The Cull #2 is one of my favorite issues of the year, so my expectations were quite high for issue #3 out this week. Following a group of teens hellbent on making one last film before they break off for college, the group finds a magical land through a cave by the beach. This land is fantastical, and that includes the “red panda” that seems to have gained the ability to shapeshift and talk. In the third issue, Kelly Thompson and Mattia De Iulis reveal there are hidden treasures to be had.
The Cull #3 picks up where we left off as our characters are split up, but about to learn a whole lot more about this world. The last issue helped define each character a bit more while giving them a chance to connect, but now it’s time for each to discover something amazing about themselves. Thompson seems to be exploring these teens and growing up in general, with a focus on one of the characters who has had dark thoughts.
The Red Panda character is a vision in this issue thanks to the art. The use of color and light helps create a sense of magic and wonderment. One can imagine the teens are losing their minds over this creature seemingly learning language right in front of them and De Iulis brings out their emotions very well. The creature is a good blend of mysterious and innocent, and yet unnerving. It’s like something out of the Jim Henson workshop.
Things get trippy in this issue.
Credit: Image Comics
Readers who hate decompressed storytelling will once again love this series after reading the third issue. After the intriguing get-to-know-you scene, things progress rapidly with the teens gaining powers and learning there’s a price to pay for one of them. This sends them in a rush to escape and they’ve barely figured out what they can do. That rapid pace keeps you invested in each character while raising the stakes for their lives, and maybe for all of Earth’s lives for that matter. For fans of superheroes, there’s an element of that too which is exciting.
There are also some larger implications of what is going on hinted at here. The character-focused nature of the series definitely takes a backseat—and since it was so important in the first two issues might dull fans’ enjoyment—but I can’t help but have my imagination run rampant wondering what is going on. That includes what this world is and what it means for Earth.
The Cull #3 is yet another example of the creative team delivering something entirely new and exciting. I have no idea where this is going and can only imagine how freaky things will get. The character work takes a bit of a back seat, but we’ve had plenty enough as it is to allow the fantastical to let loose.
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