Review - Jirni #3

"I lost my free will."

Such is the life of a genie, destined to adhere to the whims and wishes of the master at the time. It's never easy, being passed around from one master to the next. It's like taking a journey depicted in Jirni #3 from Aspen Comics.

Writing is handled by J.T. Krul, penciled by Paolo Pantalena, colored by Brett Smith, Beth Sotelo and Wes Hartman and lettered by Josh Reed.

Ara has a past and that past is on full display in the third issue. She's continuing to trek with Nylese, even managing to reunite her with her people. It's a happy homecoming until the D'jinn sent after her by Torinthal finally catches up with her. A massive battle ensues, punctuated by a rather intriguing finale that could prove to make life even more difficult for Ara and her quest.

Krul spends the bulk of the third issue giving the reader more insight into Ara's past. He does it in a way though that doesn't commit the entire issue to being one big flashback. He juxtaposes her recounting of her past to Nylese with Nylese herself reuniting with her people. It's a very effective method of moving the story forward while also giving the reader a bit more backstory on Ara's life and the true meaning of her mission.

Pantalena's pencils continue to impress. The panels depicting the D'Jinn are of epic proportions and really give the reader of the scale and intensity of the adventure. Ara's is depicted in full battle glory, although there are some panels that feature Ara more or less showing off her assets which sort of detract from the book. It's clear that Pantalena is invested in the art and is going to great lengths to make it look mighty fine.

Jirni #3 is the latest issue in a solid new series from Aspen Comics. Ara may be slightly in over her head, but she's proven to this point that she's more than capable of handling herself when the situation arises. Krul has packed a lot into the third issue that keeps things moving forward in the right direction. Readers get a glimpse into Ara's past and better understand where she's journeying to, making for a tale that continues to be rather enjoyable to read.

Jirni #3 is available now with interiors below.