Welcome to an all new edition of Parlay Points!

For this entry, we are heading into the second fall of a championship story. The mysterious death of Rey Castro has shaken his sister. The levels Mona is willing to go looking for answers is huge. The question now becomes what will she do when she unlocks the truth?

HARD STYLE JUICE #2 by Clay McCormack, Ricardo López-Ortiz, Heather Moore, DC Hopkins, and Jasmine Amiri (Comixology Originals) dives further into the complex world of the Castros.

Let’s get ringside and see how things shape up now.

*** POSSIBLE SPOILER WARNING ***

Ramonita “Mona” Castro is on a mission. Her brother Rey dies in an accident inside the squared circle. Mona knows this is no accident and seeks out to find the truth.

Mona tracks down “Burly Bill”, who was last in the ring with Rey. In the interrogation, Bill becomes unresponsive. Mona becomes frustrated and touches her forehead. It is no coincidence of the place of contact.

The story flashes back to when Mona was in school. At lunch, other students are gossiping about her and her brother. They claim how wrestling is fake. They also say her brother really isn’t dead. Mona snaps the tab of her soda can and blades her forehead. She winds up covering the rude students in her blade job.

Being suspended for her actions, Mona confronts her father. “King” Castro is happy she defended her brother but advises her to be better. When Rey’s “accident” is mentioned, Mona echoes it was no accident.

The tone shifts to a more downward note as a “Past Due” notice is discovered. It is revealed after Rey’s death, KCPW is struggling to survive. An idea is thrown out to try saving it but one not without a great weight.

Readers watch as a new star appears to enter the world of professional wrestling. The story time jumps a bit but not without great cause. Mona’s quest for the truth takes another turn as a suspect emerges. The closing act features Mona taking matters into her own hands once again. This time, the final image sets the stage for a very different style of investigating. “Business has just picked up.”

McCormick never let the family aspect stray too far as the main point of the story. Mona’s new persona is given a proper origin. Knowing how fiercely she will defend her family is arguably her strongest attribute. The initial banter with her and her dad ranges from overbearing to loving. Seeing the sacrifices Mona makes will instantly make her a face in front of the readers.

The time jump is ideal for where the story needs to go next. Mona’s growth in character benefits from the move. She is shown to be tougher emotionally while retaining her anger over Rey. This leads into a great closing act. Mona’s parting words carry that same fire heading into the next chapter. Strong work.

López-Ortiz and Moore never shy away from the “realness” of the Castro family profession. The sequence of blading works on a few levels. Non wrestling fans won’t get it and arguably will be squeamish. Ones who know will appreciate the details put into the scene.

The in-ring action later is electric yet again. The imagery locks in the intensity of the in-ring work. Paired with the post-match fallout, the panels give a vivid picture of the workings of the business. Prime example is when two wrestlers are talking their match out via Full page with staged panels. This all leads to a solid ending page where the lettering of Hopkins steals the show. This will be a huge win for fans.

FINAL POINT: 8.9

Mona’s quest for justice leads into a new direction with the latest chapter of HSJ. McCormick’s writing leans directly into the family dynamic. López-Ortiz balances the insides and outs of the business with exceptional artistry. Make sure to tag yourself into this series on NCBD!

Hit me up on ODPHpod social media and let me know your thoughts on Hard Style Juice #2. Thanks for reading.

HARD STYLE JUICE #2 (COMIXOLOGY ORIGINALS)

Ken M