Review - Invincible Universe #3

"The police do not come to Sikole."

Any place that doesn't even merit the attention from the police is one that should be a little frightening to all. Well, not all, as there are some in Invincible Universe #3 from Image Comics who are perfectly content to venture into the small town and make amends.t

The issue is written by Phil Hester, with art by Todd Nauck, colors by Gabe Eltaeb and letters by Rus Wooton.

Francisco Vasquez was a friend of Milos, who also went by the name of Cast Iron. Francisco feels responsible for Cast Iron's death due to his lack of sobriety and, in an effort to make amends and recover as an alcoholic, decides to visit the Stojakovic family farm and offer condolences to the family. Of course, he doesn't get quite the same reception there as he had expected and ends up leaving things a little messier than they were when he first arrived.

Hester spends the entire issue exploring the characters of Francisco and Milos, which actually really helps Francisco's character develop further. It's clear that Francisco is upset at his actions and wants to do better; the problem is that Milo's family isn't exactly the most forgiving type. That's what makes the third issue quite interesting: Hester made sure to make the apology as uncomfortable as possible. Granted, not many apologies are this uncomfortable, but the reader gets it nonetheless.

Nauck's art is very well done. Action panels have an added oomph that really make them stand out from the other panels. Considering the bulk of the issue features Francisco running, Nauck manages to focus enough on the background that the reader can sort of stop and smell the roses to speak on the Stojakovic farm. The first and last pages are full-panels that are poetically symmetrical, adding a nice tough of gravitas to the issue.

Invincible Universe #3 offers readers a further glimpse into the lives of the characters. Doing so really makes the overarching narrative more enjoyable, as the reader feels the stakes rise just a bit. Francisco seems to be on the right path and whether or not he maintains it will be something to keep an eye on going forward. Still though, the third issue managed to keep things moving, even if it was primarily focused on character development instead of plot development.

Invincible Universe #3 is in stores now with interiors below.