The best comic series of 1997. A frank and honest portrait of America. It is very eye opening, maybe because the art is so captivating that it makes you look long and hard even though you want to turn to turn away. Alex Ross is the comic book artist of today. He has stepped on to a plateau all his own. His art is as exciting as Kirby's was in the 60's, Adams' in the 70's and Miller's in the 80's. He has created a look all his own however; he isn't aping anyone.

The first page of US #2 captures the mythical image of the American Revolution. Uncle Sam marches with flag and fife and drum against a cannon-smoke filled sky. This is sharply contrasted two pages later as Uncle Sam awakens in modern times to the cold interior of a jail cell. The story consists of revealing bits of history such as the Marine Corp general who bragged that Capone had merely 3 districts but he had 3 continents. There are scary stream of consciousness observations given in the form of soundbites from today's headlines. Uncle Sam encounters a few other national symbols along the way as well. It all leads to the black moment of Shay's Rebellion which forces Sam to cry "The American Dream isn't failing; it was never allowed to succeed. The baby was choked before it even got out of the cradle. Stillborn."

The denouement has Sam facing his modern day counterpart. The new Uncle Sam is a massive monolith of multiple televisions. He is a hydra-like slogan-mill with no depth of soul or heart. Just a pitchman looking for a quick buck. When all is said and done the true Sam wins, of course. He dons his stove pipe hat once again and the ending is hopeful at least.

US #2 is surprisingly deep and even scholarly for a comic-book. The story holds its own against the Alex Ross art and that is a tall order, indeed.