Revival #3 Review
Writer: Tim Seeley
Art: Mike Norton
Review by David Short
If Stephanie didn’t make it clear on this week’s podcast, Revival is fantastic. Only Saga can rival my excitement for the continuation of a story. It’s like crack, you’re left jonesing for more (or so I have heard). Image has been on fire lately, and Revival is moving to the top of their many gems.
Tim Seeley was a total unknown to me coming into Revival, and I can say that I will be hunting down any of his other works very soon. He’s crafting a masterpiece of horror, tension, and sci-fi and people need to take notice. Revival #3 continues, pretty much, right after issue 2. Dana continues to grow as a character. She’s an incredibly strong female lead, and one that I’m sure many would have featured during our Women in Comics week. That isn’t to say she is without weakness, but she is certainly not going to let anything slow her down. Martha continues down a more twisted road as her character is built. It’s riveting to watch her personality come out, and I can’t wait to see just how she ends up in the series.
The “revivers” are what you come to see, and some new layers are added in this issue. We still don’t know what happened to them, or why they are coming back, but what we are shown is both eerie and enthralling. It seems as if each individual affected by this condition reacts to it differently. I’m getting the feeling that they are taking on the opposite of their natural personality, or enhancing traits that they have suppressed in everyday life. But that is half the fun of this book. We don’t know too much about anything. We’re left to make assumptions, and they could be way off in left field, but it’s a book that leaves you thinking. Speaking of leaving you, the cliff hangers have been superb. I don’t think that I have ever read three issues of a series that have matched the quality of what we are getting from Revival.
Stephanie mentioned in her review of Revival #1 that the art and story are a perfect match, and I couldn’t agree more. This kind of issue is easy to look very boring. There isn’t much going on. It’s a character building book, and it is handled expertly. But when the book picks up it is more than capable of keeping the quality of the down times.
Verdict
Revival is fantastic. Its pacing and story are perfect. If you read this book and don’t get hooked, check your pulse—you may have moved on from the living. Buy it.
