SWEETIE: CANDY VIGILANTE #3, from Dynamite Comics on December 14th, 2022, brings Pixie Stix into the heart of Sweetie’s headquarters, where she learns all there is to know about the vigilante’s tragic origin.
The Details
- Written by: Suzanne Cafiero
- Art by: Jeff Zornow
- Colors by: Ned Ivory
- Letters by: Ned Ivory
- Cover art by: Jeff Zornow (cover A)
- Cover price: $3.99
- Release date: December 14, 2022
Is It Good?
Holy exposition, Batman! SWEETIE: CANDY VIGILANTE #3 gives you a novel’s worth of explanation about the titular character’s family, the development of her gadgets, and the motivation behind her mission. However, be prepared to do a LOT of reading to soak it all in.
Well, hold on. Maybe you like a lot of reading with your comic. Tons of exposition isn’t necessarily a bad thing as long as what you’re reading is interesting. Sweetie’s backstory is certainly interesting in a surreal yet grounded sort of way. Cafiero set up Sweetie’s family with amusing pun names and a plausible family business. The family’s woes are grounded in reality but with a touch of urban fairytale to give the explanation a touch of whimsy. And Sweetie’s evolution into her present status makes sense within the context of the world Cafiero has created. Picture Willy Wonka directed by Quentin Tarantino, and you’re getting warner.
That said, the two down points are the sheer volume of exposition and the dialog, which affects the exposition. Again, it’s a lot of reading with very little character movement or action. This comic is, in effect, an illustrated short story, so the visuals get lost in the words. Next, the dialog is frequently stiff and clunky, which is not a good thing when the issue relies so heavily on dialogue and narration. A word-heavy comic needs to read as smoothly as glass, and this issue has a few rough spots.
What little there is to show off the art looks good. Zornow and Ivory render characters with the colorful flare of a box of Pop! Rocks, complete with candy necklaces and fizzy drinks. Zornow’s panel compositions are excellent, but the lines could be cleaner. And Ivory’s color palette choices fit perfectly into Sweetie’s surreal world, but the feathering and shade blending is a little too simplistic.
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What’s It About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]
Check out our SWEETIE: CANDY VIGILANTE #2 review to find out how Candy Wolf was put in charge of Pixi Stix.
We begin with Pixie Stix, Candy Wolf, and Sweetie arriving at Sweetie’s candy factory and vigilante headquarters. Candy Wolf is assigned to show Pixie around and introduce her to her new colleagues, starting with the legendary Hansel and Gretel.
Later, Candy Wolf gives Pixie the full story of Sweetie’s history as the only daughter of the legendary “Candy Man.” We learn how Sweetie comes from a family of famed NY candy makers, and in secret, her father was an accomplished candy wizard. When a greedy businessman conspired with the health-zealous Mayor of NY to drive sweets out of the city, Sweetie’s parents mysteriously disappear, leaving Sweetie and her brother in charge of what’s left of the business.
Suspecting the greedy businessman is responsible for her parent’s disappearance, Sweetie closes the family business and starts a new factory in secret to master her father’s candy magic and develop an army of candy vigilantes to save the city from a life of no sweets. We conclude the issue with Sweetie’s brother making a bold move and a taste of what’s to come for Pixie.
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Final Thoughts
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SWEETIE: CANDY VIGILANTE #3 dispels all the mystery surrounding Sweetie’s origin with a massive amount of exposition, turning this third issue into an illustrated novella. That’s not necessarily a flaw, as the urban fantasy fairytale is creative and interesting. However, the dialog/narration has a few rough spots, which hinders the reading enjoyment.
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