THE THING #3: Came in like a Wrecking Ball

The Thing #3: Ben is ready to face down the villain known as Hammerhead when an explosion sends everybody reeling, leaving no other choice but for Kingpin to call in reinforcements.

Creative Team:

Tony Fleecs: WRITER

Justin Mason: ARTIST

Alex Sinclair: COLORS

VC’s Joe Caramagna: LETTERS

Nick Bradshaw and Rachelle Rosenberg: COVER

*SPOILERS AHEAD*

The Story:

Tony is full of clever jokes and intense plot points as this issue takes things up an entirely new level. Meeting the Wrecking Crew and the cheesiness of their team makes this comic a lot of fun.

Ben’s tender moments with Sara who is alone and afraid do a great job putting a mirror to the two and show that no matter their physical differences they can empathize with one another nonetheless.

Joe’s lettering brings depth to the jokes, whether it is Bullseye throwing license plates or Ben punting Wrecking Crew members out of the city limits. The story is connecting on all levels for me and makes this book a hit.

The Art:

Whether it is every line, crack, or blemish on Ben’s rocky exterior or the heavy punches being thrown, Justin is bringing an immense amount of detail and care to this story. It can be hard to make a rock have facial expressions, but it is those subtle details in the line work that showcase a variety of just this.

Alex’s shading and color work give life to the hits. The shading on the final page, when Ben is face-to-face with someone who can match his energy, brings the action to life completely. There is a fluid heaviness to every punch thrown or crowbar swung.

Final Thoughts:

The Thing #3 has something for everyone. You have intense action with characters you wouldn’t expect, culminating in a shocking surprise appearance setting up the next issue, and you have dialogue that brings life and authenticity to the characters at hand. Each issue makes me fall more in love with this run and moves it to the top of my reading list monthly!

Overall Grade: 10/10

To check out more reviews from Matt or to listen to his weekly podcast, head over to http://linktr.ee/hopsgeeknews