WE DON’T KILL SPIDERS #3, from Scout Comics on December 29th, 2021, enters the world between worlds as Revna contacts the Spider Queen to divine the culprit behind the demon summoning. Meanwhile, the Jarl’s past comes back to haunt him.
The Details
- Written By: Joseph Schmalke
- Art By: Joseph Schmalke
- Colors By: Joseph Schmalke
- Letters By: D.C. Hopkins
- Cover Art By: Joseph Schmalke
- Cover Price: $3.99
- Release Date: December 29, 2021
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Was It Good?
WE DON’T KILL SPIDERS #3 is another killer entry (pun intended) in the Viking/Detective Noir series from Scout. A lot of information is dropped that builds out the character of Bjorn (our detective hero), raises the stakes greatly when the demonic forces at play are revealed, and uncovers the mystery of who’s behind it all.
What’s remarkable about this issue is how much of that information is divulged in a short period (using the story’s timeline) organically within an engaging chapter. Everything comes together within a few minutes in comic book time, but it never feels rushed. Quite the opposite. The issue reads like you’ve consumed two or three issues worth of story, but the pace never drops. Again, it’s remarkable how much story and revelations you get in a short span. This is brutally efficient storytelling and it completely works.
Beyond the writing, Schmalke deserves extra praise for the art in this issue on two fronts.
First, the linework is rough and unpolished, but that’s Schmalke’s style as evidenced from his other titles. Here, that unpolished look adds atmosphere to the setting, enhancing the “Dark” in “Dark Ages”. You can feel the oppressive weight of the situation with every rough contour and firelit shadow, and it doubles the drama.
Second, Schmalke expertly uses color to set the mood in each scene with as much dramatic punch as possible. Revna’s scene with the Spider Queen is a bold combination of harsh purple and midnight black. When Revna is confronted by the Black Goat anti-god, her senses are overwhelmed with streaks of blood red. It’s an impressive use of stark contrasts to grab your attention simply through the use of color on every page.
Black Caravan is one of the more impressive horror imprints on the market right now, and Schmalke’s work is exactly the reason why.
What’s It About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]
There were plenty of developments in the last issue (werewolf versus zombie fight?!?), so refresh your memory with our WE DON’T KILL SPIDERS #2 review.
We begin a few days after the brawl between the Jarl’s men and the zombies unleashed by the pig demon, Moccas. Bjorn’s mind wanders to a time when he was a young Viking accompanying his brother on raids against the British. He soon finds he has no taste for the senseless violence of Viking raids, and he leaves his clan to pursue his path.
Now, Bjorn and the Jarl discuss Bjorn’s progress in searching for the killer summoning demons with ritual sacrifices of innocent families. Jarl explains that only he and his circle of guards are werewolves and the rest of the village is innocent. Bjorn, originally a skeptic, absorbs the information based on what he knows from folklore but refuses to give in to superstitious fear. His goal remains to watch over an unconscious Revna as he believes she can help him find the real killer.
Meanwhile, an unconscious Revna is in the dark realm speaking with the Spider Queen. The Queen has trapped Moccas’s soul, and she forces him to reveal who summoned him. Moccas doesn’t know who cast the spell, but he knows he was sent by his master in exchange for a payment. His master is the Black Goat of the Wood, an anti-god who metes out powerful destruction to those who pay his price.
We conclude the issue with the Black Goat making it clear he doesn’t like being spied on and the reveal of the one who struck a bargain with the Black Goat and why.
Final Thoughts
WE DON’T KILL SPIDERS #3 is an excellent amalgam of demonic mysticism, Viking lore, and detective noir rolled into one seamless package. Readers get an immense amount of information surrounding the mystery in a shockingly short amount of time, but the pacing never drags or feels rushed. The gritty art enhances the atmosphere of the Dark Ages setting, and Schmalke’s effective use of color hits you like a sledgehammer with mood and drama.
Score: 9.5/10
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