Review: The Strain, The Fall #3

I feel like there is just something I don’t understand here. After reading The Strain, The Fall #3, by Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan, I think the reason why I didn’t like the first two issues was because they were both setting up for something. Similarly, this comic is setting up for… well something. That’s the thing, it’s very unclear what it is setting up for, which for some leaves the reader in suspense; personally I’m just confused and bored because I find it hard to get excited or suspenseful for something that I don’t really know what it is. I know that there is going to be some showdown to decide the fate of the world, but I’m not sure if I know that from reading the comic or just the summary on the cover.

I’m not going to bore you by rehashing all my other bashing in earlier comics, so I left a link for you if you want to give a quick skim of how twilight is a better vampire story then this comic. I also suspect that the author is reading the blog because there’s about a page of blog bashing, which is not cool by the way. Thankfully, it relieves me of any bad comic reviewing I’ve done for this series.

The main problem is that the voice of the entire comic is far too passive. It’s all about the set-up and the history rather directly addressing the problem at hand. While I don’t agree with the choice of using the “vampires”, it doesn’t change the fact that you have to fight them. That is a very active thing. If I wanted to shoot the breeze and talk about vampire apocalypses and occult and crap, I can do that any time. What I can’t do is freaking fight them. That what I want to read about. Buffy fights them Twilight falls in love with them, all these character do is talk about them.

Not to mention that there is now yet another new character with an unexplained backstory that apparently came in earlier Dark Horse Presents. While it may be a plot to sell more comics (bravo by the way), it sincerely pissed me off. I want to know the current, existing characters! Not to mention after reading this series, I don’t actually want to read anything remotely related to this.

After all the set-up, the last comic better be good. I’m talking shit needs to hit multiple fans from like rebounds and ricochets and crap. I want to see the last comic just so I can know that it’s over. Overall, I would not recommend this, not for $3.99. You’ll probably be fine just reading about the prospective “thrilling conclusion”. If the conclusion is good enough, you might want to go back and read the earlier ones to enhance the experience, otherwise, don’t bother. Lastly, if all blog readers are crazy people like the author says, please be the most awesome crazy people and in the comments section, roll your head on the keyboard and submit that. Over and out.

Brendan is hoping to read something good for his next review, Fingers crossed. Until then can be stalked on the twitter thingy @bigmacd101. Also to do his part for the insanity: ujhhygtfvrvtghyujknhygtfr.