Pine and Merrimac #3: Vomit and Mystery

The issue begins with a flashback of Linnea when she was on the police force. After arriving at a crime scene and seeing a dead victim, she immediately throws up—a reaction that has come up throughout the series. While she can’t handle seeing dead bodies, it’s clear her detective skills are still incredibly effective as Linnea and Parker have been following the latest lead on the missing girl case. This has led them to an isolated island filled with unexpected characters.

The plot and pacing of this issue is a good balance of character building and unraveling the mystery at hand. Writer Kyle Starks has put together a solid thriller originating in a small town that has delved deeper into a suspected political conspiracy. From the unique characters, to the charming protagonists, a lot has been done in just three issues and done incredibly well.

A minor critique stems from some of the dialogue of the characters in that they could have more distinct voices as some of the subtle humor gets lost. Additionally, there are moments where the dialogue is overused or exposition heavy which detracts from the tight plot that has been crafted.

Fran Galán’s art style for this series is a great match as the more “animated” style allows for stronger non-verbal facial expressions while also being dark when the setting requires it. This particular issue stands out as colors are a major indicator of flashback and real time, and both work fluidly throughout the pages as death starts and ends in this issue. However, a minor aspect of this issue that takes away from the experience is the cover art. It isn’t bad, however, the flames and orange on the cover are jarring compared to previous issues.