Obviously I’m not one to shy away from this series. It’s demented and I totally get that. Apparently others still haven’t caught on to that fact and so the cover artist backed out before the issue was released. With that in mind I expected this issue to be balls to the walls crazy, but it wasn’t. It really felt like a strong continuation of the second issue. There is one shocking moment, but the buildup to that moment was so lengthy that it didn’t save the issue from itself. What sucks is that I can’t even tell you about the scene since it would ruin the issue, let’s just say that it’s fucking crazy and no other comic in the world has crossed this line… and is doubtful to cross it ever again. The issue opens with Jin dressed up for a fancy dinner and no longer pregnant. She’s crying and confused which is to be expected considering everything that’s happened to her. The Exalted Father freakishly picks out a bag to cover his head with and heads to dinner as well. He’s dementedly funny as usual and talks about how nervous he is since he hasn’t been on a date since he murdered his wife and kids. Around that time Jin notices a huge family portrait of the Exalted Father and his seven children and wife… yeah he’s fucked up.
On the pregnant side of the story the ladies are swept out into the ocean after the Kraken’s attack. Telsa begins to Gordan Bennett it again until his brain pops off leaving the women to fend for themselves. A submarine picks the ladies up and saves them from the destruction of the undersea base with none other than Telsa at the wheel. There’s a lot going on with that guy. The story continues to bounce back and forth between Jin and the Exalted Father and the PBOW’s until both parties are left somewhere they’d rather not be.
I actually found this issue to be a bit dull. The charm of the Exalted Father was that he was used sparingly in the last issue. In this issue his jokes and demented nature begin to wear thin since we spend so much time with him. The shocking moment was shocking I guess, but I’m not one to get weak in the knees over comic book shocks. I can definitely tell you that a lot of people are going to be offended, but then what do you expect from a comic book called Pregnant Bitches of War. It was clear from the first issue that this series was going to cross lines and the more they cross the bigger they have to reach. It was shocking, but it didn’t ruin the book for me by any means. Otherwise this really feels like issue two, part two. That’s not a bad thing, but I would have liked the story or characters to develop more and instead it was just exposition.
The art continues to be great on this series. There are cartoonish elements to it and a lot of that stems from the Exalted Father in this issue. There’s also a comedically large shark in this issue that of course eats the bad guys. It’s silly moments like that that are entertaining and show how far from the norm this story is. I loved the detail on the family portrait as the characters body language in the painting was very telling of their emotions and the scene in general had a 1989 Batman vibe to it and no that won’t make any sense until you see if for yourself.
Overall it’s a good issue, but it wasn’t as great as the last two. A lot of it felt as if it was just there for the shock at the end. I like this story so I’ll definitely continue with the series, but I need more of the overall plot revealed and that wasn’t the case in this issue. If you’re following the series then try not to be caught off guard by the final page since there are visual cues along the way and of course remember how crazy the world this all takes place in really is.
Score: 3/5
Writers: Clay Adams & Alexandre O. Philippe Artist: DJ Parnell Publisher: Fried Comics Price: $.99 Release Date: 10/29/13