In the last issue of the Mall #2, The world has ended, and the local Mall is all that remains. The residents within are divided into social classes of those who live above ground and those who live in the underground (Beyonders). The Underground is divided into warring gangs. The conflict has comes to a head in the form of an open war within its walls, after Andre Walker the heir to the Gacy Empire has been accused of killing the tribal leader of one the gangs.
In the current issue of the Mall #3, the war with in the walls of the Underground continues, but there is more of a focus on the Andre Walker, as he tries to escape and prove his innocence. We get introduced to an Amazon Warrior race that lives below the underground.
The center of gravity for Mall #3 continues to be its exposition. There is not subtext here, just strait for the jugular…and if I didn’t know any better, I could swear that Michael Moreci & Gary Dauberman were taking swipes at the Comic Book Speculation Community. I couldn’t help notice the following dialogue (Some of the words edited for my emphasis):
Hold Back some (product). However, many pairs of the hottest (product) your store receives. Hold Back 40% of them. (in order to create) Frenzy! There is nothing more powerful than wanting what you cant have.Â
…there may be some …conflict that arises over our product, but that is not for us to worry about. Our concern is simple…to create a culture of need.Â
Now to be clear, that literally could be any economic system at this time. But that fact that this panel came up next makes me think that Michael Moreci & Gary Dauberman, had something in particular in mind.
Even if there is this conspiracy…it doesn’t matter, it doesn’t matter, nobody cares. They just put on their ..little emblems and scream whatever the guy next to them is screaming because it feels better to be a part of the herd than it does to worry about the fences.
Knowing the behind the scenes drama that they have gone through, I gotta say kudos to them.
The artistic team, led by Zak Harting continues to do a great job providing the reader with a unique set and character designs while also cramming in exposition without making it boring, which is not easy at all.
Final Verdict: The premise is easy, actually pulling it of is not.  Within just this issue there was a lot to unpack and ponder. It is a class commentary wrapped up in murder mystery, wrapped up in a Post apocalypse story, and I couldn’t recommend this enough.
SCORE: 5/5 stars
(W) Michael Moreci + Gary Dauberman
(A) Zak Harting
(C) Addison Duke
(L) Jim Campbell
Publisher: Vault Comics
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