We are getting near the end of Mind MGMT even though we basically have a year left of the series. I know that seems like a ways off, but we all know as comic readers that ends coming quickly and this series will be over and done with before you know it. Until then let us just enjoy one of the consistently great series published by any publisher. In the last issue we caught up with Lyme as he woke up in a hospital bed. It was a marvelous issue which made the shoes for this issue to fill that much bigger. This issue picks up with Meru wandering in Hong Kong unsure what to do with herself and it’s the first time in a while that we as the reader have spent some alone time with Meru.

What’s interesting is that she’s almost lacking emotions or rather she’s not giving into them. Bill has been killed and every time she thinks about it she gets choked up, but she doesn’t cry. Instead she distracts herself and continues moving forward. After holing up in a room she gets a knock on the door and a young boy tells her to close it and lock it. That ends up not really making a difference as the boy is suddenly thrown through the door with a police officer in tow… but he’s not alone. After the scene is over the kids that are all dressed alike tell Meru that they know her and that she was in Dusty’s last song. They throw her some cash and take off. Dusty’s last favor was just enough money for Meru to get out of China so she could try to meet the others.

This issue is pretty mellow; especially compare to the last issue. It’s good though because as I said we get to spend time with Meru which is a rarity. It was very interesting in that regard. When she narrates the series there’s a very different tone and it’s pretty amazing to see Matt Kindt change gears so flawlessly.

The scene with the police officers is magical. Kindt fills the page with all of these boys and the cops to make a splash page that’s one fluid motion. It’s one of his best panels and further proves that he continues to improve as the series moves on. The art was already impressive, but to see him continue to grow and experiment… it’s like nothing else in comics; so few creators have the guts to experiment with their art anymore, but Kindt continues to push the medium.

This issue may not be as thrilling or in your face as the last issue, but it does set up the story to head in an interesting direction and as always Kindt sprinkles in little details that you either catch or you don’t. As always this is not a series to miss.

Score: 4/5

Writer/Artist/Creator: Matt Kindt Publisher: Dark Horse Comics Price: $3.99 Release Date: 8/27/14 Format: Ongoing; Print/Digital