Review – Plutona #3 (Image Comics)

Publisher: Image Comics
Writer(s): Jeff Lemire, Emi Lenox
Art: Emi Lenox, Jordie Bellaire
Release Date: 2nd December, 2015

At the conclusion of issue two, a decision was made by the group to keep the fallen hero’s death a secret and bury her deep in the woods where she was found. This time around, Teddy’s motivations are clarified, leading to a dramatic transformation of the the character in the process. For me, this change is the catalyst for this tale to truly begin firing on all cylinders, as it provides plenty of scope for this supposedly weak character to potentially become a monster, and thanks to some neat plotting and Lemire’s crafty script, solid foundations have been laid to make such a transistion believable.

Each issue in this run so far has followed the same slow-burning structure, and I’ve come to embrace and enjoy this approach more and more with each one, perhaps now that I understand the logic behind the writing team’s narrative decision. The choice of a deliberate pace mirrors the uneventful, humdrum existences of these suburban kids, whilst drawing you deeper into the mystery, and providing space for Lemire to add texture to the rapidly darkening world around them. This issue felt like waking from a daydream to find you’ve been lured to an unfamiliar place, and made me appreciate how cleverly that effect was created.

Artist Emi Lennox effortlessly captures the darker tone in one key panel, as Teddy coerces Mike into following his lead. Over the course of the issue, she subtly imbues the character with a darker edge, culminating in a pretty disconcerting final panel. It’s an example of how well the design of each character expresses their personalities, and indicates how well the creative team work together. Jordie Bellaire’s colours, too, are reflective of the shift in tone, as the characters trade the warm, pastel environment of thier regular lives, for the cold, deep dark of the forest floor.

Another tantalising hook at the end of the issue, makes certain I’ll be picking up the next one. I’d highly recommend you do the same.

Rating: 4/5.

The Writer of this piece was: Martin Doyle
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