Forget chocolate; life’s a long walk, folks. You’ve just got to find the right pace to keep it going, and once you do, you may be surprised at how the terrain/landscape opens up in front of you.
That’s exactly how The Pedestrian has unfolded thus far.
Issue #1 gave us a solid framework for The Pedestrian’s adventures in Summer City. Issue #2, meanwhile, demonstrated The Pedestrian‘s cosmic scope and intentions. And with issue #3, we bring things back down to street level as some big things take foot across this compelling comics walkabout.
As entered into issue #3, The Pedestrian was still reeling after a confrontation with the Klutch (and the aforementioned cosmic implications of his nefarious plan/work). As such, we got even more time with the “ordinary” folks of The Pedestrian, with a special focus on Kira, twins Syd and Jeremy, and Detective Sherwood. (Plus Sophie, who continues to extend and build her relationship with The Pedestrian and her own status beyond mere crossing guard.)
Main cover by Sean Von Gorman. Courtesy of Magma Comix.
After all that cosmic wonder, none of this “everyday” stuff is a letdown whatsoever. It just further cements an idea established in issue #1: not only is this the story of the entire town of Summer City (and what that means thematically in exploring the plight of modern communities), but this story has so many dang layers. As much as #3 focused on the people, and how they’re equally heroic as our speedwalking paladin (another key thematic tent pole), it kept the sheer stakes by building up the lore with the Klutch and his increasingly robust and creepy gang of masked followers. In that way, we’re getting something intricate and exciting that glows with power and sign fiancé as it retains that people-centric, indie-leaning focus on relatable tales of people just trying to get by in a world that makes that increasingly difficult.
Without spoiling too much, The Pedestrian eventually shows up in issue #3, and it’s a big enough deal as it gives even more sharpened excitement that we all truly crave. But it happens without diminishing the others, and making them suddenly feel like NPCs in our hero’s story. We’re getting this vivid community that’s developing, and I find myself thinking that, depending on one’s preferences, you could see anybody as the lead. (I chose the twins as they’re the most insightful and well-developed so far. But go off if you’re a Sophie Head.)
And that’s the way it should be: heroes are only as good as their supporting cast, but they have to be real people and not, like, danger magnets like (old-school) Jimmy Olsen. The folks in The Pedestrian have really interesting ideas and issues, and they develop with the same power and significance as the cosmic stuff and the greater lore. It’s a testament to the efforts of writer Joey Esposito to craft a storyline that’s big in every single way, and lets all of it matter as to bring us in 100% into a story that’s ultimately about the people in these stories and in these places that are changing right in front of us.
Variant cover by Tony Gregori. Courtesy of Magma Comix.
I also think that we need to give Esposito props for some of his specific narration. Some writers tend to pull in the reader with overly flowery and/or complicated writing; Esposito, on the other hand, recognizes that the story happens elsewhere, and he’s giving us just enough to connect with every aspect of The Pedestrian. And that leaves the art team (artist Sean Von Gorman, colorist Josh Jensen, and letterer Shawn Lee) to truly do their thing.
I’d commented how the cosmic stuff in issue #2 felt like a proper highlight, and how it had this kind of jaw-dropping power that makes you appreciate the size of this book and its overall goals/intentions. But in The Pedestrian #3, we still get little tinges of that — the villain, for instance, continues to play out physically like this magical entity or metaphysical demon, and that behavior on the page (he slinks like a snake and reaches out with impossible hands) is hugely effective in disarming readers.
But it does so on top of all the rich storytelling, and it never takes away from the book’s groundedness. If anything, having these “pops” of the otherworldly lets this book stretch out and grow in a deliberate manner, and after the shock in issue #2, it’s great to see this book find some kind of balance as it builds up to its work and reminds us that there’s a whole universe of story and power humming behind the everyday. It keeps me locked in the very best way, and capable of celebrating a book that clearly wants to have it all (and truly and fully can).
Incentive cover by Tess Fowler. Courtesy of Magma Comix.
Yet as much as I love multi-armed shadow ghouls wreaking havoc, my favorite parts of The Pedestrian‘s visuals are always the human displays. A convo between Kira and the twins, for instance, has as much charm and power as almost anything else here — it reminds me of a slightly more grounded Jonny Quest or Hardy Boys, and that pokes my brain in a way to unleash the robust but understated magic of nostalgia. Or, the slick angles of a twin firing a “Lazer Titans foam disc gun,” and how that isn’t just another uptick of cool I’d mentioned but also one that feels intimate and warm in nature. Even Sophie sitting around a kind of “shrine” of street signs (you’ll see why…) is this unbelievably effective snapshot of how this book turns the ordinary into magic and vice versa.
It’s about creating this world that we know so deeply, pushing out the walls just enough to make room for this big, bold narrative, and letting us see that our own lives and stories have just as much power and significance. If anything, it’s that very human stuff that lets us embrace the strangeness head on, and to feel like we’ve been preparing for this journey our whole lives. It’s another testament to The Pedestrian‘s skill in how it makes storytelling so deeply, undeniably real.
And we’re only a few “steps” into what could be a rather long and involved journey by The Pedestrian. And, based on the series’ arc so far, we don’t really know what’s in store for issue #4 and beyond. But one thing I do know is that we’ll be along for this entire marathon, and we’re just as much pushing this story forward with our interest and momentum as the characters and creators.
That’s why The Pedestrian‘s already got me stretching in the yard and looking up the best running shoes. If this one ever leaves you behind, you just might regret it.
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