The hunt for the tech killer who is using an AI app to commit the perfect crimes is intensifying. As Agents Bailey and Larque continue to close in on the killer, they also start to realize this whole thing is bigger than what they ever anticipated. The Agents are now faced with the question: how do you stop a killer that is not only unknown, but is also powered with a powerful tool that is designed to outsmart the police?
The Smart Divison #3 - Written By Zack Kaplan – Art By John J. Pearson – Letters By Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou - Edited By Spencer Cushing - Published By Dark Horse Comics
Credit: Dark Horse Comics
*** POSSIBLE SPOILER WARNING ***
WRITING:
This issue really ups the psychological thriller aspect of the story, while deepening the mystery surrounding the killer. Zack Kaplan masterfully plants the seeds for what’s to come well taking us on a thrill ride of an investigation. On the surface this issue is two Agents who are just investigating and following leads. However, the way it plays out and the situations that pop up make it way more thrilling than it has a right to be. Kaplan continues to develop the main characters and their relationship with one another. As the dynamic between the two grows, other aspects of said relationship continue to breakdown a bit. This makes for an uneasy partnership where trust isn’t completely earned at this point. Kaplan also continues to take us on this exciting journey of finding out what this app truly is and what it is capable of. Even though there is a physical killer and the app is a program, the app feels more and more human as the story continues. Kaplan also plays devils advocate throughout allowing the reader to feel like at times AI isn’t bad, well also highlighting the evil it is causing. That dichotomy really makes the reader question everything that is going on and builds the intrigue to a fever pitch.
ARTWORK:
The artwork in this issue is nearly perfect and captures every element of the story. John J. Pearson takes this high-tech world and breathes life into it. The artwork matches that tech feel and lets you know we are in a battle of man vs computer. The different art styles that he employs to convey this keep the artwork looking fresh throughout the issue and series. The human characters are full of life, and their emotions highlight the human condition perfectly. At the same time Pearson also makes the tech seem darker and colder showing that it is emotionless and thus the evil hiding in the shadows. My favorite art scenes in this book are the trippy drugged up scene towards the end of the book. It shows the reader just how off-balance Bailey is in the moment and allows you to live through this scene through the characters eyes. Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou’s lettering is very stylistic and, in some ways, adds to the artwork in the book. At the same time, it keeps the reader a little unbalanced, which once again allows the reader to feel what the characters are feeling in the moment.
Check Out MY REVIEW OF THE SMART DIVISION #2
Final Thoughts:
The Smart Division #3 turns up the tension with an increasingly unsettling mystery, a strained partnership, and an AI app that feels more human, and more dangerous with every issue. Zack Kaplan keeps the investigation gripping, while John J. Pearson and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou pull readers into the characters’ fear and disorientation through striking artwork and inventive lettering. This is a psychological thriller that keeps you questioning whom to trust and what the agents are really up against. Now is the time to get on board! head to your Local Comic Shop, add The Smart Division to your pull list, and spread the word to fellow thriller fans. Don’t let this series fly under the radar, help put it in more readers’ hands NOW!
FINAL GRADE: 10/10
Let me know your thoughts on The Smart Division #3 in the comments below. Thanks for reading!
