Heart Attack #3: Boldly Going Where Few Comics Have Gone Before

Heart Attack #3 takes no prisoners with its obvious and overwhelming disapproval of segregation–a subject which should be easy to condemn, yet something we still deal with in America today through red-lining, charter schooling, and the infamous promise of walls. There is also the condemnation of toxic masculinity with the clear disapproval of Sefton manipulating Jill through her sister. These are bold stances to take in such divisive times as this, and I fully approve of Heart Attack continuing to take them.

The story continues to be strong with twists and turns that make the story interesting at every issue. Jill’s ties to Sefton and Charlie’s reveal of his working with the VCU both lead to interesting possibilities for the future of this story. I also appreciated Charlie’s ability to weave the very real and very shameful history of Austin, Texas into the story with clarity and relevance. 

Once again the multimedia, immersive story-telling used in the back of the book adds a great deal of depth to the story, and one would be remiss to skip over it. The articles, zines, and other pieces of incidental story-telling are excellent tools of world-building within the Heart Attack universe, and missing some of it might be a mistake when it comes to reading future issues. Ash’s report card, if nothing else, gives insight to a linchpin character that I believe will be even more important in the future issues. 

Overall, this issue moves the story along in a way that does not beg much for review, but is vital to several reveals. It is not an issue to skip if you are invested at all in the story of Jill and Charlie. I am highly excited for the next issue which I am sure will be a dramatic continuation of the reveal at the end of this issue.