Creators Mark Millar and Frank Quitely have reunited once more for "Jupiter's Legacy 2," a sequel to the original series of the same name. "Jupiter's Legacy 2" #1 picks up where that story left off: in a near future suffering under Walter "Brainwave" Sampson's takeover of the United States, where Hutch -- son of former Union member Skyfox -- forms a resistance effort. It's been over a year since the end of the previous series, so the return and advancement of Millar and Quitely's original story is welcome, and the pair deliver an exciting and uncomplicated reintroduction.

Millar doesn't begin immediately in the year 2020, the story's setting; instead, he starts things off nearly thirty years earlier, when a young Hutch experiences a pivotal moment with his father, which later becomes a key point in the main story. Before that, Millar provides a partial recap of the events of "Jupiter's Legacy," or at least the ones that are relevant to this issue; readers aren't told everything they need to know, but they're told enough. The start of this second act is simple enough to follow; current readers won't have any problems, and anyone who happens upon this franchise for the first time will benefit from what they learn in the flashback.

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Quitely evokes quite a bit of tension in this flashback sequence, where Hutch has a quiet moment with his father even as an army of superheroes floats imposingly above his home. The scene shifts between the seemingly peaceful confines of an otherwise perfectly normal house and the far more threatening scene outside, and Quitely effectively structures the scene to capitalize on the dichotomy of inside versus out. There's no subsequent battle -- it's either unseen or never takes place -- but there's no shortage of action when Millar moves into the next part of the story.

In fact, the action kicks in quickly, as Millar wastes no time having his character begin his mission. Quitely conveys this action in his usual and beautifully efficient still-frame fashion; he doesn't need blur lines or exaggerated poses to capture excitement, and the technique even evokes some laughs in a couple of spots. Elsewhere, his typical usage of slender lines and crisp detail work well for the disparate atmospheres, ranging from a car chase through downtown Hong Kong to the cold, grey environment of a supervillain prison.

Millar sets aside the subplots and character nuances of past miniseries and favors a straightforward resumption of the series without any twists or distractions. "Jupiter's Legacy 2" #1 is a simple, action-packed treat for readers who enjoyed the "Jupiter's Circle" prequels but have really been waiting for the primary story to get rolling again.