THE MADNESS #3, from AWA Studios on 10/11/23, takes Raven one step further down her path of revenge when she snatches Agent X-9 away for a little Q&A.
The Details
- Written by: J. Michael Straczynski
- Art by: ACO, David Lorenzo
- Colors by: Marcelo Maiolo
- Letters by: Sal Cipriano
- Cover art by: ACO (cover A)
- Comic Rating: Teen
- Cover price: $3.99
- Release date: October 11, 2023
Is THE MADNESS #3 Good?
Brutal and savage. THE MADNESS #3 is a brutal, savage depiction of a superhuman willing to go to the extremes to avenge her loved ones. We always say that memorable comics are the comics that make you feel something, so THE MADNESS #3 makes you feel angry in all the right ways.
J. Michael Straczynski’s script centers on Raven’s quest for revenge against the superheroes and government agents responsible for killing her loved ones. This time, Raven nabs Agent X-9, the super team’s super genius, to extract all the information she needs to track down every individual who had a part in her tragedy. Agent X-9 does not get a happily ever after
The unique aspect of Raven’s character is the mystery surrounding her powers. When we first met Raven, we were told she had multiple powers but could only use one at a time. Issue #2 explains why, but the restraints are now off, so we learn more about Raven’s abilities with each passing issue, which creates an additional element of mystery around Raven’s revenge quest.
What’s great about THE MADNESS #3? As with issue #2, issue #3 is all about raw, brutal, savage emotion as Raven goes about the bloody business of killing everyone. Even during Agent X-9’s interrogation, Raven seethes with rage and power, like a fire that burns too hot or bright.
What’s not so great about THE MADNESS #3? We’re at the mid-point of the mini-series, and the story certainly has a direction and purpose, but this issue combined with the last issue implies the direction is predictable. In other words, the story has a strong emotional core but not much surprise.
How’s the art? That seething, roiling rage Raven feels comes through, in large part, from Aco and Lorenzo’s art. The eyes are the windows to the soul, so Aco uses the eyes to drill right through to your soul whenever Raven looks in the readers’ direction.
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What’s THE MADNESS #3 About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]
Check out our THE MADNESS #2 review to find out what happened when Raven was fully unleashed.
We begin with a brief prologue explaining the super origin of Agent X-9, a mage genius with mega-perceptive powers of observation to match. Agent X-9 can see every outcome before it happens, but even he is powerless to stop Raven when she comes for him.
Raven beats Agent X-9 savagely during an interrogation to get the names of everyone who approved or participated in her attack. Agent X-9 refuses to give in. Unfortunately, Raven already has the answers, but she wanted to see how far Darius and his colleagues would allow her to go before attempting a rescue.
We conclude the issue with silence, a demonstration, and a burial.
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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THE MADNESS #3 continues the sizzling, seething revenge quest of a superpowered thief determined to kill everyone who wronged her. The raw emotion practically leaps off the page, and the art team’s facial acting is mesmerizing.
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