“Smile: For The Camera #3” Review – The Plot, And Horror, Thicken

Keeping up with the previous two issues, we catch up with Ivy as she starts putting in the work to truly figure out what’s going on. As her newfound friends continue to drop like flies, Ivy hopes to uncover the truth and save whoever’s left. At the risk of increasing her debt and losing her job, will she put an end to the violence? Or will more bodies be left on the runway?

Writer: Hannah Rose May
Artist: Miriana Puglia
Colorist: Dearbhla Kelly

Smile: For the Story

Once again, Hannah Rose May proves that she deserves a top spot amongst horror comic book writers. At now three issues in, she keeps the formula feeling fresh and creative. Where last issue, we followed the previous victim from beginning to end, May reverts back to Ivy’s point-of-view here, putting readers in the shoes of someone struggling with the chaos. While reading, I was able to feel every ounce of worry, tension and anger. When the inevitable sweet release comes, it comes twofold in a way I won’t soon forget.

To top it off, the pacing feels fast, much as a heartbeat of a potential victim in a horror movie. This, for me, made it a very easy and quick read. That being said, I was still able to retain every important bit of information and the pacing feels intentional. I feel as if it further enhances what I said before, where Hannah Rose May works to put readers in Ivy’s shoes. Feeling heated and like she has to work quickly to figure out what’s going on, the pacing matches that perfectly.

The Art of the Issue

The art and colors of Miriana Puglia & Dearbhla Kelly also both continue to be absolute top notch. The work of Puglia coupled with Hannah Rose May’s writing really work to make every character feel as human as possible. The characters coupled with the setting designs actively work to make everything feel real and tangible, lending even more to the horror when things get bloody.

The colors from Kelly help with this even more. The use of color works to make things feel intense and grotesque. However, in moments where that isn’t needed, they make things feel more focused and real, using a wide variety of colors like greens, purples and blues. Overall great work from a stellar team!

Final Thoughts – 9.5/10

While things might feel a bit too fast paced for some, Hannah Rose May crafted yet another stellar entry to her “Smile” series. Tension and horror ran high, with stellar art and color work to boot! The creative team continues to prove they’re here to stay and that Rose May is an absolute icon on the rise. With only a few issues left, I’m more than excited to see where things go from here!

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Comments

Have you been reading “Smile: For The Camera”? What’re your thoughts so far? Let’s discuss in the comments below!