You Won’t Believe What Happens in Peacemaker #2

Peacemaker Made Me Do It

Welcome back to my Volcano Base. I’m about to break one of the rules that I set up, and I’ve only been doing this for like a month. When I started doing these comic book reviews, I decided I wanted to cover an issue from a series, and then it needs to be a while before I cover another one. So I just like doing the same book every month. Then, I read Peacemaker Tries Hard number two, and I just have to talk about it.

Peacemaker Tries Hard…Again

We pick up right where we left off with The Brain and Mallah sort of clearing things up. No, they don’t want Peacemaker to go attack Deathstroke. They just need Peacemaker to go attack General Immortus’ lair and get a DNA sample of Deathstroke from there that they can use to grow Brain a new body. Just to make sure that Peacemaker’s on the up and up and to keep him honest, Mallah, the hyper intelligent ape, goes with him.

This leads to just some scenes of what I would consider like classic buddy cop kind of bonding. They don’t seem to like each other very much. But then slowly but surely, Mallah and Peacemaker sort of find some middle ground and find some things that they like. For example, when they’re going back to the Peacemaker’s trailer, the kids in the trailer park are making fun of Peacemaker and Mallah throws an entire tree at these kids, to which Peacemaker responds, “You did that for me?” Like he is, Peacemaker just has this unending desire to be loved.

It’s Not Your Fault

Peacemaker’s getting ready for this mission. His dad has made all these helmets for him, as we see in the TV show and in the comics. He starts reminiscing in a bad way about his dad and how growing up with him was. He starts crying. Or as he puts it, his cornea was scratched from taking out terrorists. Even though Mallah is speaking French, he puts a hand on Peacemaker’s shoulder in a way of comforting him, saying, “It’s okay.”

There are some other scenes of them riding in the car and bonding over this band music, Mucous Membrane, and just starting to get along. They seem to function as a team. He’s found someone who he thinks he can call a friend. They get done with the mission and, kind of predictably, Mallah turns on Peacemaker, shoots him, leaves him for dead. 

Betrayal is Afoot

We see two pages of Mallah and The Brain talking over a communicator. Mallah just says, “Look, I’m a hyper intelligent ape. I only spoke French to you because I didn’t want to have to have a conversation with someone as dumb as you. Your music taste is trash. You’re horrible.” He basically just tears him down. We don’t really get to see Peacemaker’s reaction, but based on the first couple of books, he is just heartbroken. He just wants to be loved. He just wants friendship. He just wants to bond with another being, and that got ripped away from him.

I really hope that plays out here, and Mallah and The Brain get their just desserts, but we won’t know until the next issue. I’m finding this series really fascinating. On the surface, Peacemaker is kind of a tool, kind of a douche bag, but you just like him. I’ll admit that part of that is probably because I’m picturing John Cena and hearing his voice read in John Cena’s voice. That is just a really likable dude.

Wrapping It Up

But I think there’s just something about this character who, at the end of the day just wants love, just wants connection with beings. He had a terrible childhood, and didn’t get that love, so he’s looking for it wherever he can find it. And unfortunately, it means he trusts some people he shouldn’t trust. I just hope that Mallah and The Brain have their comeuppance at the end, and that Peacemaker gets some catharsis here and maybe learns that yes, wanting love is important, but it doesn’t mean you just grasp at straws and go for anyone and everyone.

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