CAPTAIN PLANET #3 – New Comic Review

Captain Planet #3, by Dynamite Comics on 8/13/25, sees the newly-formed Planeteers struggling to trust each other while two new threat, Commander Bleak and Duke Nukem, target them in New York City.

Credits:

• Writer: David Pepose
• Artist: Eman Casallos
• Colorist: Jorge Sutil
• Letterer: Jeff Eckleberry
• Cover Artist: Mark Spears (cover A)
• Publisher: Dynamite Comics
• Release Date: August 13, 2025
• Comic Rating: Teen
• Cover Price: $4.99
• Page Count: 24
• Format: Single Issue

Covers:

Analysis of CAPTAIN PLANET #3:

First Impressions:

This issue is a noisy, chaotic mess that zips from one scene to the next without pausing to catch its breath. The plot has the emotional depth of a puddle, and the dialogue feels like it was written by someone who just discovered the word “quip.” If you’re looking for a quiet moment of reflection on the state of our planet, you’ve come to the wrong comic.

Recap:

In Captain Planet #2, the five Planeteers were thrown together after an explosive confrontation with activists and Plunder’s mercenaries in the heart of NYC, forcing them to confront their personal conflicts and elemental powers. They were quickly hunted down by Lucian Plunder’s henchmen, who used robotic soldiers and tear gas. As the team bickered, they eventually came together to summon Captain Planet, who joined the fight.

Plot Analysis:

The issue kicks off in the middle of chaos. Captain Planet rescues Ma-Ti, but quickly falls victim to halothane gas and warns the Planeteers that Earth’s pollution weakens his form. He tells them they have been chosen to protect Gaia, the High Priestess of the Earth, as he once failed her during a cataclysm millions of years ago. Before fading, he appoints Kwame as leader. The group regains power through their rings and decides to evade pursuit in the sprawling city while debating how to work together without their champion.

While moving through the city, Ma-Ti reveals his vow never to raise a hand in anger, and tensions rise between team members. Gi uncovers a lead on Dr. Barbara Blight, a climatologist whose data might help track Gaia. The Planeteers pose as students to gain access to Blight’s observatory. Blight plays along but secretly alerts their enemies. Before the team can act, they are ambushed by Duke Nukem, an enemy armed with powerful radiation weapons.

A battle breaks out. The Planeteers combine earth and wind powers to trap Nukem, while Ma-Ti uses his heart ring to try to reach the villain’s mind. Kwame struggles to coordinate the team, but Linka and Gi’s ice storm freezes Nukem’s gauntlets, allowing Wheeler to land a knockout hit. Kwame orders a retreat before reinforcements arrive. In the chaos, Gi swipes Blight’s backup drives, and the team hopes the stolen data will reveal Gaia’s location.

After the fight, cracks in the team deepen. Wheeler voices doubts about his place in the mission and storms off, saying he is not cut out to be a hero. Hours later, alone and stewing over his choice, he is approached by a stranger who recognizes him from a Detroit factory fire. The man introduces himself as Lucian Plunder and offers Wheeler a deal, setting the stage for the next confrontation.

Story

The writing here is a prime example of a creative team mistaking loud for interesting. The dialogue is full of painfully obvious quips and monologues so lengthy they threaten to break the fourth wall. Characters spend more time stating the obvious than they do actually interacting, making them feel like puppets rather than people. The plot barrels forward at a breakneck pace, but it’s a frantic rush toward an uninteresting conclusion. The narrative attempts to inject some drama with a flimsy backstory about Captain Planet watching the dinosaurs go extinct, a moment that feels less epic and more like a desperate attempt to add gravitas where there is none.

Art

While the art is bursting with energy, it’s a chaotic energy that often works against the story. The action scenes are big and loud, but they quickly dissolve into a muddy swirl of colors and overly-saturated explosions. Character designs are expressive enough to convey emotion, but they often look busy and a little rough around the edges. The layouts are decent, but they don’t do enough to prevent the visual chaos from becoming an unreadable mess. The art tries its best to make this issue look exciting, but it’s a losing battle.

Characters

The Planeteers, to their credit, are distinct from one another, but that’s where the positive character work ends. They are little more than a collection of tropes, defined solely by their powers and personalities. Wheeler is the rebellious hothead, Linka is the cautious one, and Gi is the compassionate leader. Their bickering is supposed to show their personality, but it just gets old. The villains are just as one-dimensional. Commander Bleak is a generic tough guy, and Mister Plunder is a mustache-twirling cartoon villain. There’s no real emotional weight to anything they do or say.

Positives

For all its flaws, the comic still manages to land a few punches. The environmental message, while not subtle, is front and center and gives the story its driving force. Captain Planet’s brief moments are a nostalgic treat, and the art team’s commitment to visual spectacle means the book is never boring to look at. The core concept of a new group of Planeteers is still a solid foundation for a series, even if this particular issue fails to build anything substantial on it.

Negatives

The issue’s biggest weakness is its frantic pacing. The story races from one set piece to the next, never allowing the reader to breathe or the characters to develop in any meaningful way. The dialogue is clunky and forced, with characters constantly spelling out their emotions and intentions instead of letting their actions speak for themselves. The art, while energetic, sacrifices clarity for visual flair, making it difficult to follow the action at times. The plot is thin, the characters are archetypes, and the overall experience is one of a missed opportunity, a comic that is all sizzle and no substance.

Art Samples:

Final Thoughts:

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CAPTAIN PLANET #3 is a sugar rush of eco-heroics that refuses to slow down for pesky things like subtlety or character growth. It’s fun, chaotic, and high on spectacle, but thin on nuance. Fans of the original show will appreciate the effort, but anyone looking for a well-written or thoughtfully-paced story should look elsewhere. This issue is a loud, messy ride that leaves you feeling more exhausted than entertained.

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