Inferno #3
Everything comes to a head in Inferno #3, by writer Jonathan Hickman, artists R.B. Silva, Stefano Caselli, Valerio Schiti, inker Adriano Di Benedetto, colorist David Curiel, and letterer Joe Sabino. Simply put, this issue is amazing.
The comic starts back at the beginning, with Professor X leaving Doug on Krakoa and moves through time, as Doug helps make discoveries about Krakoa and gives them to the Professor. At the end, he, Warlock, and Krakoa share a secret that changes everything. At Emma Frost's house, Destiny and Mystique meet with her and learn the truth about Moira MacTaggert. Speaking of Moira, she gets captured by Orchis. Back on Krakoa, Xavier and Magneto discuss what's happening when Xavier senses Moira in pain. The two of them use Magneto's tracker and learn she's at the Orchis node at Terra Verde. In the Orchis Forge, Karima reveals to Nimrod the truth of who she is until they get the distress call from Terra Verde. And that's where things get interesting.
Hickman once again proves why he's the best of the best. There is just so much in this issue. It's hard to even go into it too much because the fun of this comic is reading it and seeing it for oneself. The first revelation between Doug, Warlock, and Krakoa is a game-changer in a lot of ways and raises some questions about how certain things have played out. The later reveal about Karima… well, basically changes everything the readers have been told about the future. It's an amazing reveal, and it's a game-changer. There are also some callbacks to Powers Of X for sharp-eyed readers.
Inferno has a lot riding on it, and it's delivering brilliantly. Hickman outdoes himself with this issue. It's just hit after hit-after-hit, every page delivering another great moment. There's a nice laugh-out-loud moment in the book, not something one would come to expect from a book this heavy. Reading this and reading just about any other X-Men book being published right now is night and day. This book is that good and one of the best Big Two comics out there right now. The ending is something else as well, just all-around wonderful.
Silva is the strongest artist of the bunch. Of the three pencilers, Caselli is the weakest. It's a massive shift when his pages start. The difference in linework and coloring is stark. It's not bad, but it's a step back compared to the Silva pages that came before it. Shit's pages look great. All in all, the artworks throughout, although it would be better if Silva drew the whole comic.
Inferno #3 is straight-up amazing. Hickman does a remarkable job, and the art is great, even if Caselli's pages aren't as good as the others. That's pretty much the only complaint; the art isn't completely spectacular for a few pages, just mostly spectacular. Inferno is next level.
