Pretty Deadly Vol. 3: The Rat
Kelly Sue DeConnick, script; Emma Ríos, art & covers; Jordie Bellaire, coloring; Clayton Cowles, lettering
Image Comics, 2020
Vol. 1 of this series had an old West setting, and Vol. 2 had a wartime setting. The storytelling shifts to a detective noir format here, placed against a 1930s Hollywood backdrop (referred to as Hollywoodland). If nothing else, it certainly establishes the series as unconstrained by genre. But the story proceeds directly from the previous collection. Clara is found dead, which inspires her uncle Frank Fields (the Conjure-Man) to seek answers: how did she die, and where is she now? Like the previous arcs the story is narrated to a butterfly by a skeleton rabbit, which by now seems perfectly natural, along with the various Reapers, Death, and the World Garden. The world building (which I found rather confusing in the first arc) pays off here with a fantastical backdrop to what is an old-fashioned missing person investigation in many ways. It takes Frank and his Reaper companion from Hollywood back lots to the supernatural realms of the Reapers. He gets his answers, along with an ending that is real if not entirely satisfying. Ríos outdoes herself with the beautiful, atmospheric art, which features very creative panel layouts. Bellaire's coloring is pastel delicacy much of the time, but includes dramatic color changes to highlight scene changes or intense action. I look forward to seeing where the story goes next.
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