Brain Boy #3

By Fred Van Lente, R. B. Silva, Rob Lean, & Ego

The new series, Brain Boy, from Dark Horse Comics has actually been pretty cool so far. The general feeling is difficult to describe in words, but there is something vaguely and pleasantly familiar about the series, while still feeling fresh and new. This month concludes the first story arc, Psy vs. Psy.

While there were many mind-blowing revelations and subtle developments in Brain Boy #3, the overall construction of the issue felt like it had the same drawback of the previous installment; the book jumps between scenes somewhat sporadically without allowing for any transition that indicates the flow of the story. This probably sounds worse than it is; the book was full of interesting action, some solid story development, and the plot reveals really have me intrigued to find out what will happen next. Fred Van Lente has introduced some new story developments that really hadn’t been anticipated, but they fit really well in this initial stage and make the plot even more interesting. It’s the pacing that feels off and maybe a bit stiff at times, while some scenes could’ve benefitted from better transitions.

The artwork remains incredibly consistent and highly impressive. The illustrations by R. B. Silva and Rob Lean are both clean and sharp, and very well-detailed. There’s something quite different about their style that almost feels reminiscent of a more realistic anime at times. However, the colors provided by Ego are what really seem to make the visuals pop. The colors are so vibrant and full of life, it not only makes the whole book feel “brighter” without being too cartoonish, it also really enhances the realism through incredible shading and lighting effects.

While there were moments where issue #3 felt “off” somehow, the latest installment of Brain Boy was still highly enjoyable. The artwork in this series never disappoints, while the story got some big developments that increased the scope and mystery of the plot much more than anticipated. Freaking centaur guys… freaking centaur.