Creepshow Vol 3 #3 Review
Writers: Chris Condon & John Arcudi
Artists: Martín Morazzo & Shawn McManus
Colorists: Chris O’Halloran
Letterer: Pat Brosseau
Cover Artists: Ryan Carr; Martín Morazzo & Chris
O’Halloran; Steve Beach; Martín Morazzo
Editor: Ben Abernathy
Designer: Jillian Crab
Production: Richard Mercado
Masters Of Horror: Greg Nicotero & Brian Witten
Additional Creep Art: Michael Broom
Publisher: Image Comics
Price: $3.99
Release Date: November 27, 2024
Stories are reminders of yesterday. But when we obsess over
stories, how might they color our interactions with others? Let’s leap into
Creepshow Vol 3 #3 and find out!
Story: The Murder Variant
Donald is a comics collector. He hunts for treasure. His
passion is rewarded when he finds what might be a rare issue in an abandoned
storage unit. The manager of the storage complex sees the pile Donald pulled
from a long box and accepts his offer. Why not? They’re just old indies. As
Donald leaves, the manager locks the unit and says, "Happy reading,
Bub." It's a good thing Donald didn't pull any Wolverine titles!
Chris Condon's story in Creepshow Vol 3 #3 portrays a
collector's passion. It also highlights the difficulty of navigating
relationships as we grow. Donald's wife doesn't share his interest in comics.
And this evening, as he returns home in triumph, Marge is more concerned with
preparing supper for them and her brother. She craved his help. Donald ignored
her text to pursue his hobby. Marge wants him to invest in their relationship
and show hospitality to their guest. But Donald focuses more on the discarded
remnants of the past than what happens in his present.
Art: The Murder Variant
As Donald searches a long box, his phone buzzes atop a comic
sporting Death in the title. Donald's eyes bulge, and he smiles as he lifts a
bagged and boarded issue. When the manager peers over his reading glasses,
Donald hurries to let the manager inspect his finds.
Martín Morazzo portrays Donald as an overweight man who
leans forward when walking and climbing stairs. Donald drives an inexpensive
family car in Creepshow Vol 3 #3. Chris O'Halloran's dark blues, browns, and
yellows color Donald's fading neighborhood. Lavender walls and lights and blue,
green, and brown accent colors reveal how his active wife has made their
apartment's kitchen and dining room a tranquil haven. A brown ceramic cat waves
while gray Human figurines on a counter raise their hands in warning. Marge
works frantically to complete her meal. Donald's gray jacket and Marge's red
hair hint at their deadly destiny.
Story: Tru-ish Crime
The authorities jailed Alex Hinton for his daughter's death.
Now, they want his wife’s body. News stories about Alex’s domestic disaster prompt
Lynn and Bern to gather information and search for Nicky Hinton.
John Arcudi’s story in Creepshow Vol 3 #3 addresses our
relationship with the spiritual world. If Bern can’t see or touch something, he
disregards it. But his wife feels a connection to Nicky’s spirit. So, Bern uses
GPS data and tips from other interested parties to track Nicky's last known
location. But Bern’s disbelief prevents him from investing in the search and hampers
their investigation. When danger threatens, Lynn takes charge. John Arcudi’s
story bursts with clues, connections, and implications for our lives.
Art: Tru-ish Crime
Bern and pink-haired Lynn are an appealing young couple. As
they trek through the woods, falling yellow leaves suggest autumn. Yet two
trees with green foliage frame the gray arch of a cave entrance. Wispy light
green surrounds a figure in Bern's dream, complimenting the green ground and
his shirt. Shawn McManus lavishes a loaded palette on his art in Tru-ish Crime.
Yet green seems a backbone, linking Bern and Lynn with the person they discover
at the end of their journey. Green also frames Alex as he speaks through a
glass partition with a lawyer and colors the other participants seeking justice
for Nicky.
It’s easy to see why the court found tall and muscular Alex
guilty. A skull and crossbones adorn his neck. A scar and stitch marks climb
his cheek and forehead. The lawyer jerks back when Alex becomes a raging
monster. Yet while the true crime aficionados tap away at their phones, Alex reads
books in the prison library.
Lettering & Additional Creep Art
Pat Brosseau lavishes black, uppercase words in white
dialogue balloons and white letters in green narrative boxes. Lowercase black
letters inhabit green-tinted cloudy balloons, and dark green uppercase font haunts
light green clouds. A creaking door presages a metallic clunk, while a roaring
in a cave precedes an ominous rumble in Creepshow Vol 3 #3.
Michael Broom surrounds The Murder Variant with stacks of
comics and shows the Creep reading a book Daniel values. The Creep climbs into
panels with Bern, Lynn, and Alex and clutches the white space bordering the final
panel to encourage our curiosity. Thanks to Image Comics and Skybound for
providing a copy for review.
Final Thoughts
Our interests can separate or unite us. But is unity with
everyone something to be grasped? One person's democracy can become another's
communism, even if those you interact with deal with you honestly. Creepshow
Vol 3 #3 muses how our evolving interests affect our relationships and the
dangers of pursuing justice.
Rating 9.6/10
For more cover art see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.
