Red Roots is a tricky series to crack, especially after its positively excellent first issue. The story features a mercenary fighter and an everyday school teacher being absorbed by red roots, then spat out into a fantasy world. Why and how that has happened is not yet explained, driving the reader to keep reading to figure it out. If you thought the last issue lacked answers, fear not, as the second issue dives headlong into something that is easy to follow: War!
The biggest weakness of this series has been its lack of answers, or at least some kind of truth to hang a hat on. It certainly winks at the audience, suggesting it’s not giving up any details on purpose, but thrusting our characters into actionable situations isn’t satisfying the bigger mysteries. That said, at the very least, this issue has our characters taking on roles as war unfolds, giving them something to do as we root for them.
Red Roots #3 opens where we left off, with our mercenary protagonist looking down at thousands of soldiers below as he holds a rope our teacher protagonist is dangling from. The ogre creature lets him know that all this fighting isn’t necessary, especially since he just saved him after he died. So is this the afterlife? Unclear, since the story shifts to the mercenary joining the war to fight, and the teacher heading to the infirmary for aid.
Pretty drastic of him to throw her off the wall, you’ve got to admit.
Credit: Image
If you’re okay with not learning much else about the situation, the rest of this issue is fantastic. Lorenzo De Felici is a master storyteller, with the war scenes feeling chaotic and intense. A touch of the supernatural, like a black portal that characters drop through to enter the fight, adds a little something extra. The introduction of a general is also quite cool, given his suit of armor and the bug he flies in on. Since we know the mercenary can fight better than most, it’s exciting to see him take this on willingly, knowing he’ll do well even if the odds seem impossible.
Meanwhile, the teacher has a clever interaction with a doctor concerning her eyesight, and then goes into helper mode with the wounded. Between the strange alien creatures that are well designed and the full-on war scenario story that is unfolding, it’s hard not to be on board.
Red Roots #3 succeeds by shifting its focus toward immediate conflict rather than lingering questions. The mystery at the heart of the series remains compelling, but the story benefits from placing its protagonists in situations that demand action and decision-making. The mercenary’s willingness to dive into battle and the teacher’s efforts to help the wounded create a satisfying split narrative, allowing both characters to contribute in meaningful ways. De Felici continues to prove himself an exceptional visual storyteller, bringing scale, chaos, and wonder to every page. While the lack of answers may test some readers’ patience, the strength of the worldbuilding and artwork makes the journey worthwhile for now.
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