REVIEW: 'Book of Shadows' #3 by Cullen Bunn, Vicente Cifuentes, and Nick Filardi

BOOK OF SHADOWS #3

Writer: Cullen Bunn

Artist: Vicente Cifuentes, Nick Filardi

Letters: Dave Sharpe

Publisher: Valiant Comics

Release Date: January 25, 2023

Cover Price: $3.99

Exarch Fane, an ancient, otherworldly warlord, is intent on sacrificing our world to satiate his hunger. Only a team of mystic heroes stands in his way. But while three heroes-SHADOWMAN, PUNK MAMBO, and PERSEPHONE-attempt to stop Fane from forging the Chain of Ruin, DOCTOR MIRAGE, and the ETERNAL WARRIOR pass through the veil of death to discover the BOOK OF SHADOWS' terrible secrets.

Score:

★★★★☆ (4/5)

QUICK REVIEW: If 'Book of Shadows' #3 was a band, this is the point where the drummer does his solo and his name is Exarch Fane. It's Fane's time to shine so he's taking center stage by flexing his muscles and causing havoc with his demons unleashed on the world and our heroes are overwhelmed and outmanned. The Book is alive and it must be fed souls of the fallen. The team split up leaving Shadowman, Punk Mambo, and Persephone to try and turn back the tide of a growing horde of bloodthirsty zombies while Doctor Mirage and Eternal Warrior attempt to get the Book of Shadows. Fane is a pretty thinly-developed villain, he's power-hungry and obsessed with destroying the world and not much else. This is fine because the ragtag team of supernatural heroes needs an antagonist but it is a glaring weakness. What works best is the dialogue and camaraderie between said heroes who face immeasurable odds but keep the banter going despite the oncoming horde. The heroes are more fleshed out so readers will yearn for more of that. Vicente Cifuentes and Nick Filardi do a good job displaying a sort of controlled chaos as the battle gets increasingly worse for the team. The designs are creepy and sometimes downright horrific giving this issue the frightful look it deserves.

'Book of Shadow' #3 isn't perfect but still frightful fun with a whopper of a cliffhanger. Cataclysmic world-building and great camaraderie make this chapter a consequential one and worth hanging for what's sure to be one hell of a finale.

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