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Athos and Porthos have to leave an injured Lovey behind to search for Doc. What they find is something much more fascinating…psychic beings with the knowledge of the planet their on, and a way to look inward and find out who they really are and what they really want. Is this planet really just a robotic nightmare? Will Athos and Porthos find a way to save themselves and Lovey in the process? The moniker of “Man’s Best” will ultimately be put to the test!
- Written by Pornsak Pichetshote
- Art and colors by Jesse Lonergan
- Letters by Jeff Powell
- Editor Eric Harburn
- Published by BOOM! Studios
Man’s Best: The Journey So Far
For a quick recap, fell free to read my reviews for issue 1 and issue 2. For those who want the “TL;DR” version, Athos the cat, Porthos the Golden Retriever, and Lovey The French Bulldog are each physically and mentally enhanced animals that have been training to assist the last of the human race in their exploration for a habitat planet. Their “owner” Doc seems to care deeply for them and is often protecting from the Captain who demands results and wants to expedite the ships mission.
They end up crashed on a mysterious planet inhabited by some really diverse and dangerous robot life forms, and the 3 animals are alone, unaware of where the crew has gone or if their even alive. They are eventually attacked by swarms of these killing machines and the battle goes awry. The team falls a part as they still haven’t learned their roles or how to efficiently work together just yet. Athos is supposed to be the leader, but isn’t confident enough to make tough decisions in real time, which causes Lovey, who want s to be the leader, to do his own thing and flies himself right into danger.
A Tactical Retreat Is Man’s Best Hope
This issue picks right in the middle of the action that ended the previous one. Lovey, the French bulldog had been shot down by the “Klangers” as they call them. It’s here that we see Athos attempt to make a quick decision, convincing the fiercely loyal and brave Pathos to leave Lovey behind, so that they can find Doc and return with help to save Lovey. But in retreat the suffer injuries of their own and lose consciousness.
When they awake they are in a strange place. It looks like an icy wasteland, but Porthos picks up the scent of the Doc, and they move forward. In a strange twist, and beam of light reflects off of several ice peaks and blasts the minds of the two, transporting them into a shared temporal consciousness. This is where the book gets really good.
Man’s Best Writing and Artwork
Athos an Porthos meet being of complete psychic energy, and because they are in their own minds, they seem them as friendly beings, appearing in the images of their favorite things…food. The design of these beings is so fresh and out of the box. They remind me of Eldritch horrors, but themed as foods. There’s a hulking pickle covered in chains, with long spaghetti fingers. A police officer with a cheeseburger for a head, an ice cream cone tentacled scientist, and a floral goddess with a floating slice of pizza for a head. It’s so unique and fascinating to look at.
As amazing as all of this psychedelic, abstract artwork is in this sequence, it’s the way Athos and Porthos interact and develop as characters that is so engaging. We realize that even though these characters are with each other for a significant amount of time daily, they don’t really know each other. They can see each others minds, making it impossible for them to lie. It’s here that Athos has a moment of clarity, realizing that his two teammates don’t have the same wants, desires, and goals. Athos can also see what makes Pathos so brave and confident…she believes in herself because she has faith that others believe in her.
Everything Points to 9/10
The first couple of issues of Man’s Best was a little slow but interesting. I’ve loved the art work throughout. It’s soft and fun, yet alien in a way. Pornsak Pichetshote and Jesse Lonergan have done a great job at building the groundwork for this story to do some poignant things. That’s where issue comes in. I was so worried about Lovey and whether or not they would actually lose team member and it affected me. I was genuinely concerned as the stakes were built in a way that it was believable.
To finally see Athos understand their role, and to see the brilliance of Pathos’ courage was an enriching experience. I’m excited to see what they can do now with this new found love and understanding. It almost feels like the Avengers starting to finally get it together and work as a team! It’s also worth mentioning that this issues ends on another high note with a revealing cliffhanger that will surely add another layer to this story!
