ONLY THE SAVAGE ARE LEFT #3: Own Who You Are

His whole life, Ryder has been told to own who he is, and that has always meant being a coward, too afraid to do what needs to be done when things get hard. With Oaklynn captured and him and Fionn infected, it may be time for him to make the hard decisions, but does that mean abandoning who he is?

Creative Team: Zack Kaplan, Stefano Raffaele, Thiago Rocha, and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou.

The Story:

This issue is getting a bit intense, and we are finally seeing Ryder step up to the plate! Zack is working on Ryder’s character development so carefully and meticulously, allowing us to slowly become endeared to him. The relationship Ryder has with Fionn is complicated; however, the duo is slowly beginning to bond weirdly. What stands out in this issue is how there are so many different personalities brought together. No two people are the same, and you can see where every single person comes from, including our big bad. We are continuously being asked at what point we would shed our humanity and do what needs to be done if the reader were in our characters’ shoes. I love how these crises of faith are brought to the front, and everything isn’t so black and white while this story remains one about monsters and pushing people to the brink. Maybe there is some hope yet for Ryder.

The Art:

The artwork is full of bloody texture throughout the panels, and there are subtle hints and details of the infection taking over Ryder. I love how we don’t see anything physical at first, but as the pages roll on, Ryder’s eye becomes red as the infection begins to take hold. There is a scene with Oaklynn spattered in blood, and yet her blue eyes pierce through, giving her a confident and dominant swagger that really stands out. Stefano and Thiago do this so well within the pages as they showcase the emotions being felt, whether it is uncertainty or anger. The final splash page of this book sets the tone for the next issue, leaving us on the edge of our seats in perfect dramatic fashion!

Final Thoughts:

Only The Savage Are Left #3 raises the stakes and begins to flesh out exquisite character development with Ryder and Fionn especially. The pages are full of piercing detail as the infection slowly tightens its grip on our main characters, leaving us with an epic cliffhanger. This isn’t just a story of an infection and killing your way to survive; it’s about so much more and has become a true staple in the “zombie and infected” genre that is making it to the cream of the crop.

Overall Grade: 10/10

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