CHILDREN OF THE BLACK SUN #3, from Ablaze Publishing on March 8th, 2023, finds Clem and Matthew meeting the Prophet, a twisted seer who knows when the next Black Sun is coming and what it will bring to the world.
The Details
- Written by: Dario Sicchio
- Art by: Letizia Cadonici
- Colors by: Francesco Segala
- Letters by: Ingegni
- Cover art by: Letizia Cadonici (cover A)
- Comic Rating: Teen+
- Cover price: $3.99
- Release date: March 8, 2023
Is It Good?
CHILDREN OF THE BLACK SUN #3 confirms what we’ve begun to suspect about the series. The story is like an onion. Every scene reveals layers upon layers upon surprising layers in this simmering horror story, and we can’t wait to find out how far down the layers go.
When last we left Clem and Matthew, they were taught about the power, the Resonance, within them that allows them to aggressively influence other people. When Clem tried to use her power to spread happiness, the results were disastrous.
Now, Clem and Matthew are introduced to the Prophet, one of the elder children whose body embraced the power to limb-destroying extremes, giving the Prophet the gift of sight beyond sight. Of course, there wouldn’t be much of a mystery if the Prophet’s answers to questions were straightforward, so Sicchio uses the Prophet to deepen the mystery while heightening the anticipation of what’s to come.
We noted in the last review that this series is definitely a slow burn. The same holds true in CHILDREN OF THE BLACK SUN #3, as readers mostly experience the story from Clem’s point of view. Sicchio’s skill at moving the story forward with quiet nuance is astounding. If you list all the plot points that happen in this issue, it doesn’t seem much transpires, but the experience of mood, atmosphere, and dreadful momentum is inescapable.
The anticipation of something bad about to happen overwhelms every page, so the issue may be light on action, but the collection of smaller scenes builds and stacks the tension until you can almost feel it crawling under your skin. Again, this story is a slow burn, but it’s definitely not boring.
Credit is due to Cadonici and Segala’s simple yet deceptively powerful artwork. We’ve espoused how emotion can be conveyed even in the most simplistic art if you can capture the right expressions in the eyes and mouth. Cadonici demonstrates exactly that point perfectly as the simplest and quietest panels practically shout the emotions of the moment. This is great work from Cadonici and Segala.
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What’s It About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]
Check out our CHILDREN OF THE BLACK SUN #2 review to find out what happened when Clem tested her newfound power.
We begin with Molly saying goodbye for the day to her abused and disturbed son. Later, Molly will findout her son took her lessons too literally in a shocking act.
Elsewhere, Clem and Matthew meet the elder children for their next lesson. They’re guided through a sewer drain to meet the Prophet, another elder wracked with a distorted body over an extreme use of power. Clem and Matthew are each allowed only one question to the Prophet, and the Prophet answers both of them with words that are both telling and puzzling.
It soon becomes clear from a test by the Brightvale residents and the Prophet that the arrival of the next Black Sun event is imminent. We conclude the issue with the Prophet sticking a neck out, more tests, and letting the light in.
Keep scrolling for a closer look at preview images of the internal pages, or Click Here to jump right to the score.
Final Thoughts
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CHILDREN OF THE BLACK SUN #3 is another slow-burn masterpiece of building dread and tension. The story appears to be taking its time, but every scene is important, and each scene stacks on top of the previous one until the creepiness gets under your skin.
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