Review: Livewire #3

Gwen Dylan Stacy

6 years ago

Â This installment of Valiant“s Livewire leaves us questioning the beliefs of Amanda Mckee as much as Pan. The issue itself opens to a hail of action during a time when Amanda should be laying low and trying to be as invisible as possible. Vita Ayala, however, doesn“t allow her such sensibilities and immediately starts delving into confrontation. Raul Allen beautifully illustrates the power struggle between the two during their tense interaction easily with the help of Scott Koblish“s inks and Patricia Martin“s colors. The entire issue is muted, palette wise, and reminds me of a dream or a lost memory.

While most of this issue centers itself on the building conflict due to the beliefs and ideals that Mckee and Pan hold, it manages to illustrate the validity of both sides. Pan manages to articulate his side of what McKee believes is self defense and preservation of her people whilst allowing her to find something akin to discourse. It“s a hard read in respect to the idea that something that one might consider a righteous act can still have ramifications that read differently. There“s a subtle nod to the idea of predestination via environmental factors that might lead us, indefinitely, to take the same paths as those we might so vehemently disagree with despite not being able to actively be aware.

Couple that with a few reveals from Pan himself about the limitations and presumptions about how his powers work, and we“re left with an issue that leaves – not only us – but Amanda herself reeling. It raises questions about our protagonist that we“re forced to try find answers in and left to find our own truth about, which is the beauty of the issue, in my opinion. It manages to bright to light the hero vs self sort of conflict despite the awareness coming from a third party and, perhaps, makes us view someone who we thought was a hero in a different light.

I give this issue a 3.5 out of 5 stars. It was a delightfully different read from what I had currently expected; something that easily challenged me and what I thought I know without being too overly wordy or preachy. I“m not exactly sure what the next issue will bring for myself or Amanda, now that she“s confronted her actions from a new angle, but I“m anxious to see how everything plays out. Do you agree?

[yasr_overall_rating size=”large”]

(W) Vita Ayala (A) Raul Allen, Patricia Martin (CA) Koi Turnbull