are bouncing around from villain to villain. We started with Deathstorm and Power Ring, moved on to Parasite, and ended up at Poison Ivy. Hopefully, that's not the case.
The Verdict
The second issue of ROGUES REBELLION didn't grab me as much as the first issue, but it was still a great read. It's a ton of fun watching some of my favorite villains in the DCU go on the run in a world run by some truly terrifying bad guys. Buccellato has a lot of love for these characters and it truly shows. Overall, it's a truly fun read and I highly recommend it.