Black’s Myth, one of the most original comics on store shelves, is back for its third issue. Palicki and Cavalcanti delve further into the mythical Los Angeles this month with more creatures and more monsters. On top of the noir story, it’s an Ahoy book, so of course there are extras in the form of short stories by Mallory, Vasil Duka and James Finn Garner. Not bad for the price of a single issue.
The Good
Black’s Myth is one of those books that’s really easy to gush over. The mythical creatures in a contemporary noir concept is so fantastic you almost wonder how it’s not been done already. But this is Palicki and Cavalcanti’s beast. The noir tone is in full effect now, as Strummer and Ben fall down the rabbit hole of their case.
For the positives section of this review, all that really needs to be said is that it opens with a bar fight between vampires and a werewolf. It’s that kind of comic. The sort where you just mention part of the plot and a new reader is hooked. The panel layout and Cavalcanti’s artwork does a great job of playing with the pacing. As a noir, the balance between detective work and fight scenes has been done well. The frantic nature of the vampire fight is conveyed well by the 3×3 page.
Continuing on the detective work, this month we get to see Strummer really come into her own as a noir P.I. The fantastical elements breathe life into the investigative genre. Reading Strummer’s internal monologue as she tracks down the “stuff of nightmares” is a treat. The mix of noir and fantasy is great here as it was last month (although the minotaur is missed). The artwork also stands out as this month’s issue has a good variety of locations. There’s room for Cavalcanti to play with the color, or lack thereof.
No positives section could be complete without a mention of the three (!) additional prose pieces the book comes with. For $3.99 that’s always something worth praising.
The ‘Bad’
With a book as original and engaging as Black’s Myth, there’s really nothing to scoff at. If anything it’s annoying having to wait another month for the next issue. It reads like a book that would make a great graphic novel down the line.
The Verdict
Black’s Myth #3 is another fantastic issue. A breath of fresh air for the noir genre, Palicki and Cavalcanti’s story about a werewolf P.I. and her djinn partner is some of the most fun store shelves have seen for a while. If the praise of last month’s review isn’t enough to convince you, then read this: pick up this book.
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