It's that time again! It's time to join the young members of the Wolfpack as they defend the streets of the South Bronx! Last time, our heroes tried to take down a drug ring with some tragic consequences. However, the specter of tragedy would continue to haunt this group of young men and women. You'll see what I mean when we take a look at Wolfpack #2!
The cover is a Ron Wilson and Kyle Baker piece.
"Wheels"
Writer: Larry Hama
Penciler: Ron Wilson
Inker: Kyle Baker
Colorist: Max Scheele
Letterer: Joe Rosen
Editor: Terry Kavanagh
Editor-in-Chief: Tom DeFalco
The story begins in the home of Wheels Wolinski, naturally located in the South Bronx. His old man John Wolinski sees that Wheels is a bit down from the events of the previous issue. Without outright saying what he and the rest of the Pack did, Wheels tells John that he and his friends tried to do something positive, but people got hurt. John thinks this over and tells Wheels that one should always try to do some good, but it's okay to question this, as righteousness can be blinding in its own way. Their discussion is interrupted by John having to go to work.
John heads down to his job: working the turnstiles at a metro station. We get the impression as he walks down that John is a nice, rather popular guy. However, even he has his haters.
Jimmy Macanally here was once caught by John trying to jump the turnstiles. Since then, he's been burning for revenge against the man. Meanwhile, Wheels notices that John has forgotten his lunch box.
Wheels heads down his father's walking route to the metro station. Jimmy and his boys start a fire in John's station. The fire is meant to be a distraction, so they can burst in and take the tokens. Jimmy also decides to make an exchange: John's gold watch...for a bullet to the chest. The gang flees with their loot, passing by Wheels. As they flee, members of Jimmy's gang remark about the gun having quite a powerful recoil. Keep this detail in mind, folks. It'll pay off later.
Unaware Wheels is John's son, Jimmy kicks him over and basically gives him the "you tell anyone you saw me and I'll hurt you bad" threat. Sadly, John's gunshot proves to be fatal, and his funeral is held three days later.
Inspector Cassidy comes by to visit. He's looking for John's killer, but he's been stymied because no one will tell him anything. Not to mention he believes that Wheels knows who killed his father...and that Wheels plans to deliver a bit of street justice. The rest of the Pack want to know if Cassidy's right. Wheels just tells them he wants to be left alone.
A week later, the other members of the Pack are meeting at a rooftop. Sam reports that Wheels hasn't been seen much. He hasn't been to school. Rafael isn't too worried. He gets how Wheels is feeling, as he took his own father's death hard, too. However, Wheels hasn't been at home much, either. The rest of the Wolfpack realize that Cassidy was dead on. Wheels not only knows who killed his dad, but he's been on the hunt. The group's resident tactician is out for some revenge.
We get to see Wheels at work. He finds a pawn shop that his father's gold watch was in. Wheels blackmails the shop owner to telling him who pawned the watch.
The owner is all too happy to tell him. After all, he thinks Jimmy has been burning the candle at both ends too long. The Wolfpack also ask the people John interacted with regularly on his way to work. However, they are all clammed up. Sharon finds it odd as they were all John's friends. You'd think they'd want his killer brought down. Sam believes that Wheels has asked them to keep quiet. They managed to get a blind newspaper stand owner named Glo to admit she did hear the gunshot, and that Wheels is hunting down his dad's killer. She laments this will lead to a cycle of revenge. Wheels kills Jimmy, Jimmy's kin will likely come after him, etc. He's been looking for his dad's gold watch, checking every pawnbroker in the South Bronx. The Wolfpack split up to check all the pawnbrokers in the area.
As this is going down, Wheels has found Jimmy and his boys, who are out to do another "job". The angered teenager follows them, realizing what they're planning. Sam calls in Sharon using a payphone (remember, this is the 1980s), reporting that he found the pawnbroker who got John's gold watch, and Jimmy's address. Jimmy and his boys prepare to attack another token collector, Jimmy being warned about the gun's recoil. Wheels then ambushes them. In the scuffle, Jimmy drops his gun. He goes to grab it, but Wheels manages to catch him, planning to toss him onto the tracks as the distant rumble of a train could be heard.
Jimmy begs for mercy, but Wheels is not in the mood to hear it. They should no mercy towards his father, so why should he? The rest of the Wolfpack race into the subway. Wheels ultimately decides to toss Jimmy. Not into the tracks, but off to the side on the platform. He can't bring himself to kill Jimmy. It would sully his father's memory, and he is above that. The rest of the Pack arrive, as Jimmy picks up his gun. He fires it at Wheels, but Sam saves him.
Remember how earlier, it was shown the gun that Jimmy used to kill John had a powerful recoil? Well, it pays off here. The recoil of the gun causes Jimmy to fall onto the subway tracks...
…as a train bears down on him.
Looks like Wheels got his wish after all.
I did enjoy this issue. The story is a bit basic, it's the classic trope of realizing that revenge is a worthless cause. I would have liked seeing Wheels question himself a bit more when going after Jimmy, to help tie his crusade to the advice John gave him.
While I do think the art does help with the gritty street nature of the series, it can be hard to figure out sometimes. Like this panel here.
I had no idea which character said that line. Really.
