All Eight Eyes #3 Review

 

Writer: Steve Fox

Artist: Piotr Kowalski

Colorist: Brad Simpson

Letterer: Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou

Cover Artists: Piotr Kowalski and Brad Simpson; David Romero

Publisher: Dark Horse

Price: $3.99

Release Date: June 21, 2023

 

Play with spiders long enough, and you’re bound to get bitten. At least that’s what Dani Dominguez tells Vin when he awakens in the abandoned school. Meanwhile, Reynolds is fighting a giant spider and needs his help yesterday. What happens next? Grab an elvish dagger from a troll’s horde—or at least a baseball bat—as we brave a look inside All Eight Eyes #3 and find out!

 

Story

The previous issue ended with Reynolds and a giant spider playing tug-of-war, using Vin as a rope. Dani slaps Vin to banish his grogginess. The New York Parks & Recreation officer tells him they need to leave pronto. Reynolds also tells him to flee. But Vin's not having any of that. He's a man with a plan to get them out of a jam, and with Reynolds' help, he succeeds.

 

To the victors belong the spoils. At least Reynolds spoils the party with a temper tantrum. It shocks Vin into breaking up their dynamic duo. But can he resume everyday life, knowing the dangers that threaten New York? Dani certainly can’t. Her coworker Ernie found a spider corpse in the last issue, but their boss Mr. Godino ordered them to suppress the discovery. Maybe she could live with that then, but not anymore.

 

Sadly, All Eight Eyes #3 stumbles as it scurries across our New Comic Book Day haul. Dani says Vin got bit, but we never saw it happen. You can argue the final panel of issue #2 showed it, but if so, where's the result? Vin leaps into action to save Reynolds. Why isn't he treating his injury or suffering ill effects? An ordinary spider bite can be debilitating. Shouldn't a giant spider bite hospitalize Vin or kill him? Also, why does Dani call in sick, then sneak into work anyway? Her boss may be a jerk, but does he dominate every second of her working day? Hopefully, we'll learn the reason for her deception in the next issue.

 

 

Art

I never had to flip back and forth in All Eight Eyes #3 because I wondered, "What just happened?" Whether depicting moments like Dani's slap, Vin throwing a brick, or a giant spider meeting its demise, Piotr Kowalski sets up action scenes well and follows through.

 

He shows emotions equally well. Vin dances with exultation. Dani's frown--and her raised hand as she turns away--conveys her feelings. Amy's expressions, hug, the steaming mug she brings him, and even her bunny slippers help Vin accept her concerned disbelief.

 

Vin's face didn't convey his uniqueness in the first few pages. But long before Reynolds finally shared what propelled him on his crusade against the Eight Legs, Vin recaptured his individuality.

 

In the first issue, Brad Simpson colored the spiders with wild abandon. By All Eight Eyes #3, he's settled down. He sells dark battle scenes in the abandoned school, Vin's dream, and Reynolds' recollections without obscuring the art. His shadows and highlights imbue scenes with the rich tapestry of life in the city that never sleeps. Likewise, Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou fills white dialogue balloons with easy-to-read lettering. Font size and the shapes of the linking arrows convey tonality and emotion. His sound effects help us hear impacts and the skittering of the arachnids who lurk in the darkness awaiting the opportunity to strike.

 

Final Thoughts

The past hangs heavy over Vin and Reynolds as another Human joins the fight against the spider menace. All Eight Eyes #3 asks: When can you give yourself a pass and give up on a cause you believe in? 

 

Rating 9.2/10

 

To preview interior art see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.