Comic Review: Colder #3

It has been a wild ride in the pages of Colder, the limited series from Dark Horse Comics. In the third issue, the crazy train is still chugging along. This five issue series, from writer Paul Tobin and artist Juan Ferreyra is all about insanity. With this issue things slow down a bit, but they do not get any less crazy.

Colder’s protagonist Declan has the ability to travel into the Hungry World, a dark dimension that can normally be perceived only by the insane. He has just woken from a decades-long coma, during which, he was looked after by tough but lonely nurse, Reece. Following these two is Nimble Jack, a playfully murderous entity, who may have something to do with Declan’s supernatural abilities. At the end of the last issue, Jack, a trail of bodies behind him, caught up with the pair.

The third issue is basically an extended chase sequence, following Declan and Reece as they flee from Nimble Jack. The duo travel in and out of the Hungry World, the bizarre and otherworldly events she witnesses begin to take a toll on Reece’s psyche. Roles are reversed, as Declan must now take care of Reece, as he works to get them safely away from Jack.

With any limited series, the first issues set up the story and the final issues hopefully deliver a satisfying conclusion. The middle issues often bear the weight of exposition, and issue #3 of Colder is no different. Still, Tobin’s pacing keeps the book compelling, pausing the action with some amusing interludes. There has been a lot of buzz about Ferreyra’s art in this series, and it is well deserved. His portrayal of the madness of the Hungry World and our world are as wonderful and terrifying as in previous issues.

Personally I am a little disappointed in the direction taken with Reece’s character. In the first issue there seemed to a deliberate attempt to show her as a capable woman, taking Declan into her care and attempting to fight off muggers. In this issue and the last, as her sanity seems to be slipping away, she loses her capability and becomes yet another damsel to be rescued. Of course, there are still two issues left and I am compelled to stick around and see the direction in which she and Declan are taken.