Colder returns for its third series. For those unfamiliar it stars the character Declan who was insane and had a crazy low body temperature. He was being harvested by a creature named Nimble Jack who feeds on crazy people, but Declan was able to kill him… unless you read the last series and saw the cover to this series. In the last series we learn something dark about Declan and see that Nimble Jack may not be so dead after all. Colder: Toss The Bones mainly follows Nimble Jack and his return to our world. He finds a man alone on a park bench and quickly turns him crazy and establishes the theme of the series… pigeons. Through Jack and his craziness, we learn why he’s back and that he doesn’t have all the info you would assume he has, but he definitely remembers Declan.
On Declan and Reece’s side of things we see them trying to live normally. Declan doesn’t have any fingers and they haven’t really dealt with the reveal from the last issue. They spend most of the issue grocery shopping, but writer Paul Tobin uses this to show their relationship and it’s very effective.
There’s something missing from this issue. I can’t place my finger on it, but it’s not as exciting as the previous two volumes. Maybe it’s just become old hat and that’s on me a little, but this really comes across as the next issue in Bad Seeds rather than the first issue of a new volume. It still manages to be pretty inviting to new readers if you’ve never read the series before, but part of me thinks you’d be lost a little. Otherwise Tobin is consistent with his characters and his work on this series in general.
Colder without Juan Ferreyra, wouldn’t be Colder. Ferreyra gives the story so much personality and really brings out the madness of the world. His visuals are striking and scary. It’s a brightly colored book, but Ferreyra still manages to make it scary and that says something. I mean pigeons talking and driving a man insane over the course of a page… creepy. His visuals always impress and in particular I love to see what demented shit he’ll come up with. A pigeon in someone’s head… gross and amazing. Ferreyra continues to deliver some of his best work on this franchise.
Colder: Toss The Bones #1 isn’t bad by any means. It’s just that it’s pretty basic if you’re familiar with the storyline. Sure Nimble Jack is great and his return is interesting, but there wasn’t an “oh shit” moment in this issue to really hook you. If you’re a fan of the series though then definitely pick it up, it’s a solid continuation to one of the more interesting horror series out there.
Score: 3/5
Colder: Toss The Bones #1 Writer: Paul Tobin Artist: Juan Ferreyra Publisher: Dark Horse Comics Price: $3.99 Release Date: 9/30/15 Format: Mini-Series; Print/Digital