The struggle is real in issue #3 of On The Stump by writer Chuck Brown and artist Prenzy. Our main protagonists, Jack and Anna, try to gather an ally in Superior Court judge Gabriel, who leads a secret organization known as the Blacksmiths. With his resources, Jack and Anna plan to stop the story’s main antagonist, Thunder Bearer, from passing the Slay Act. But when the two of them arrive, they’re met with a lot more resistance than help.
Needless to say, if the Slay Act is passed, it would make killing someone in the ring legal. To make matters worse, Anna and Jack aren’t exactly seeing eye to eye, as Anna may or may not have left out some minor details about her involvement with the FBI. On The Stump just gets better with each issue. It’s quick, in your face, unapologetic, and I love it!!
Issue #3 manages to be both an energetically entertaining comic with great action and a reflection of a lot of the still-current dilemmas plaguing our society. The entertainment aspect moves rather quickly and doesn’t waste a lot of time getting to the point of the issue, but the reflective side is where it gets even more interesting.
By now, you’d have to be living under a rock not to know what’s going on in America between the endless streams of police brutality and the Black Lives Matter movement. On The Stump #3 is a great representation of how Black people especially have to fight tooth and nail to stop legislation that can do more harm than good for less fortunate people from being passed.
History has shown that many laws were not written with everyone in mind when made into law. Anna in particular is a character who knows that the best way to beat the system is to implement policies that hold us all accountable — the same thing that we are fighting for and trying to change within police departments across the world as you read this.
In terms of art, Prenzy continues to deliver bright and awe-inspiring illustrations. My favorite moments, as you could imagine, involve Thunder Bearer. Thunder is almost Thanos like. It’s pretty creative as we get small doses of him, and when he shows up he always does something pretty devastating.
On The Stump is becoming one of the best series of the year. With its excellent blend of real-world topics and punch-you-in-the-face action, it’s sure to keep drawing your attention. I highly recommend getting into the series while it’s still in single digits. Make sure to grab your copy on your next trip to the comic shop.
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