Honestly, this comic is worth buying solely for the short story at the end. It is the appropriate level of inappropriate, mildly disturbing hilarity that fans of the series expect. That's not to say that the main story is not carrying that torch; rather, the short story is just... just pick it up and read it. I will probably be putting this comic down after this arc is over. I have been waiting for the art to go somewhere, but it is mostly staying on an even keel and I think that this title honestly demands more. Occasionally, the mundane artwork comes into sharp contrast with an absolutely absurd world of aliens, gadgets, and booze-fueled violence. More often than not, though, the exotic locales begin to feel mundane on their own, much like the maze that Rick constructed. One panel really jumped out at me in this story, but that was pretty much it.

There is a big trend towards big, shocking panels or indulgent spreads. I get the impression from some other people's impressions that they think comics are incomplete without such flourishes. I hope nobody mistakes some of my complaints about this comic (and others) for this kind of demand: my main problem with this comic series so far is not that it could be or ought to be more indulgent. The difficulty is that everything has the same feel, more or less, and the comic thus loses the chaotic elements that make the show work so well.

The characters and script are all there, so I still can't dissuade you if you're a really big fan of the show. The art is not bad at all: it's just too level-headed. I don't even think a new artist is necessarily warranted. I did not mind this exact same art for the short-form story at the end. It feels like too much of something meant for a Sunday comic strip and not enough of something which takes full advantage of a page. I think the short-form stories take better advantage of the form than the long-form, several issue story that we are currently seeing, which would function far better on the TV screen.

Score: 3/5

Rick and Morty #3 Writer: Zac Gorman Artist: CJ Cannon Colorist: Ryan Hill Publisher: Oni Press Price: $3.99 Release Date: 6/17/15 Format: Ongoing, Print/Digital