PRETTY HATE MACHINE #3 (Mad Cave Studios)

Thomas continues his journey into madness as he is being tempted by the demon Luther. But it seems now Luther’s plans for Thomas are coming to fruition. As the big school art show approaches, Thomas has not only a surprise art project, but also more sinister surprises as well.

Pretty Hate Machine #3 - Written By Tim Seeley & Ryan O’Nan – Art By Hank La Marca – Colors By Roman Stevens - Letters By Dave Sharpe - Edited By Ryan Carroll -Published By Mad Cave Studios

Credit: Mad Cave Studios

*** POSSIBLE SPOILER WARNING ***

STORY OVERVIEW:

Thomas is thinking about his father and him teaching him to fish when he was a child. The relationship with his father seems a little off putting at best. We then snap back to now, where Thomas is finishing his art project for the school’s art show. The detective shows up to ask some questions about her missing partner, and Malcolm & Dustin are also missing. Thomas says he doesn’t know where any of them are and then has to tell Luther not to kill her. He then goes to the art show and runs Gilly off by being mean before he reveals his really messed up paintings. After the show his mother and uncle are devastated, but that is just the beginning as Luther has Thomas primed to finally get his revenge.

WRITING:

This story leans harder into its slasher influences with each passing issue, and by this chapter, Ryan O’Nan and Tim Seeley have fully embraced the nasty, unpredictable energy of classic horror while still giving the comic its own warped identity. The violence Luther carries out on Thomas’ behalf is graphic, sudden, and genuinely shocking, but the writing makes sure the horror is not limited to the bloodshed alone. There is also a psychological cruelty running through the issue, especially in the way Thomas’ mood swings, bitterness, and increasingly vicious behavior begin to hurt the people around him. That emotional instability gives the story a different kind of edge, making Thomas feel dangerous even before anything physical happens.

What makes the script so effective is the uncertainty surrounding Luther himself. The question of whether Luther is truly a demonic presence or a manifestation of Thomas’ fractured mind continues to hang over every scene, adding tension to even the quieter moments. O’Nan and Seeley do a strong job balancing supernatural terror, slasher-style brutality, and psychological horror, keeping the reader unsure of what is real, what is imagined, and how far Thomas is willing to go.

ARTWORK:

The artwork in this issue does a strong job of capturing the story’s dark, uncomfortable atmosphere and pulling the reader deeper into Thomas’ collapsing world. Hank La Marca gives the book a rough, expressive visual style that fits perfectly with its emo horror identity. The character work is especially effective, because Thomas often looks tense, isolated, and emotionally frayed even before the more violent moments arrive. That helps sell the idea that something is deeply wrong beneath the surface. When the horror does erupt, La Marca does not hold back. The gruesome imagery is graphic, ugly, and unflinching, giving the violence a sudden shock value that makes Luther’s presence feel even more dangerous. There is also a grimy quality to the pages that works well with the story’s slasher tone, making the school setting, the art show, and Thomas’ private moments all feel increasingly unsafe.

Roman Stevens’ colors add a lot to that feeling as well, using a palette that captures both the emotional heaviness of the story and the bloodier extremes of its horror. The colors help separate the more grounded moments from the scenes where everything starts to feel more chaotic and sinister, while the gore stands out without feeling out of place in the overall visual style. Dave Sharpe’s lettering also supports the pacing of the issue, keeping the dialogue clear while allowing the more intense moments to hit with the right amount of impact. Together, the art, colors, and lettering make the issue feel stylish, disturbing, and visually memorable.

Check Out My Review of PRETTY HATE MACHINE #2

Final Thoughts:

Pretty Hate Machine #3 captures and embraces the slasher style while also showcasing a cerebral horror element as well. The more that is revealed, the more it makes us question what is actually going on. This has been a treat of a horror series, and any fan of the genre would be happy with the story we are getting. If you have missed out on this series and you are a horror fan grab a copy of this issue at the LCS this week and catch up on the first two issues over at Neon Ichiban and enjoy!

FINAL GRADE: 9.2/10

Let me know your thoughts on Pretty Hate Machine #3 in the comments below. Thanks for reading!