HOME FREE #3, by John Kratky on Kickstarter, sends Sara out into the desert to find a buried treasure to help escape the escalating civil unrest. Can she find what she’s looking for before the police find her?
The Details
- Written by: John Kratky
- Art by: Michelle Lodge
- Letters by: Eduardo Camacho
- Cover art by: Michelle Lodge
- Comic Rating: Teen
- Cover price: $6.00 (issues 1-4)
- Release date: November 2023 (estimated)
Is HOME FREE #3 Good?
In HOME FREE #3, John Kratky bridges the events of Sara’s recent past with a tense standoff in the desert that will set the stage for Sara’s future. Entirely encompassing one scene, Kratky and Michelle Lodge successfully create a moment as thick with tension as the Southwestern heat.
Kratky’s latest entry focuses on Sara’s solo ride to find cash and resources to escape the long arm of the law. When she follows up on a tip for buried treasure (literally), her victory is short-lived when her car is spotted by the police.
For new or casual readers, it would be in your best interests to pick up the first two issues or read our reviews (Home Free reviews) to get the lay of the land. Regardless of the storytelling quality, you WILL be lost if you go into this issue cold. Thankfully, the creative team is running a special to bundle the first four issues at an exceptionally reasonable price. See the link below for more.
What’s great about HOME FREE #3? Kratky’s issue almost entirely encompasses a single scene set out in the desert, so the strength of the issue relies on the amount of tension and the pacing speed to keep readers engaged. For the most part, Kratky does well on both counts.
What’s not so great about HOME FREE #3? Kratky’s pacing is okay but not great. Sara finds herself in a dangerous predicament, but the issue is layered with lots of dialog that mixes exposition and pontification. The dramatic tension combined with the large amounts of dialog average out to a decent issue, but some readers may tune out.
How’s the art? Since the first issue, Michelle Lodge’s grounded, relatable art has been consistently good. Here, Lodge puts Sara (literally) in the crosshairs of two law enforcement officials with competing interests, and it’s Lodge’s dramatic panel work that keeps lots of standing and talking interesting.
Keep scrolling for a closer look at the covers, or Click Here to jump right to the story description with some spoilers.
What’s HOME FREE #3 About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]
Check out our HOME FREE #2 review to find out how Sara and Emmy parted ways.
We begin with Sara driving a stolen car to a rest stop in the middle of nowhere Nevada. She finds the location of the note with the instructions to find the cash and gun connected to Hank Mitchum. After a few thousand paces and a little digging, Sara finds the marker for the treasure she needs to get out of the country.
Unfortunately, Sara’s parked car is spotted by a police trooper with an itchy trigger finger and a shortage of mercy. We conclude the issue with quid pro quo, gunfire, and the beginning of a mystery.
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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HOME FREE #3 continues Sara’s journey with a treasure hunt in the desert, tense police standoffs, and death. Kratky successfully crafts an atmosphere of tension when the police back Sara into a figurative corner, and Lodge’s art pulses with drama.
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