THE NINJETTES (VOL. 2) #3, from Dynamite Comics on November 16th, 2022, whittles the competitors down to a handful as Blanca’s ruthless side comes to the surface, and Steph pulls an old Star Wars trick.
The Details
- Written by: Fred Van Lente
- Art by: Joseph Cooper
- Colors by: Dearbhla Kelly
- Letters by: Jeff Eckleberry
- Cover art by: Leirix Li (cover A)
- Cover price: $3.99
- Release date: November 16, 2022
Is It Good?
And then there was five-ish? THE NINJETTES (VOL. 2) #3 continues the bloody competition to find the top three killers/survivors in a government-sanctioned test to become useful or worm food. The character voices are strong, filling out the high school archetypes of everyone from the mean girl leader to the emo loaner, but the central flaw in this issue is its lack of focus. More on that in a minute.
The bright spot of Fred van Lente’s script is the kaleidoscope of sociopathic personalities on display in every scene. This collection of girls was chosen for their potential to let their maladjusted personalities escalate into violence. Now, we see how each character is different, yet they all have the potential to spiral into dangerous animals when pushed. This is a darn fine example of masterful character work from Van Lente.
That said, this issue, much like the series, lacks focus among the characters. Presumably, Steph is the one to watch, but that’s not a given, so you don’t know if you should be rooting for or against any particular character. No character is the audience surrogate, and the narrative doesn’t stick to any one character as you follow their journey through the maelstrom. Every issue reads like a free-for-all, and while that controlled chaos may be fun for an issue or two, a whole series of chaos starts to feel random.
Still, Cooper and Kelly’s artwork is excellent in this issue. The character deaths have a cinematic snap to them, the facial acting is on-point, and Kelly’s colorwork is pristine.
Keep scrolling for a closer look at the covers, or Click Here to jump right to the story description with some spoilers.
What’s It About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]
Check out our THE NINJETTES (VOL. 2) #2 review to find out how Blanca dealt with her last moments on Earth.
We begin with a brief recap of the fight between Steph and Blanca, leaving Blanca bleeding out on the hut floor. Now, we see Blanca managed to crawl away, suit up, and find weaponry (bow & arrow) to make sure she isn’t the next to die.
Elsewhere, Steph is outnumbered by Luna and Michelle, but she plays along until she can find a way to escape since her captors don’t appear to be too bright.
We conclude the issue with white death from above, a Star Wars gambit, and the consequences of being a bully at the wrong time.
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 NINJETTES (VOL. 2) #3 continues the murderous, bloody chaos as the field of competitors whittles down to a handful. The killing ingenuity is clever, Van Lente’s character work is outstanding, and the art is spot-on for an exploitation comic.
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