Criminal Macabre: The Third Child #3
Dark Horse
Words: Steve Niles
Pictures: Christopher Mitten
I have to give it up to Steve Niles, this dude has me hooked. I’m so digging this Third Child story arc like I’m digging on sour beers right now. Yeah, they’re shocking, and bold and in your face and some people might turn their noses up to them… But when you settle in and enjoy them for the bold, in your face flavorful journeys they are, you find that they rock out loud. So does this book.
This book is so satisfying on so many levels (not unlike sour beers). Mr. Niles continues to grow Cal McDonald into a very cool, complex character while surrounding him with an awesome posse that features Adam, the Frankenstein Monster. Dammit, that’s cool! This issue shows the complexities that exist with Cal and his friends. (Again, like sour beer.) There’s a bit less action in this issue, but what is in there is pretty awesome. Oddly enough, all of the action is being done away from Cal and Co. Instead we get a cool Father/Son moment with Cal and his Dad while Adam and Mo’lock try and help Wheatly come to terms with his loss.
While this isn’t an action heavy book, what is there is pretty intense… Like a TV Reporter getting her head ripped off on live TV kind of intense. (So, sour beers are intense, I’m not sure they’ll take off any heads, but you see the comparison.) Plus our old friend Hemlock gets a brand new look which is completely bad ass. Christopher Mitten is again on his A game with the art here. It moves across the page like something alive and I dig it so much. Also, nice work from Michelle Madsen on colors as the pages where all hell is breaking loose (Hey, hey have you read the news. –Paul Stanley of KISS) just pop off the page. And when Cal and his friends take the spotlight, everything in matted and muted with this tan/grey wash out vibe.
And even though I saw the last line coming for a while now, just seeing Cal utter that last sentence was very satisfying. Bring on issue #4.
4.5 out of 5 Pints of Sour Beer
