2022 saw the release of SECRET IDENTITY, a love letter not only to comic book fans but to those who hold in high regard the unsung women behind its glorious history. It introduced us to Carmen Valdez, an assistant at Triumph Comics who ended up being one of those principally responsible for the creation of the infamous and little-known character, the Lethal Lynx.

Alex Segura nailed the story on every level, and its success has brought about this newly released stand-alone sequel, ALTER EGO. It is still important to understand the history of the Legendary Lynx comic books and Carmen’s plight to truly appreciate what will take place in this follow-up.

"The surreal mix of the fictional and actual pop and comic book culture will have fans of both giggling with excitement as the pages turn. Alex Segura respects the world of comic books and their creators, and this novel is a fine tribute to that legacy."

Set in October 2018, the first chapter places us in a car with Laura Gustines, whose eight-hour trek feels like it lasted forever. She has with her an audio file that will make her upcoming work, Secret Identity, a surefire hit. Apparently she has enough information on The Legendary Lynx and Carmen to put her in danger as we regrettably see her gunned down in cold blood. The last sound that comes from her vehicle are Carmen’s closing words from the file: “I guess…I just don't want to be forgotten.”

The first part of the novel introduces us to Annie Bustamante, a filmmaker, author and comic book artist extraordinaire whose lone regret is that she has yet to be able to take on The Legendary Lynx. But she plans to remedy that. It doesn’t get off to a promising start for Annie as the support for her latest comic project, The Renegade, is lacking. However, what could have been career suicide turns into a defining moment for her to explore The Legendary Lynx.

As he did in SECRET IDENTITY, Segura incorporates legendary names like Jack Kirby, Chris Claremont, John Romita and Frank Miller in this sequel. It stands to reason that the “fictional” characters from his series should exist side by side with “real” comic figures like the Black Panther, Jean Grey/Phoenix, and dozens of others who are cited in ALTER EGO.

Following a mishap at a Comic Con appearance, Annie eventually gets the opportunity to work on the assignment for which her entire life has prepared her. She is contacted by Bert Carlyle, the CEO of Triumph Entertainment, to work on a film adaptation of The Legendary Lynx. One caveat is that she must collaborate with the infamous and exiled Spanish director Arturo Spinoza, which will be a feat in and of itself.

Surprisingly, Annie and Spinoza eventually find common ground and a mutual vision for what the project could be. What Annie does not realize is that something from her past will damn this endeavor before it can even move forward. When she begins to receive both warnings and subtle clues from an anonymous texter, she realizes that far more may be at play. This will include getting long-overdue recognition for Carmen Valdez and possibly finding out why Laura Gustines died.

ALTER EGO is so well done. The surreal mix of the fictional and actual pop and comic book culture will have fans of both giggling with excitement as the pages turn. Alex Segura respects the world of comic books and their creators, and this novel is a fine tribute to that legacy.