GEIGER #3, by Image Comics on 6/12/24, finds Nate the Nuclear Knight learning a hard but important lesson about the power of memories and escapism through books.
Credits:
- Writer: Geoff Johns
- Artist: Gary Frank
- Colorist: Brad Anderson
- Letterer: Rob Leigh
- Cover Artist: Gary Frank, Brad Anderson (cover A)
- Publisher: Image Comics
- Release Date: June 12, 2024
- Comic Rating: Teen
- Cover Price: $3.99
- Page Count: 36
- Format: Single Issue
Covers:
Analysis of GEIGER #3:
Plot Analysis:
Geoff Johns takes a small but emotional step forward in the series when Geiger hunts down a (plot) device to hold on to his past, teaching Nate the Nuclear Knight what it means to remember what matters. Will this issue get readers to shed big, ugly tears? Probably not, but you might get a little misty.
When last we left Geiger and Nate the Nuclear Knight in Geiger #2, they offered their services to a small town in exchange for information about another man who was similarly inflicted as Geiger but found a cure. His mission? Track down and kill a masked robber responsible for disrupting the town. Ultimately, Geiger catches his prey after a rousing chase, but Geiger is reminded that sometimes people do the wrong thing for the right reasons.
In Geiger #3, we begin with a foreshadowing prologue that introduces readers to the robotic soldier known as Junkyard Joe. We see how Joe developed a rapport with soldiers in Vietnam in 1972. We see Joe’s loneliness when he returns to his creator’s empty house in 1997, and we see through memory replays how Joe was given a mission to find Geiger by the Redcoat, Simon Pure.
Years later after the Unknown War, we catch up with Geiger and Nate rummaging through a library filled with books. Geiger searches for the same book he was reading in a previous issue before he was forced to throw it in a fire in an earlier issue. Nate whines about going far out of their way just for a book and begins calling out in the library just to make noise. Geiger immediately silences Nate to prevent calling the attention of Organ People or worse, ordering Nate to set up camp for the night.
The next day, Geiger and Nate reach the perimeter of an airport between them and their trail to Montana to find the cured man. Nate wants to cross the airport, but Geiger knows the place is filled with traps set by Organ People – mutants who hunt travelers to take their healthy organs as replacements and eat their remaining flesh.
Suddenly, Geiger and Nate are attacked by a trio of Organ People. Geiger and Nate put the attackers down handily, but Geiger’s book is destroyed in the fight. When Nate dismisses Geiger’s loss, Geiger explodes with anger when he explains that books are the only thing reminding him of the family he lost.
That night, Nate sneaks out and finds another library. He returns before dawn with more books, including a copy of the edition lost in the previous day’s fight. During his search, Nate comes across a title his mother read him when he was a boy, opening his eyes to the same feelings as Geiger.
The issue ends when Geiger notices his dog is missing, not realizing that the dog was taken by the Electric Man as bait.
Character Development:
It’s a good bet nobody anticipated a sci-fi series set in a post-apocalyptic world would be so emotionally intimate. Johns gives readers a poignant look into Geiger’s mind as a reluctant hero carrying the burdens of grief and loss for years. To be clear, Johns doesn’t paint a picture of a mopey superhero. What you get is a hero who reads like a real, flesh-and-blood human being.
Artwork and Presentation:
Gary Frank’s art is a top-tier presentation of creative, imaginative designs, detailed work of rare quality, and an immaculate handle on the use of light and shadow. Enough can’t be said about the untouchable quality of comic art in this series.
Art Samples:
Pacing and Structure:
Johns’s pacing is measured but impactful, which may be this series’ only weak point. The scenes are well-constructed, transition well, and give you all the information you need to explain what’s happening without fluff.
That said, Geiger’s journey is more emotional than physical as each issue focuses on learning a personal lesson, which keeps the story small in scale. Admittedly, Johns is walking a thin line between slow and intimate, largely falling on the intimate side of that line, but readers may find the pace is still too slow to hold their attention.
Thematic Exploration:
The big hook of Geiger’s journey is his strong need to stray from his mission to hold on to memories with emotional importance. At the heart of those memories is Geiger’s family, which is the same memory Nate recollects later.
The Bigger Picture:
Series Continuity:
You might wonder where this series fits with the other Ghost Machine titles since the marketing materials suggest an integrated timeline. Junkyard Joe and Redcoat’s appearance in the opening prologue reminds readers that some crossover event is on the horizon, but thus far, Geiger’s journey isn’t impacted by those other characters.
Final Thoughts:
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GEIGER #3 continues Geiger’s journey to find a cure, but his trip gets sidetracked by an emotionally poignant side quest that teaches Nate a powerful lesson. Gary Frank’s art is untouchable, and the emotional weight of Geoff Johns’s script is an unexpected treat, but the plot’s pace needs more pep.
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