Writer/Artist: Josh Howard
Publisher: Viper Comics
I got off work early, had to take my girlfriend back to the dentist (always a satisfying chore after we’ve had an argument. It feels like I won the fight even though I didn’t… I didn’t even come close). On the way there is all-holy Mecca, the comic shop. I picked up Dead@17 #3 because I LOVE THE FIRST TWO ISSUES! It is MY comic! And the fact that I am friends with Jessie Garza (President of Dead@17’s publisher, Viper Comics) helps. Also, I was sold on it because they printed my name in there.
Regardless, I like the comic and was really looking forward to the third issue. After we got to the dentist and they hauled my girl to the drill room I cracked third of four open.
The pace in this issue is incredible. It’s the third issue of a four-issue mini so I’d expect a holding pattern until the concluding issue (I blame Marvel and DC for putting me in that mindset. Marketing takes these three- and four-issue stories and stretches them out to fill up six-issue arcs). But the story flows because Josh Howard wrote a longer story and then paced it to fit into four rockin’ issues!
So, when stuff started happening in issue three, and it was good and interesting, well I was floored.
This issue starts with Dead@17’s heroine, Nara being captured by flying zombies! It was good, good, good visually and I think that comics could use more winged undead. Josh Howard then delves deeper into the über-plot of his series. With this issue, unlike the last one, the overall bad guy motivations work much better. The story works because it presents this light view of religion versus organizations that exist because of religion (for example, you go to the outlet mall and they have a Bible store and you wonder, “Man, how many Bibles do Christians need in one lifetime?” I’m sure the answer is shocking if it can keep a store that sells Bibles in business!… Sorry, that had nothing to do with anything.)
After Nara is caught by the flying undead and delivered to the main bad guys we get back to her friends who are desperate to save their resurrected friend. We find out what is going on. Not the why Nara is back from the dead part, but we find out why the bad guys are after her.
The part of this issue that I like best is Elijah and Lisa’s interaction. The way Lisa acts is dead-on! As I’ve said in my reviews of issue one and Raw Feed, and in the back of the issue) to missing a word and a letter last issue, but I still like the look he gives the work. He does a nice job keeping the font readable without obstructing too much of the art. Occasionally he loses the word balloon all together to leave more art on the page. He doesn’t seem to follow all the rules that I’ve seen come from many professional letterers yet I like what’s there. After three issues I’ve come to the conclusion I want him to letter some of my stuff.
Honestly, this is THE best comic series I’ve read in a long while! I’m digging it and can’t wait for the conclusion so I can sit down and read’em all at once. Check it out!
For more on Egg go to: http://www.KamenComic.com/
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