Review: The Field #3
This continues to be one of the most impressive series of the year. Ed Brisson and company have shown from the first issue that The Field was not to be missed and they continue to show that here. With the series ending with the next issue, number three had a lot of ground to cover and it does it well as it explains part of the time loop that’s occurring. The issue opens with everyone running from the Trekies that have started killing everyone looking for the source aka Grant. We know his name now and as he and Christian barely make it out of the club alive; we also learn what Christian knows about the situation. The entire area is stuck in a loop of about twenty hours, but the time is getting shorter and shorter. Also Grant’s memory is getting worse each time the day starts over. Our learning is cut off by the appearance of the Smoke Eaters which have changed their cycle by driving straight through. The Trekies also known as the Tomorrow Men catch up with them as well and war breaks out between the two groups.
Brisson leaves several clues for the ending in this issue. Grant changes the outcome of something we saw in the last issue and reveals something else that we saw in the first issue. By no means are the answers that Christian gives the end of the mystery. There’s still the final reveal to discover, but I have the feeling that Brisson has laid out the ground work for a smooth transition.
I still like Christian. It’s clear that everyone hates him and I can’t blame them because he’s evil as fuck, but he’s just a great character. A good villain should make you like him and hate him at the same time and that’s exactly what Christian does. Brisson crafts some wonderful characters in this series and it’s crazy when you consider that you spend only a handful of moments with them.
Simon Roy is no less impressive on this issue than the last. His artwork is pushed to the max with this issue in terms of the action. The issue never slows down to catch its breath and the one time that the characters have a moment to talk the reader is left fearing for them knowing that the other groups are right behind them. Roy continues to excel in facial expressions; Grant’s fear and confusion is believable, but also different from the last two issues. He’s no longer cowering and frightful, but he is completely lost in the world.
It’s seems as if there’s only one way for the story to end which I love. The reason being that I have no idea if that’s actually going to be the direction Brisson takes the story. He could zig instead of zag and frankly that’s thrilling as a reader. I don’t know the outcome of the story, but I do know that there isn’t a chance that I’ll miss it. Simply put you should be reading The Field.
Score: 5/5
Writer: Ed Brisson Artist: Simon Roy Colorist: Simon Gough Publisher: Image Comics Price: $3.50 Release Date: 7/2/14 Format: Mini-Series, Print/Digital