In THE BOX #3, available from Red 5 Comics on October 20th, 2021, Leo debates the merits of the box with Methuselah, Claire takes extreme measures to escape her pursuers, and Johnny makes secret deals.
The Details
- Written By: Joshua Starnes
- Art By: Raymond Estrada
- Colors By: Steven Dellasalla
- Letters By: Dave Lanphear
- Cover Art By: Raymond Estrada
- Cover Price: $3.95
- Release Date: October 20, 2021
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Was It Good?
Issue #3 has a few bright spots and a few dark spots, resulting in a comic that significantly moves the story along but at a plodding pace.
Overall, the plot progression takes readers where they need to go. Leo arrives at what could be his final destination, and Claire gains empathy for what Leo’s endured now that she holds the box and is forced to use it. The characters grow. The plot evolves. And you can see the threads are moving toward a final conflict. All those pieces work in service to the story in a satisfying way.
What doesn’t work is lengthy conversation after lengthy conversation about the box, the nature of gangster hierarchy, art, money laundering, and on and on. There are whole conversational scenes that simply don’t matter to the story and drag the pacing down. To be fair, each conversation is well-written and conveys interesting ideas but one (maybe two) is more than enough. The issue could have used more assertive editing to cut the fluff and up the pacing.
Estrada’s art is consistently serviceable for the story. We’ve noted in the prior reviews of the series that the blotchy inks tend to be overdone to the point that you can’t tell which character is which. It’s a creative choice that hurts rather than helps the story, but kudos to Estrada for remaining consistent. And credit where credit is due, the art in this issue is a little cleaner, so it wasn’t as difficult to follow.
Overall, the story gets you where you need to go with better art, but you have to wade through some fluff and a lot of unnecessary talking to get there.
What’s It About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]
First things first. Read our THE BOX #2 review to get caught up.
When last we left Leo and Claire, Leo allowed himself to be captured with a “fake” box. Claire was given the real box, and she took off into the Jersey woods, hunted by Methuselah’s men.
Leo and Methuselah spend some time discussing art and the nature of the box, or rather the boxes. One box gives and the other takes. The conversation goes through multiple layers of meaning about the concepts of giving and taking. Ultimately, Leo is given the choice to give the box or have it taken.
Meanwhile, Johnny is discussing the box with his own men and what it could mean for himself and his organization. Johnny’s ideas about the box mirror Methuselah’s warning about those who’ve previously possessed it.
Claire manages to escape the woods with the box’s help and makes her way to a service station for help. Claire soon learns that the box gives what you need, not what you want. We conclude the issue with Claire finding a lead to Leo’s whereabouts and Johnny offering one deal while accepting another.
Final Thoughts
THE BOX #3 raises interesting philosophical points about the nature of ‘need’ and ‘want’ while moving the plot along for a respectable distance. That said, the debating and philosophizing take up so much space, the pace tends to drag in several spots. The art is gritty and moody, creating a tone of tense danger. However, the inks are too blotchy in spots, making some characters unrecognizable.
Score: 6.5/10
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