In this review of Self Help #2 our taxi driver protagonist is not who he appears to be. Jerry’s past may finally be catching up with him to the horror of his former family.
Self Help #2
Writer: Owen King & Jesse Kellerman
Artist and Main Cover: Marianna Ignazzi
Color Artist: Fabiana Mascolo
Variant Cover: Stephen Byrne
Release Date: July 24, 2024
This review contains spoilers
Self Help #2 — The Story
Self Help #2 begins where we meet a felon, Danny McClure, being released from prison. Danny is very popular in the population but they also seem to be on their payroll. The guard escorting him gives him a cell phone to keep in contact with Arlo on the inside. He also says that Danny looks like Darren Hart except for his hair. This gives Danny an idea.
He goes to a hotel, splits with his wife over the phone and goes to his room to dye his hair. He also creates the identity of Jerry Hauser. He throws the cell away, abandoning Arlo.
Tonight he is taking on the identity of Darren Hart. He gets back into his car and arrives at Øve’s mansion. He enters and is greeted by Cassandra, Darren’s assistant and Øve. Cassandra does not know that Jerry is pretending to be Darren, Jerry took Darren’s phone. Jerry goes in to talk to Ove’s daughter, presumably what he is hired to do. He gives the girl a packet from Darren’s coat which are drugs. The girl quickly snorts them and is now in ecstasy. Jerry talks to the girl and leaves.
Cassandra meets him outside. She reminds Darren that they owe Øve fifty million dollars and she is the head of the Finnish Mafia. She then checks on Darren, he seems off, Jerry says that he is fine and changes to meet Øve in the sauna.
Ten hours ago a tattooed man, PB, is spying on Danny’s daughter in her home. He sees Jerry and then Jerry drives away. PB calls Arlo to report. Arlo wants to leave Danny a message and it will be either the wife or the daughter.
In the sauna now, Jerry talks to Øve. Øve is concerned about the money, Darren tells him everything is fine but Øve recounts that people are committing suicide and he wants his money’s worth. They step outside and one of Øve’s thugs has Cassandra by the throat and is holding her over a panther. His intention is to kill the girl. Jerry tries to talk him down, convincing him that he will get the money and to let Carly go. Cassandra notices this despite her terror. Jerry convinces Øve that he has a new book coming out and Øve releases Cassandra and asks for an advance copy.
Afterwards Cassandra confronts the man she believes is Darren. Darren convinces the woman to go home, he will find his own way home. Cassandra runs Jerry’s car plate.
Irene, Danny’s wife, leaves the restaurant where she works. She is still thinking about Danny. She arrives home to find her daughter tied up by PB holding a machete to the tied up girl and calling Irene “Michelle”.
Analysis
There is no change to the art in Self Help #2. It successfully illustrates the story and I have to admit I like the designs of the characters, both male and female. As I stated last month the style is simplistic but that style works in this story. Especially as the story itself is proving to be more complex.
Jerry is not who he appears to be. He is not a down on his luck rideshare driver whose wife split with him. He is actually a conman working for a prison gang on the outside. He split with his wife and now because he tries to go into business on his own he gets them in terrible trouble.
His charade, playing Darren which he planned to do all along seems to be unraveling from the inside. More than likely Cassandra is going to find out that the man she thought is Darren is really Jerry which is also a false name. My question is when will Darren’s body be found, that too will pose a problem for Danny.
Unfortunately, it looks like the only conclusion to this scheme may be the death of a child, the death of a self-help guru and maybe even Cassandra could find herself in trouble. I do not see a lot of positive consequences in this story
Final Thoughts
This story is becoming a morality play. Self Help #2 is a dark tale showing the consequences of schemes and crimes. Definitely a mysterious look into the underworld without glorifying this life. Not a fun story to tell but possibly a very necessary one to tell.
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