Three issues in, and Knull is up against arguably the most dangerous villain in Marvel Comics: Thanos. Weakened and stripped of most of his power, Knull has reached a nameless planet for a weapon, but it is too late? Can he vanquish Thanos, or is the series over before it barely started?
Knull #3 is a compelling, if slightly off-kilter, read thanks to its plotting. Major moments occur, Hela’s story advances, and there’s even a shocking twist ending that steers Knull in an entirely different direction. That’s all good, but it still feels top-heavy with its opening fight scene with Thanos. A meaty 13 pages open the book with Thanos fighting Knull, picking up where the last issue left off. It’s a battle that feels one-sided until it doesn’t, and quickly the story moves on from there. It’s a jarring turn that feels unsatisfying, yet the winning blow is so damn cool. I’ll say no more to avoid spoilers, but Knull pulls a rabbit out of a hat, making you gasp, but also feel a little cheap.
That said, Hela takes up a chunk of the issue, and her new Knull powers are quite cool when in use. Writers Al Ewing and Tom Waltz do a good job checking in on her, and making it clear Knull has a long way to go to get his powers back, or beat her entirely.
Does Knull even have a chance?
Credit: Marvel
Fans of Marvel Cosmic will enjoy the back quarter of the issue, with Knull now empowered with light zipping through space. The scenes build in epic fashion, tying back to Venom, while hurtling Knull into an impossibly dangerous situation. The fact that builds to a calm, but shocking twist makes it all the better.
Art by Juanna Ramirez continues to be great, with a godlike, glowy light throughout Erick Arciniega’s colors. The opening full-page spread of Thanos embracing Death is painterly, made complete with an epic double-page splash of all the terrible things Thanos has done. It’s epic, and makes it abundantly clear Knull is outmatched. The fight is well choreographed, leading to the big shocker move in a full-page splash you won’t want to miss.
The visual differences in Knull with light powers and Hela with the black energy are quite striking as well. In the scenes with Hella, it’s as if her black powers are a void, with no texture to them. Meanwhile, when Knull powers up, the crackle of energy and glow is truly godlike.
Knull #3 delivers spectacle and ambition in equal measure, even if its structure feels slightly unbalanced. The extended Thanos fight promises more than it fully delivers, but the creativity behind its resolution and the strength of the visuals keep it engaging. With Hela’s growing role and a twist that redirects the series in a compelling way, this issue does enough to maintain momentum while setting up bigger, stranger things ahead.
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